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Baka to Tesuto to Syokanju:Volume9 The First Question

2014-11-21T16:37:44Z

Shortykilz: Undo revision by 158.123.200.226 (talk) He vandalized the page.

“…Yuuji.”

“What is it?”

“…We were living together last night, but it doesn’t feel like we’re living together.”

“Of course that’s the case. Think about it, it’s not once or twice that I was bound up and gagged and kidnapped to your house. There’s no refreshing feeling here.”

“…So from tonight onwards, I’ll go over to stay at Yuuji’s house.”

“Got it. I’ll go over to your house then.”

“…Yuuji, will you wear my clothes when you’re at my house?”

“Hold on. Let me bring a clean set of clothing.”

“???...My house has a lot of socks.”

“WHY MUST IT ONLY BE SOCKS!? THERE WOULD AT LEAST BE PANTS AND BOXERS INVOLVED, RIGHT?”

“…I won’t mind wearing Yuuji’s panties and bras.”

“I’LL MIND THAT! DON’T SAY IT LIKE I HAVE A BRA!”

“…Don’t you wear underwear, Yuuji?”

“I DON’T WEAR THE TOP! BUT I DEFINITELY MUST WEAR THE PART AT THE BOTTOM!”

“…Where?”

“THIS ISN’T THE TIME TO ASK ME WHERE! DON’T UNDRESS ME LIKE IT’S NATURAL!”

“…As a childhood friend, I have a duty to check your growth status, Yuuji.”

“THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS CHECKING GROWTH STATUS, IS THERE?! IF YOU DON’T STRIP ME REGULARLY AND RECORD, IT WILL BE POINT—”

“…”

“Oi, hold on a sec. Why aren’t you talking?”

“…Will F class continue with the summoning war?”

“Why did you change the topic out of a sudden.”

“…Can you beat C class?”

“Ku…! Pretending not to hear things that are disadvantageous to you…”

“…Even amongst husband and wife, there are some things we can’t talk about.”

“WE’RE NOT HUSBAND AND WIFE I’m too tired to even snark back…”

“…So, how about it?”

“Hm? The summoning war?”

“…Un.”

“It’s not whether we can win or not, it’s that we have to win. We can’t fail here.”

“…Do you best. If it’s you people, Yuuji, you will definitely win.”

“Oh, thanks—speaking of which, even if you’re honestly cheering for us, you know what’s our final goal, don’t you?”

“…You’re aiming for A class this time, right? Yuuji?”

“Of course, we’ll definitely win this time.”

“…Is that so?”

“Wait patiently. We won’t hold back.”

“…That’s fine, but—”

“But what?”

“—Yuuji, you know what will happen the next time you lose, right?”

“…….Haha, my feet are starting to tremble…is this the so-called samurai waver<ref>Didn't really know how to translate this part. It's like how warriors can so called feel the fear when they face a strong opponent.</ref>?”

“…When you lose twice, you better get ready.”

“Gu…! I, I won’t lose!”

“…So you must work hard when fighting against C class.”

“My heart just feels complicated now…well, I’ll do my best. It’s our wish to win in the summoning war.”

“…I’ll support your battle with C class.”

“Oh, thanks.”

“—Speaking of which, Shouko, about that checking of growth.”

“…I have to do duty today.”

“OOOIIIII!! DID YOU REALLY CHECK REGULARLY!!??”

==The First Question==

Please read the following passage and answer the question:

''Andy“I’m sorry about being late.”''

''Mary“Was there anything?”''

''Andy“I guided the man.”''

''Mary“Was there a stray child.”''

''Andy“No. There was an old man who had come to this town for the first time.”''

''Mary“I see.”''<ref>Of course, the passage's in English.</ref>

Please explain why Andy was late.

[[File:Mizuki_himeji_v9c1.png|thumb]]

'''Himeji Mizuki’s answer:'''

“Because he went to guide a lost old man.”

'''Teacher’s comment:'''

Correct answer. Andy did say that he was late because he helped an old man who came to this city for the first time. Everyone must remember to help out those in need.

'''Tsuchiya Kouta’s answer:'''

“Because he helped a pregnant lady who was about to give birth.”

'''Teacher’s comment:'''

Unfortunately, there’s no mention of the term pregnant lady.

'''Yoshii Akihisa’s answer:'''

“Because he helped an old man who was about to give birth.”

''''Teacher’s comment:'''

Sensei’s really bothered that you forced out terms that didn’t exist at all.

“Morning Yuuji.”

After splitting up from Shouko at the new school building, I was working down the corridor of the old school building when a familiar voice rang.

“Oh, Hideyoshi, morning.”

I turned around, and saw that it was one of my classmates — Kinoshita Hideyoshi.

“The weather’s great today.”

Hideyoshi narrowed his eyes and looked outside. To be honest, that face looks like a girl no matter what, but he’s a real man. But even if I say so, I’ve been wondering recently whether Hideyoshi was a real guy or not.

“…I suddenly had a feeling that my last wall of defense collapsed for a moment there…”

“You must be mistaken. You’re probably tired, right?”

“Muu…is that so?”

Being so sharp at such a small thing; that’s definitely a trait a girl will have.

“Even so, that was a disaster yesterday, Yuuji.”

Hideyoshi gave a wry smile as he said that. Was he referring to that when he mentioned disaster? A ridiculous confession caused those guys in F class to go jealous and lose all sanity and even triggered a horrifying chase sequence.

“Well, a disaster’s a disaster, but I’m used to being chased all over the place.”

“That’s so…”

Even if I say so, it can’t be helped that I’m used to it.

“Instead of worrying about whether we will be chased, I’m more worried about the summoning battle later on today. Our fighting ability was grossly worn out.”

“That’s because our class started it.”

It’s because of this that the fighting ability we had so little of became even more lacking. The opponent’s C class, and we ended up losing a lot here. Obviously, everyone knows that this is disadvantageous to us.

“We have to endure today for the sake of winning today.”

“Endure? What do you mean?”

“My estimation is that we have to continue to endure during the first half, so we’ll be in a tough battle where we have to replenish our points and fight.”

“Continuing to replenish our points and fast…that really requires lots of willpower and concentration.”

To put it nicely, it’s replenishing, but in the end, they’re exams, so this would be draining to the body and mind. I can only think of a way to motivate everyone and make them bring their best.

“Oh yeah, Hideyoshi. Your classic literature grades are rather high.”

“Yeah, ah. The next drama I’m acting in is the tale of Genji<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Genji Tale of Genji]</ref>—”

We continued to talk as we walked up the stairs, and as we saw the classroom.

“Mu? Isn’t that Muttsurini?”

“Oh, yeah.”

We saw our classmate, Tsuchiya Kouta, a.k.a. Muttsurini, about to enter F class classroom.

He is a guy who has an insatiable desire for sexual stuff, and is a powerhouse in health education that no one can match. Even though his combine scores are relatively low, he’s a reliable ally who has the breakthrough ability with his focus on one subject.

“We’ll need him to fight hard today.”

“Nobody can match Muttsurini in health education anyway.”

“Yeah. He’s a precious rare fighting ability of ours.”

Hideyoshi said as he walked over to Muttsurini.”

“Morning, Muttsurini.”

And then, he tapped him on the shoulder.

“…”

But Muttsurini didn’t respond at all…un?

“What is it? Did something—”

Happen? Just when I was about to continue,

“……(FLUSSSHHH)!!!”

Muttsurini spurted out lots of nosebleed and fainted.

“THE IMPORTANT FIGHTING FORCE IS—!?”

WHAT? WHAT’S GOING ON!? DID HE GET POISONED!? IS IT A TRAP!?

“DAMN IT! WHO KILLED MUTTSURINI!?”

I stepped over Muttsurini’s corpse “…There’s no need…to step over me…” and entered the classroom.

“We, well, Minami-chan, you should.”

“(Pinch pinch pinch) They’re really big~. What did you eat to make them so big?”

“Just normal rice.”

I saw Shimada rubbing Himeji’s breasts.

“………You two, what are you doing so early in the morning……”

“Ah, morning, Sakamoto.”

“Good morning, Sakamoto-kun.”

Shimada and Himeji finally noticed us and greeted me. …Is this the reason why Muttsurini collapsed…

“What are we doing? Just interacting around a little, you know?”

“Your little interaction caused an ally of ours to be on the brink of death…”

“And I’ll say, it doesn’t seem right when you stepped over your friend like that after that.”

Really, it’s thoroughly forbidden to give Muttsurini such stimulation.

“Then, why do you need to have such a weird way of interaction?”

“Nn~…no particular reason.”

As she said that, Shimada turned to look at Himeji’s table.

“Mizuki’s been studying hard ever since she got to school, so I want to help her relax.”

“I’m happy that you’re concerned, but it’ll be great if you can use some other way to help…”

Looking over, I saw that Himeji’s table was filled with reference books and revision test questions. I see, so she’s been working hard with such will so early in the morning. I’m really encouraged as the class rep of the summoning war when I see this.

“Sorry, Himeji. It’s great that you are helping out like this.”

From the previous study group, I knew that Himeji was more of a prodigy who gained her talent through hard work rather than being an outright prodigy. This hard-working attitude will always bring about motivation with the people around her. And with that pretty face of hers, the other people (though most of them are bastards) will work hard without grumbling.

“I’ll work extremely hard today.”

And also, I don’t know if it’s thanks to Shimada’s worrying or because she didn’t think too much, but Himeji wasn’t forcing herself and was rather full of enthusiasm. Being tense without forcing herself can be said to be the best condition to fight.

“Sorry, Himeji. —Look, you guys. If you have the time, get ready to take replenishing tests like Himeji. The points we have here aren’t enough to win.”

“““Understood—!!!”””

I can use Himeji to inspire everyone.

However, I never ever dreamt the day would come when I would actually end up saying something like ‘go study’ to my classmates…

<center>☆</center>

It’s been about 20 minutes since the conversation just now, and there’s still 10 minutes till the morning homeroom period.

Just when I was checking the attendance of our class, I suddenly noticed something.

“Speaking of which, Akihisa isn’t here yet.”

“Akihisa? Looks like he didn’t come here.”

Sitting beside me and studying was Hideyoshi, who heard me mutter and lifted his head before answering back.

Almost everyone in our class is here except for that idiot. Let alone normal days, he should be here earlier on the day of a summoning war to get ready and fight.

“Aki may have overslept.”

Shimada joined in the conversation as she may have heard Akihisa’s name.

“Overslept…is that true, Himeji?”

I asked Himeji, who was studying nearby. On hearing that, Shimada immediately gulped.

“No, it’s not that he overslept—”

“…In that case, you’re really living with Aki, right, Mizuki? Hey, Mizuki, tell us the specifics.”

“Well well, calm down, Shimada. Akihisa’s sister at home too, and it’s that Akihisa we’re talking about. Nothing can possibly happen.”

“Well, that’s true…”

Hideyoshi coaxed a jealous Shimada. Nice going, Hideyoshi. If we mention that troublesome topic and start off another commotion like yesterday, things will be tough to handle.

“Ermm…Akihisa-kun seemed to have a cold…so he’s taking a break today.”
[[Image:BTS vol 09 029.jpg|thumb]]
“Eh? Aki got a cold? Really?”

“Yes.”

Immediately, Shimada and I asked back. Akihisa will miss a summoning war because of a cold?

“I don’t think that idiot will miss a summoning war because of a cold.”

“…I agree.”

Muttsurini came over to us and nodded his head in agreement.

That guy’s body is rather strong since he normally eats coarse grains, and today’s the important summoning war day. I can’t imagine that that idiot will take a break from school when it’s an important day for him to take a step forward.

“I feel that he would at least send a message over to Yuuji either way.”

Like what Hideyoshi said, if he can’t take part, he would at least make a call to tell me something like ‘win even if you must die’. Has he lost consciousness if he didn’t even send one? But since Himeji, who’s staying with him, came to school, it shouldn’t be that serious. If it’s already critical, Himeji would definitely take a leave and stay with Akihisa.

In that case, there’s only one possibility to be considered.

“That idiot bastard…I told him time and time again to watch what he eats…”

“He couldn’t refuse at all…how pitiful…”

“…Let’s clasp our hands together and pray.”

So the reason is Himeji’s cooking. That’s more convincing than a cold.

“But Akihisa’s strength is that ‘there won’t be a decrease in fighting ability even if he’s not around’. No problems.”

“I just feel that it’s the same thing as ‘even if he’s around, he can’t be a part of our fighting force’…”

That’s what I intended to say.

To be honest, even if we don’t talk about that guy’s offensive ability, his summoned beast’s dodging skills are something worth looking forward to. Even if it’s that idiot, if he’s not around, our chances of succeeding will be affected too…but there’s no need to talk about such stuff now and create restlessness amongst everyone.

I scanned around the class, and everyone sans Akihisa is here. There’s still time, and we’re about to begin.

I look around the classroom, and went up the podium.

“Alright, we’re going to start our strategy meeting!”

Everyone let out a loud noise on hearing this.

The summoning war starts at 9. There’s not much time, so I’ll simply explain a bit.

“The important point in today’s strategy is the replenishment tests. We must try to regain the points we lost during the commotion yesterday quickly.”

The trap C class’ Koyama set caused F class to have inner turmoil, weakening our forces here greatly as a result. F class was already overwhelmingly weak as compared to C class, and yet we lost points because of infighting. Right now, the difference in fighting ability is really big.

“But wouldn’t our difference with C class be larger if we continue to replenish?”

Shimada raised her hand and asked. It’s true that if everyone ended up being worn out like what she said, the difference between both sides will increase, and the simple reason is that the enemy’s maximum value in points are different from us…however,

“That’s not the case. The enemy has finished the replenishing.”

While F class had the infighting going on, C class temporarily went back to regroup. This is a cautious decision made in the midst of the chaos. Even though we had some replenishing done too, we had infighting amongst our side, and they, who had the advantage all the time, have a difference in how much they were worn out as compared to us. But they were basically done. In other words, the replenishing tests will decrease the difference instead of increase.

“Then, what’s the basic plan?”

Hideyoshi asked. The other people in the class looked like they wanted to hear about the specifics rather than the overall plan.

“The enemy will most likely start swarming here, and we won’t have a chance of winning with our points worn down by a lot. Therefore, we have to solidify F classroom. We’ll defend the two entrances of F class, set them as the fighting area, and wait for the replenishing inside the classroom to be complete.”

With their replenishing done, C class will go for the decisive blow before we can take action—it’s not to that extent yet, but they will keep us in our classroom while making us unable to do anything else. Looking at how the enemy rep Koyama took action, it seemed that the enemy is being wary of us. It’s not hard to imagine that they will decrease our movement range.

“We lost out on a lot of points, and we already lost a lot of people. We won’t have a chance of winning if the enemy uses the ‘retreat once worn out’ strategy.”

In terms of numbers, we still have around 30 people (on a side note, the number of people in a class is 50), but the enemy has more than 40 people, and the difference in numbers is already about 30%. Also, there’s the difference in personal abilities between C class and F class, and this is already a self-explanatory situation.

“Therefore, we’re going to use up our points as much as possible.”

“Use up, as in fighting until we can’t fight?”

“That’s one, but that won’t be enough. We won’t be replenishing our points before we go down, but we’ll switch the deciding subject. In that case, the same people can still continue to fight.”

“Change subjects, how?”

Shimada tossed out a question. That’s a good question.

The rules state that we can’t switch subjects when fighting the enemy. If we want to switch subjects, we have to fight until the battle’s decided. In other words, a certain side of students taking part in the battle of this subject has to be defeated first. Then, if we lose out, the enemy will rush in through both front and back entrances, and things will get worse.

“At that moment, we’ll need Himeji’s attacking ability and immediately ask the teacher for a change in subjects once the enemies in the field are defeated. Can you do it?”

“Yes! Please leave it to me!”

Himeji said enthusiastically.

Himeji, who has the ability as the second-ranked student in our year, has constantly high marks in all subjects. This is a very important point for this fight. All the subjects may require a decisive fight, so we need to sweep the enemy while changing subjects. Shimada’s maths and Muttsurini’s health education are rather strong if we talk about how specialized they are, but the enemy will think of changing the subjects, and if we have such a defensive battle, their strength can’t be used. Thus we need Himeji’s power as an add on.

“So we’d need Himeji to appear when changing subjects. The main forces of the defense will be taken by other people, is it?”

“Ahh, that’s the case. Once we start, we’ll be grouped with Muttsurini and Shimada at the center.”

The front entrance will be defended by Muttsurini’s health education, and the back will be defended by Shimada’s maths. On a side note, these two are highly specialized, so we have to call them back when switching subjects.

“According to the current situation, I’ll be able to hang on for about 20, 30 minutes.”

“…I have no confidence in fighting an endurance battle.”

We’ll ignore Shimada for now, but it’ll be a different case for Muttsurini, peerless in health education, to fight a battle of attrition. The ability of the ‘golden bracelet’ is powerful, but will eat up points when used, and will have a side effect when facing lots of enemies. The only one in our entire year who can get away from many enemies is that idiot. It’s because of this that it’s a huge loss for that guy to not be here…

“I’ll work hard for Akihisa-kun’s sake. We promised.”

Himeji’s eyes seemed to show a glow of strong will. It seemed that she’s more active than before when Akihisa’s not around. In a certain sense, perhaps it’s good that Akihisa isn’t here.

“Alright. Then, please take note of the area you’re in charge of.”

As we continued on, the strategy meeting ended. And so…how will the battle today end up like?

[[Image:BTS_vol_09_036-037.jpg|1100px]]

<center>☆</center>

“Are you done, Yoshii? —Are you listening to me, Yoshii?”

“Eh? Ah, yes, sorry.”

Ironman’s coarse voice brought me back to reality. Damn it. I seemed to have spaced out again.

“What is it? You haven’t written down anything yet? Hurry up.”

With Ironman prompting me, I looked down at the latecoming slip.

—Yes, the latecoming slip.

Right now, the time is 10am, and I’m in the office. As for why I’m here at such a time, the simple answer is that I was late, and sensei asked me to write a latecoming slip.

“It’s rare that you weren’t late by just a bit. Did you oversleep?”

“No, that’s not it…”

I woke up slightly earlier than usual. Even so, it was 9.30am the moment I noticed it. Looks like I spaced out on the bed for more than 2 hours. It’s really suitable if I say that time was taken away without warning.

“Whatever. Just hurry up and write. I have to go back to the remedial room earlier.”

“Okay~”

Under the ‘class’ column of the latecoming slip, I wrote ‘2-F’, ‘Yoshii Akihisa’ under the ‘name’ column, and the reason why I was late—

“…”

“What is it, Yoshii? Why are you blushing?”

I wanted to write the reason why I was late, but stopped again.

To be honest, the reason why I was late this morning was because Himeji-san…well, ki—no! Erm, actwd like nee-san. But I can’t use that as an excuse. That will create lots of problems if I write that, and will bring trouble to Himeji-san. But (even if Himeji-san was mistaken) my cold’s better now, so I can’t write that I’m sick…

I pondered for a while, and my hand holding the pen started to write again. Can’t be helped. I’ll write this then.

“Sensei, I’m done.”

“Alright, you can leave.”

“Yes.”

I handed over the latecoming slip and got ready to leave the staff room.

“I’ll take back what I said. Come back, Yoshii.”

“What is it?”

I got called back by Ironman. What now?

“Rewrite it.”

“Rewrite? Is there a problem?”

“Writing ‘youth’ as the latecoming reason can’t possibly be accepted!”

“THEN WHAT OTHER REASON CAN I WRITE!?”

“I SHOULD BE THE ONE YELLING HERE!!”

How unreasonable. I definitely thought through and finally wrote a big fat truth here!

“Yare yare…never mind. Since it’s Yoshii…you probably picked up some ero-book on the way to school.”

It seemed that my youth here is being grossly misunderstood.

Even so, I can’t say the real reason, and I have no idea what that signified. Is she trying to imitate nee-san? Was Himeji-san dazed from her sleep? Was it some kind of spell? No, it’s really too weird even if it’s like that.

If I think about it, don’t tell me, actually, Himeji-san—

“…”

“Why are you blushing all of a sudden? How dangerous is that ero-book you picked up!?”

Damn it, I got even more misunderstood.

“Really, can you really take part in the summoning war? Let me say this first. Our class is in a state where we can’t think about anything else, you know?”

Ironman sighed and muttered.

Now that he mentioned it, I focused my attention back here. F class’ situation…

The summoning war began while I was writing the latecoming slip here. I didn’t arrive at any conclusion after spacing out for more than 2 hours, so there’s no time to worry about this.

“…Yeah. I should be focusing on the summoning war.”

“Yeah. I don’t want to say that studies are your top priority, but the summoning war is important for you and Sakamoto, right? Forget about everything else and just focus on what’s in front of you.”

As an elder, Ironman gave this advice, and it’s true that the summoning war is important to me. It’s not something that I can play around with, yeah…un, well said!

“Yes, I got it!”

“Good answer. No problems, right?”

“None! I’m good at forgetting things!”

“Don’t puff your chest and say such a thing, idiot.”

I’m not good at thinking about so many things in the first place. I can’t check on what happened with Himeji-san, so I should first focus on the important summoning war!

“I’ll be off to the remedial room then. I’ll give you a good lesson if you die in battle.”

Ironman took the latecoming slip and went back to the office. Now, I should start thinking. I have to meet up with F class and take part in the summoning war!

<center>☆</center>

“—But even if I say so, what’s going on…”

After handing my latecoming slip over to Ironman, I just stared over at F class blankly.

''“Charge right in! The enemy’s just F class!”''

''“Those who’re done with replenishing are to come back! Replace those worn out!”''

''“Got it! Those at the back are to take over!”''

I came to the entrance of F class, and what I saw was a battle with swarms of C class students attacking ferociously and F class defending till death at the entrance.

The time now is 10+, and the battlefield of the summoning war that restarted is now at the entrance of F class in the old school building. Right now, there’s an intense battle going on, and as I could see, it feels like C class is trying to surround F class and keep them in the classroom.

C class Koyama-san leaked false information to crush F class, causing F class to have infighting. Even though we managed to resolve this, and both sides went through replenishing tests — there’s still a huge difference between C class and F class. There’s already a difference in ability, and with the commotion yesterday, the damage caused was great. Of course, F class had overwhelmingly more casualties than C class.

The so-called replenishing test is to let those with their points worn out to regain their points. In other words, it is meaningless to those who died in battle. During yesterday’s commotion, those C class people who were worn down retreated, but F class was different. The raging F class members attacked over and over again even if they’re worn out, and so, naturally, a lot of them died. In this situation, both sides had to go through replenishing tests, and it’s to be expected that there’s a huge difference in the amount of recovery in the fighting strength. This huge difference created the current situation.

“That Yuuji already foresaw something like this, didn’t he…”

Even though we managed to overcome the commotion yesterday, the war hasn’t ended. Rather, it had just begun, and it’s disadvantageous on our side.

Looking over, I can see that F class is being held down. It’s really amazing how the defensive line hasn’t collapsed.

''“SA, SAVE ME, FUKUMURA! I HAVE ONLY 12 POINTS LEFT! I DON’T WANT TO GO TO THE REMEDIAL ROOM!”''

''“I’M IN THE SAME BOAT HERE! JUST USE THOSE POINTS TO HELP!”''

''“SPEAKING OF WHICH, DON’T YOU HAVE ONLY 20 POINTS!?”''

I could only hear screams from F class, and from where I’m standing, I could only see the backs of C class surrounding F class.

“No, but if I can see the backs of C class, doesn’t that mean that I can ambush them?”

To be honest, I haven’t regained my points completely. It couldn’t be helped. I ran around all over the place yesterday, being chased by almost everyone from F class and C class, so it wasn’t enough to use one or two subjects to fight then. There’s a limit to how much points I can get back after half a day of remedial. If I fight in such a situation, I’ll be sent over to the remedial room without being able to do anything.

“No no. For the sake of my allies, it would be helpful somewhat if I rush in suicidally…”

Should I help everyone and fight by rushing in? Better check the current situation. This is troublesome.

Just when I’m thinking about this, I can see the faces of my F class classmates from the gaps between the C class people. They all seemed to notice me and gave me glances.

(You’re here, Yoshii?)

(You can’t rest on such an important day!)

(Let’s fight together, Yoshii!)

Their eyes were telling me this.

Is that so…so they were waiting for me…in that case, I should reciprocate their trust and join in the fight for everyone’s sake.

…Yeah. Fight for everyone and give my life up. If I am going to save everyone, I have to rush in with the realization that I have to go to Ironman’s hellish remedials.

“…”

I looked at the faces of my pleading allies.

(Yoshii…)

(Yoshii…!)

(Yoshii…!!)

“Fmm…I see.”

I took a deep breath and thought calmly.

……I have no obligation to go to such an extent!

If I think about it carefully, the reason why we ended up like this was because everyone went jealous and started attacking. Also, I’ve been badly treated everyday too.

“Alright. Time to watch them die.”

Yuuji can definitely think of something! I should think about how to get past this perimeter and gather with the class—

''“YOSHII! F CLASS’ YOSHII AKIHISA! HURRY UP AND SAVE US! WE’RE HERE!”''

''“OI, C CLASS! LEAVE US ALONE AND ATTACK YOSHII OVER THERE!”''

''“YEAH! THAT GUY MUST HAVE BEEN ORDERED BY SAKAMOTO SECRETLY! HE SHOULD BE SOMEONE IMPORTANT!”''

“Cheh! As expected of my classmates!”

The moment those guys spoke up, I immediately turned my back around and started to run off.

It seemed that my decision to abandon those guys and their decision to sacrifice me was made at the same time. It can be said that the thinking of sacrificing other people’s lives to protect our own lives is the creed of our class.

“Eh? Yoshii? No sign of him.”

“Don’t be fooled by them! These guys are from F class! D class ended up in turmoil because of this! We should first focus on the enemy in front of us!”

“IT’S TRUE! TRUST ME! OH YEAH, IF YOU LET ME RUN AWAY, I’LL TIE YOSHII UP AND BRING HIM OVER—”

I heard some lousy words over there. Isn’t selling other people out to survive the worst idea! Really, these guys.

“I’ll just ignore them for now.”

If I think about it carefully, the situation is rather bad. If I’m revealed to have come here, I won’t be able to secretly meet up with F class.

“Let’s see if there’s any other path to meet up…”

First I have to leave the battlefield to ensure my own safety and check the situation out. Un…sneak in through the window of that empty classroom beside F class — it’s tough. The empty classroom’s right beside the battlefield, so the enemy will quickly discover me…anyway, let’s go to the other empty classrooms to check it out and find a way to sneak in.

I went from the third level of the old school building that was the battlefield to the area near the empty classroom on the second level. If I can climb up to the window from there…

I remain vigilant and check to see if there’s any enemies nearby and put my hand on the door of the empty classroom. I then heard some people talking from inside. Un? Who could it be?

''“…Sorry to look for you at such a time. The class representative shouldn’t be taking action independently in the middle of a summoning war.”''

''“It’s alright if it’s like this. F class is being walled up inside their own classroom.”''

''“That’s good. If they’re stuck inside the classroom, the enemy can’t pull any tricks.”''

There were two girls’ talking to each other, and they just seem so familiar…they also mentioned about things like ‘F class’ and ‘summoning war’. Don’t tell me…?

I was wondering about it, and put my ear on the door to listen carefully.

''“Well, sempai. About what I asked this morning…”''

''“Un, the strategy against F class, right? I’ve asked for you.”''

''“Sorry to bother you at such a busy time.”''

''“It’s alright. The third years are doing self-study during this period.”''

It's definitely them! It’s C class’ representative Koyama-san! Is this ‘sempai’ she called that bewitching looking—Kogure-sempai?

''“What’s the situation now?”''

''“The enemy’s stuck in their own class…”''

''“But we can’t get over to the rep, right?”''

''“Yeah. Also, that second-ranked girl in our year is working really hard to me, and we couldn’t win according how I think we would. I’m also uneasy over what Sakamoto will come up with…”''

''“The second-ranked girl in your year? She doesn’t have much physical ability, so wouldn’t be easy if you make her tired?”''

''“Well…for some reason, she just seemed really motivated today.”''

''“She has become one huge obstacle, is it?”''

''“Yeah…from the way things stand, we can’t do anything if we don’t find some way to deal with her.”''

As I heard this, I suddenly noticed something. Just now, (I think) Kogure-sempai said something like ‘I asked for you’. So that means the suggestion given to Koyama wasn’t thought up by her…?

''“Is that so? We’ll ignore the enemy’s strategy for now. Let’s first talk about the rest. The basic plan.”''

''“Yes.”''

''“How about you get the other classes to help out?”''

''“The other classes?”''

''“Yup. A common frontline. Is there any other classes you can get to help?”''

''“…I think, B class’ representative is a little…”''

''“Isn’t this B class representative your ex-boyfriend?”''

The ex-boyfriend, B class rep. On hearing that, a guy’s man appeared in my mind. Uu…I do feel somewhat guilty here. What Nemoto-kun did to Himeji-san was unforgivable, but there’s a guilt over whether I went overboard on hearing the word ‘split up’.

''“I heard that you split up from him because he tried to kiss you forcefully and you gave him a tight slap to the face.”''

''“…Please don’t remind me of that.”''

I take that back. Looks like there’s nothing to pity him about.

''“But it’s not that you broke up with him completely, right?”''

''“Ehh. Sort of.”''

''“That can do. Please ask B class for assistance.”''

''“Erm…how?”''

''“Let B class fight with other classes. Then, designate the subjects they’re to use.”''

''“Designate the classes we should use?”''

''“Yeah. There’s a limit to the number of teachers, so make all the teachers who have replenished the enemy’s points go over to the summoning battle on that side. In that case, no matter much momentum the enemy has, they have to fight with low points.”''

''“I see…then we can also use the teachers who replenished the marks of B class’ opponents to fight, is that correct?”''

''“Yes.”''

I heard this sly plan. Un? Make the enemy fight with the subjects without being allowed to replenish points? Won’t that be disadvantageous to us?

''“If we are to get B class into a summoning war, the only opponent left will likely be A class. How about it? Does 2-B have the thought of challenging A class?”''

''“They do have that sort of motive…but no matter what, it’s too reckless for B class to challenge A class.”''

''“Perhaps B class’ rep still wants you to change your mind, right? You once said that you liked brainy guys, right?”''

''“Eh? No way?”''

''“Aren’t you very cute there? Then,”''

''“We, well, it’s not like I hated him…”''

B class declaring war on A class. I don’t think A class will lose, but if B, C classes limit the subjects, it won’t be easy to win easily. Besides, the class rep of B class is that infamously sneaky Nemoto-kun. He will come up with some dirty trick and do something to attack A class’ rep Kirishima-san’s weakness, Yuuji and make her surrender. Kirishima-san’s smart, but can’t make decisions calmly whenever it comes to Yuuji. That will be troublesome.

''“In that case, if you beat F class, and the gap between B class and A class will be reduced. Both classes won’t lose out. Won’t that be an ideal deal?''

''“That’s true…”''

The meeting on the other side of the door seemed to be progressing smoothly.

This isn’t a joke. B class and C class won’t lose out, but us F class and A class that get involved will be in trouble. I’m worried about A class, but our F class will be in even more trouble. It’s already a disadvantageous situation to us, and our chances of winning will decrease greatly if we’re forced to use only certain classes? We’re aiming for A class, so how can allow this to happen? We must stop this plan no matter what.

''“Then if B class beat A class, you can attack whichever side you want. If they lose, you can consider attacking A class after checking that they’re worn out.”''

''“That’s true…I can’t say that the deal we had earlier is fake then.”''

The deal before would refer to the information Koyama-san and Yuuji exchanged, where they will attack after that. I thought they were just lying, but it seemed that they intended to follow their promise. I don’t know what’s their true intentions though.

Damn it, there’s no time to think randomly! F class and A class will be in a bad situation if this keeps up!

My mind’s thinking about doing something, but I can’t think of some specific plan. I’m really envious of Yuuji’s thinking speed at this moment.

Just when I’m being puzzled, time slowly ticked away.

''“Nn…? Isn’t that—F CLASS YOSHII!? OII! YOSHII’S HERE!’''

''“WHAT!? IS THE NEWS THAT HE TOOK LEAVE FALSE!?”''

And then, voices could be heard from behind.

Damn it! I focused too much on what’s inside the classroom and didn’t pay attention to my surroundings!

I looked over at where the voices came from, and it seemed that the C class students who were intending to attack F class from another direction brought the teacher down from the third level.

I left the door to get away quickly. The door to the empty classroom opened, and the people who walked out from inside were C class’ rep Koyama-san and the third year bewitching looking sempai I met before—Kogure-sempai.

“Yoshii!? That guy heard our conversation just now—”

“…Unfortunately, I didn’t expect someone to come here at such a time and take part in the summoning war…he’s really a child with lots of irregular factors around him.”

“Anyway, hurry up and get rid of him! He won’t be able to contact the rest if he’s sent to the remedial room through a summoning battle—everyone, crush Yoshii!”

“““Got it!!”””

On Koyama-san’s command, the people of C class immediately came over.

“Sensei! C class’ Enokida Katsuhiko challenges with Japanese history! —summon!”

The floor immediately reacted to the keyword as an array appeared. Then, the summoned beast that was a miniature version of the person appeared in the middle. Ku…I can only fight back…1

“Summon!”

I summoned my summoned beast to fight with the opponent, and it still had a poor look with a school uniform and a wooden sword. We finally got a change of equipment, and I only got a dragon drawn on the cloth of my clothes. How pathetic.

C Class, Enokida Katsuhiko, Japanese History, 115 points.

Vs

F class, Yoshii Akihisa, Japanese History, 121 points

Our scores appeared in the air. Luckily, the deciding topic was Japanese history, one of the subjects tested during the replenishing yesterday and my only specialty. What luck!

“C class’ Koube Shin will fight too! Summon!”

“Same class, Niinuma Kyouko’s going too. Summon!”

Another 2 summoned beasts appeared on the opposing side. 3 vs 1, and my enemies are from C class. Even if I am good at controlling my summoned beast here, it’s a tough situation for me.

“GO TO HELL, YOSHII!”

The enemy raised his weapon, a spear and rushed over. I use my wooden sword to parry the spear and let my summoned beast rush at the enemy.

“Another one here!”

An axe came swinging in from the side, and my summoned beast took a step back to dodge. I lost my chance to attack, but it couldn’t be helped. There’s too many enemies, so I can’t win if I fight so many at one go.

“Yaa!”

Another girl joined in the battle, and the naginata swung over at the wooden sword horizontally, chipping it off. It’s okay if there’s a difference in strength, but with our marks on similar levels, it’ll be disadvantageous to use a wooden sword to fight back. I can’t take the strikes of the enemies’ blades now, I have to dodge them…!

I managed to take on the three people’s individual attacks. I have to take care of where I’m standing so that I won’t be surrounded…!

“This guy’s from F class, but isn’t he on the same level as us with those grades?”

“I remember that Japanese History is the only subject Yoshii’s good at.”

“We’re really unlucky to use this subject to fight him.”

Even when grumbling, they never slowed down. It’s really tough to take this. the way they’re attacking is a lot more restrained as compared to those guys from F class yesterday, but the summoned beasts’ strength can’t be compared.

The enemies’ attacks didn’t hit me, but my attacks didn’t hit them. We continued our battle back and forth, and then,

“Why must you take so much time fighting an idiot!? It’s frustrating!”

Koyama-san said anxiously and faced the teacher standing nearby,

“Sensei, C class’ Koyama wants to fight. Summon!”

The summoned beast appeared on Koyama-san’s command. It’s a 4 vs 1 situation now, and it’ll be tougher if I want to beat everyone and try to get away.

However—

“I’ve been waiting for this!”

At that moment, my summoned beast sped up. I've been waiting for this moment. It’ll be even harder if I want to win in a 4 vs 1 situation, but if I beat the enemy’s rep, the summoning war will be over. I’ll beat the summoned beast Koyama-san summoned and win this war…!

“““!?”””

The trio standing in front of me flailed their weapons. I didn’t bother to dodge, raised the tip of my blade and rushed at the enemy’s commander.

“Gu…uu…!”

Sharp pain can be felt on my arms, shoulders and thighs. The feedback of the summoned beast that was being hacked at went to me, and a lot of points disappeared.

…However…it’s not like I’m immobilized now!

“GOOOOO!!!”

I was attacked after I leapt forward. In other words, the attack this time will be based on the points just now. I got ready to be bounced back as I attack.

“Da—!”

Koyama-san’s anxious voice reached my ears. Got her! With a full-powered attack of more than 100, even the opposing C class’ rep can’t take this!

The wooden sword was stabbed at the enemy’s throat —

“You can’t do that, Koyama-san.”

At this moment, the enemy’s summoned beast vanished. Wha…?

“Ko, Kogure-sempai…”

“The class rep can’t carelessly summon the summoned beast. Even if you have a bigger advantage, it’ll be over if you lose.”

Kogure-sempai pulled Koyama-san on the sleeve and dragged her out of the summoning field. Ku…is it because of this that the enemy’s summoned beast disappeared…!?

F class, Yoshii Akihisa, Japanese History, 13 points

The result of the attacks just now is shown. Damn it! I wanted to settle this once and for all! Ain’t I dying here now!? It’ll be tough fighting against three people from C class with such points…

“Sorry sempai. You really helped me there.”

“It’s fine. This is for my cute kouhai after all.”

“Thank you. I’ll act cautiously from now on.”

Koyama-san lowered her head in front of Kogure-sempai.

My desperation attack missed, and I have no way out. And I’ll be treated as running away from battle if nobody comes up to sub me, and I’ll be disqualified. Before that happens, I have to at least let my side know the enemy’s plans…”

“In that case, we can catch him now.”

Kogure-sempai smiled meaningfully as she said that. Did she see through what I wanted to do…!? Use Koyama-san as bait to break this deadlock!?

Right now, the situation is such that I’m in a disadvantage no matter whether it’s the battle situation or my points, and I’m not allowed to run away. To be honest, I have no other way now, but—

“At least I might pass the message…!”

I have to continue dodging to buy time even when my points are few. How can I just give up like this? Don’t, don’t tell me there’s no other way…!

“…You just won’t give up, huh?”

Kogure-sempai muttered as she saw me like this. Of course I won’t give up. Our wish is to win the summoning war, so I have to struggle until I die!

I’ll immediately be unable to battle if I get even a graze, and this thin ice-like battle continued under such a state. I continued to look around to see if there’s any way out.

At this moment, I saw something flying out from the window. Is that — a soccer ball? I may be able to use that!

I immediately adjusted my position. Then,

“BUBAHH!?”

The soccer ball that broke through the glass window hit my face and sent me flying.

“Ahh! No way!?”

“Just one more would do!”

My body rolled out of the summoning field, and my summoned beast disappeared.

“Sensei! Isn’t that disqualification when the enemy runs away!?”

“No, that probably couldn’t be helped…”

The C class girl went to ask the teacher. Alright, now!

“Sensei! I’m nosebleeding! I need to go to the infirmary!”

“Ah! Oi! Yoshii! Stop running away!”

“Sensei! Isn’t this running away from battle!?”

“Ermm…what happened just now was an accident, and Yoshii-kun can’t be deemed as running away from battle when he’s injured…”

This debate continued to echo behind me. I got a pair of fast legs that can run away because of my training in my everyday life, so since I managed to run away, nobody can catch up to me!

I darted down the stairs and ran towards the new school building that wasn’t a battlefield.

<center>☆</center>

“Un…I managed to get out from there, but what should I do?”

I reached the new school building, checked that no one was following me from behind, and stopped to think of what I should do.

“It’ll be best if I can meet up with everyone from F class…”

From the way things looked just now, I will have to break through if I want to meet up with them. Their backs were facing me just now, and now they have discovered me, so they will be wary. I’ve also lost a lot of points, and if I force my way through, I’ll be the one being surrounded instead.

In that case, there’s only one thing I can do to help our class win.

“Prevent C class from working with B class, I guess.”

As of now, I don’t know whether F class can win. However, the commander’s Yuuji. That guy will definitely think of something when F class is in a war.

Therefore, I shouldn’t be worrying about that.

“That guy’s really not used to fighting against the opposite sex.”

From what Koyama-san said just now, it seem that it’ll be fine if I stop their plans to make use of Nemoto-kun’s feelings. Really.

“It’s really tiring when I have a class rep who’s so slow to react to a woman’s heart.”

“…Yoshii’s the last person he want saying such a thing.”

“!!??”

I suddenly heard this voice, and immediately backed away. Who, who is it?”

“…??”

Tilting her head and giving a puzzled look is,

“Ki, Kirishima-san?”

“…Un.”

The beautiful long-haired 2-A class rep and the valedictorian, Kirishima Shouko-san.

“That scared me. I thought it was C class there.”

“…C class?”

“Your opponent in the summoning war that appeared at F class, correct, Yoshii-kun?”

The one standing behind Kirishima-san was Kudou Aiko-san, also of A class. She’s a girl with boyish charm.

“Since that’s the case, why are you here when there’s a summoning war, Yoshii-kun?”

“…Is there some special mission?”

“Ah…un, it’s really different from the rest.”

Of course, they won’t naturally think that I was late and couldn’t meet up with everyone.

“Anyway, why are you two here? Aren’t you having class now?”

“…Self-study period.”

“Well, to put it simply, sensei’s busy with the staff meeting and couldn’t come out, and we had enough progress with the lessons, so she gave us a day off today for self-study.”

Our F class had to offer our holidays for supplementary lessons. What’s with this difference in treatment? Is this the so-called difference in society?

“…So we’re going to the office to get new worksheets.”

“Ah, so that’s why…”

So they didn’t come out of class to play truant just because it’s self-study…as expected of the best class in our year. It’s no wonder why they would have such different treatment from us when we’re always thinking of running away from class.

“I say, just leave this for now!”

What the heck am I chit-chatting away with Kirishima-san! I have something important I have to do!

“…What is it?”

“Ah, is it about the special mission?”

“Un, yeah. Because of the trap C class and B class set, F class and A class will be in danger. Got to tell the people at A class.”

“Danger?”

“Yoshii-kun, what’s going—”

“Then, Kirishima-san, Kudou-san, I’ll be going first.”

“…We’re A class here, you know?”

“Un, it’s lesson time now, so there’s a teacher watching.”

“No, I say, Yoshii-kun!”

“Can’t be helped. In that case, I can only open the back door slightly and inform the person near there.”

“Just calm down first (flap)!”

“If I can’t pass the message, it’ll be bad (DABDABADABA)”

Damn it! When did I nosebleed so much! Is this C class’ trap or something? I can’t do anything if I can’t stop the bleeding!

But, but…

“But maybe it’s not so bad to die like this…”

“Oh my my…I thought Yoshii-kun could calm down like this, but he’s still freaking out.”

It’s a completely different feeling from being hit by the soccer ball. It’s a nosebleed that felt really good. This…isn’t so bad.

“…Aiko, stop teasing Yoshii.”

“Yes~. The guys from F class are especially bad at this.”

“…Yoshii. Tell me about A class…I’m the class rep here after all.”

I recovered and found Kirishima-san staring at me. Ah, I see. I was too anxious and forgot the fact that I could have just told her.

“Perfect! I have something to say to you, Kirishima-san.”

“…Un.”

“Well, about that, actually!”

My momentum cause me to lean over at Kirishima-san, and Kudou-san saw me like this,

“Ahaha, I just feel that this is like a confession.’

She joked. No no no. Kirishima-san’s cute and pretty, but she belonged to someone already.

''“You can’t do that, Aki-cha—Yoshii-kun. Don’t you already have a perfect man that you love?”''

“AN EVIL PRESENCE HAS COMETH!”

''“…(Hides)”''

For a moment, I just felt that there was some evil presence and looked over. However, I just couldn’t see the owner of this presence as this person is hiding behind the wall. On first glance, it looked like there’s a girl’s braid. Was that, Tamano-sa—no, definitely not. She can’t possibly be here since she’s in D class.

“…Yoshii?”

“Sorry. I’m fine here, Kirishima-san.”

“…I see.”

“Speaking of which, what do you want to talk about, Yoshii-kun?”

“Un, actually—huh? Kubo-kun? When did you appear?”

“I was going to the washroom and heard a conversation. Is there anything I can help with? It may be rude of me though.”

“Thank you, Kubo-kun. Always being able to help us out.”

“No, don’t worry about it. I just like to do this.”

“Really? You’re really kind, Kubo-kun.”

For a moment, I just thought that there’s something weird about his ‘I just like to do this’, but my instincts immediately told me in unison that ‘this is just my imagination’ and denied it. It may really be just my imagination here. How can such a nice guy have ulterior motives?

“…Anyway, let’s go to the ranch in our class if we don’t want to be overheard.”

“Yeah. There’s some secrets with regards to this summoning war, right? Yoshii-kun?”

“Seems like you’re being pursued here. It may be good for you to hide for a while.”

Kirishima-san and the rest gave me such suggestions.

“Thank you, everyone.”

“““No problems.”””

And so, I followed Kirishima-san and went over to A class to explain what’s going on and ensure my own safety.

<center>☆</center>

“Then, what exactly is going on, Yoshii-kun?”

“Un, and then, I heard from Koyama-san of C class that—”

“Okay, Yoshii-kun. This is nice, you know♪?”

Mgu mgu mgu mgu

“(Gulp) It seems that B class is going to declare war on A class—”

“…Yoshii. Do you want to eat this?”

Kari kari kari kari.

“(Gulp) and their plan is to call the teachers out and make the subject—”

“This is rather good too, Yoshii-kun. Also, I personally recommend the sweets here.”

“Wait a sec, Aiko, prez, Kubo-kun! We can’t proceed with the conversation like this! Feed him later if you want to! Stop eating too, Yoshii-kun. Say what you want to say!”

The one who spoke as she sat at the sofa in A class in front of me is Hi—Kinoshita Yuuko-san, and she’s angry now.

“Ahaha, sorry, Yuuko. Yoshii-kun’s been enjoying himself with the food.”

“…Just like a little critter.”

“Sorry, he looked really hungry, so I accidentally…”

“Really. You should be more alert when it comes to the summoning war…”

Kinoshita-san seemed to be unhappy as she was grumbling about something. She looks exactly like her little brother Hideyoshi as they’re twins. It seemed that Yuuko is a lot fiercer. Her traits are her eyes, which are more of pretty than cute. The sisters are really bishoujo when gathered together. I suppose the Kinoshitas must be living a fantasy…

“In other words, B class is going to attack us, is it? Coming up with such a despicable tactic too.”

“Un, that’s the case.”

Kinoshita-san was able to understand even with such a disjointed explanation, and the other three showed looks of comprehension. As expected of A class; all of them are smart people who think fast.

“To be honest, we can’t possibly lose to this strategy, so there’s no real…”

“Even so, Kinoshita-san, Yoshii-kun is troubled right now. Don’t you think we should offer some assistance?”

“Don’t feel the need to. It’s against the rules to get involved in other classes’ summoning wars anyway.”

“…Yuuko, don’t say that.”

“Nope. It’s self-study period now, but we’re still having lessons. I won’t allow such a thing to happen.”

It’s just like what Kinoshita-san said. It’s lesson time now. If everyone in A class help out, they’ll be skipping lessons.

“…But I want to help them.”

“No matter what you say, it’s impossible. I’ve been closing an eye to Yoshii-kun coming here, so just endure this.”

“…Yuuko…”

“U…that’s not fair, prez, using such an expression…”

“…Please.”

“…Tha, that’s why I said, no.”

“…I’ll do whatever you ask me to do next time, Yuuko.”

Kirishima-san gave such a final blow. Kinoshita-san seemed to finally relent after hearing this, and used her hand to cover her face.

Since Kirishima-san said so, I’ll definitely remember to bring a gift for her next time.

“Ahh, really. I got it, I got it. I’ll help with defeating that strategy. But we are not going to get involved with the summoning war with F class. Is that alright?”

“…Thank you, Yuuko.”

“Well, I don’t really like what C class is doing. And C class rep still owe me lot.”

“Thank you, Kinoshita. You’ve been a great help.”

“…”

After I thanked Kinoshita-san, she stared at my face for some reason. What’s going on?

“???”

“…Okay.”

And then, she took out a box of pocky. Erm, can I eat it?

Kari kari kari kari kari.

“……We, well…this is this is<ref>Not a typo. The words are repeated.</ref>…”

[[Image:BTS_vol_09_073.jpg|thumb]]

Un, it’s delicious.

“I can’t really treat him as someone of the opposite gender, but if it’s a pet, I think…”

“???”

Kinoshita-san’s eyes were already looking into the future as she muttered to herself. Wait, a pet?

Either way, A class is really nice. There’s a lot of sweets and juice that they can get whenever they want, and the sofa just feels so comfy.

“Speaking of which, we’re going to break up that plan, but how do we go about doing it?”

Kudou-san seemed to be enjoying herself as she said this. Specifics, well…

“…Break up communication between C class and B class.”

Kirishima-san then spoke up. Break up their contact link, is it? I see. I remember we once used a similar method to send D class’ messenger to hell, didn’t we?

“Well, something like that.”

“The most important thing is whether they can link up or not. Everyone has the right to carry out a summoning battle, so it’s impossible to stop them, and we can’t talk through to them.”

“We can prevent them from contacting each other. Phones aren’t allowed to be used in a summoning war.”

Just like what Kudou-san said, Fumitzuki Gakuen, which already disallows handphones, will become stricter when it comes to summoning wars. Normally, if people don’t follow the rules, the most if one’s careless would be confiscation. However, during a summoning war, the treatment will be like an exam—simply put, it’s the same way as to how they deal with people who use handphones in the middle of an exam—cheating. It won’t be just confiscation, as suspension or repetition of year is also possible. Either way, I don’t think there’ll be people who’ll take such a large risk just for the sake of the class.

“In other words, we have to stop C class and B class messengers, right?”

“More than messengers, I think it’s like we’re stopping their love.”

“Ahaha, I say, will we be stamped to death by horses<ref>In Japan, there's a saying: 人の恋路を邪魔する奴は馬に蹴られて, which means that those who get in the way of other people's romance will get trampled to death by horses.</ref>?”

“…It’s alright. It’s not true love anyway.”

“Kirishima-san’s right. True love isn’t the interaction between man and woman, but the binds in the feelings.”

In that case, get in the way of their love (looks like a conversation), right? Hm…

“In other words, what should we do?”

“I said it. we’ll prevent their love.”

“Any details?”

“““…”””

There was immediately silence. We have no idea exactly what to do to obstruct love.

“Let’s listen to everyone then. Un, prez, what do you think we should do?”

“…Prevent love?”

“Un.”

“…What’s the minimum number of drugs I can use?”

“Sorry, Kirishima-san, but that’s for Yuuji, so it’s not suitable here.”

It’s not just a violation of the rules of the summoning war. It’s obviously against the rights of a Japanese citizen. I’m somewhat wondering about what kind of treatment Yuuji’s been having.

“…Then, Aiko?”

“Un~, let me see~. So I guess we should still use seduction or something, right?”

“Seduction, huh…will that really be effective?”

“I’ll show it for real then. Eh~ (Flap)”

“KYAAAHHHH!!? WHY DID YOU FLIP UP MY SKIRT!?”

“Yoshii-kun will occasionally want to see someone else’s once in a while, I guess.”

“THERE’S NO NEED TO SHOW SUCH SERVICE!”

“…Don’t worry, Yuuko. You’re wearing it properly today.”

“NOT ‘JUST’ TODAY! I DID PUT THEM ON ‘AGAIN’! DON’T SAY IT LIKE I’M SOMEONE WHO GOES WITH NO PANTIES!”

“Look, Yuuko, Yoshii-kun’s blushing red now. It’s effective, isn’t it?”

“THIS IDEA DEFINITELY WON’T WORK!”

“Ehhh~ I think he’ll be happy.”

“THAT’S NOT THE PROBLEM HERE!”

I lowered my head as I stood beside Kudou-san and Kinoshita-san.

Well, to put it, I’m troubled that I would have a reaction. I did nearly see them, but I’m envious that Kubo-kun is still able to remain calm.

“Then, do you have any other good ideas, Yuuko?”

“Eh? M, me!? Well, un…”

“…Can’t think of anything?”

“Tha, that’s not the problem here. I’m very good at this. I do read lots of romance novels.”

Kinoshita-san puffed her chest as she said that. Ohh, I’m looking forward to it.

“Yeah. For example, I’ll call someone I like to a certain romantic and legendary tree and hide behind the tree. How about that?”

Fmm, I see. As expected of Kinoshita-san. She’s really an outstanding student at such a problem. Calling out someone she likes and hide somewhere.

“—Carrying a blunt weapon.”

“Alright, next.”

“Wha, what? What’s wrong with my knowledge?”

Kinoshita-san said with a very indignant tone. Why do I feel that hearing things like ‘strike back’ and ‘narcotics’ are all rather familiar terms?

“Then, I’ll say my idea.”

This time, Kubo-kun moved his glasses and said that. Kubo-kun gives the impression that he’s not good at something like this, but this doesn’t seem to be the case.

“I think that love itself is an instinct. So how about we rile people up subconsciously?”

“Rile people up subconsciously?”

“Yeah. Have you heard of ‘dangling bridge’ effect or ‘subconscious effect’?”

“Ah, I seemed to have seen it on TV before.”

The dangling bridge effect should be like some confession in a dangerous place like a dangling bridge, confusing fear for love and making it easier to succeed. The subconscious effect is to insert some images in between several seconds to leave a deep impression on people subconsciously.

“We’ll use this effect to get the other side over.”

“Um um.”

“To be specific, I feel that the person secretly saying ‘I love you’ at a cliff with bullets flying everywhere every 40 seconds will be a more effective mean, or something like that.”

“Only Hollywood can create such a stage, isn’t it?”

Such a romance definitely can work if it’s in a movie!

“Not good…only Kudou-san’s seduction can work?”

“I see. A seduction using Yoshii-kun. This trick will most likely work.”

“Wait a sec, what are you saying, Kubo-kun. Stop joking around and think seriously.”

“Eh, I’m serious here.”

Playing such a joke to hide things. Kubo-kun’s really not good at romance. Even so, he gave his view; he’s really a good guy.

Can they really prevent that from happening? I’m feeling uneasy about this. Better check with everyone first.

“I say, do you know what’s the meaning of ‘friendship’? Does everyone know?”

“““Chorus contest.”””<ref>Friendship - ('''合コン''') Group singing contest - ('''合'''唱'''コン'''クール)</ref>

“Thanks, I got it.”

This group of people are useless. They’re even worse at the concept of love than F class.

I couldn’t help but want to hug my head in a depressed manner, but at this moment,

“…Yoshii. Hide.”

“Waa!”

Kirishima-san suddenly pushed me under the chair. What’s going on?

“…C class is looking for Yoshii.”

Kirishima-san glanced at the door, and I looked through the gap between the chairs. There’s someone scanning through the small window of the classroom at the corridor, and the reason why nobody rushed in was because it’s lesson time now.

Then, I heard knocking on the door. The door’s opened.

“Sorry, do you have time?’

An unfamiliar girl was standing at the door. Most likely someone from C class.

“Yes, what is it?”

Kinoshita-san showed a smile to that girl. Speaking of which, Kinoshita-san’s normally one with such a presence. A natural smile and an elegant attitude.

“Well, has F class’s Yoshii-kun came here? I’m looking for him.”

“Yoshii-kun? Un…I didn’t see him…we’re having lessons here, so how can Yoshii-kun possibly come in here?”

“That’s what I thought too, but you don’t look like you’re having lessons, so,”

“Ahaha, it’s still lessons, sorta. Self-study.”

Kinoshita-san smiled and answered.

It’s just like what that girl said. If I didn’t meet Kirishima-san and company in the corridor, I wouldn’t have been able to escape to A class. It’s an emergency in the middle of a summoning war, but I can’t possibly enter other people’s classes in the middle of lessons. It’s because of this that C class couldn’t contact Nemoto-kun from B class at all.

“Speaking of which, why are you looking for Yoshii-kun?”

Kinoshita-san tried to ask in a probing manner. That’s a tactic to divert the topic, is it? Un, that’s a good idea.

“Did he go peep inside the girls’ changing room or something?”

But isn’t this change of topic way too weird?”

“Un, something like that.”

THAT’S NOT TRUE!

“Then, thank you. Please tell us if you see him.”

“Got it. I’ll contact you if I see that peeping tom.”

With a word of thanks, the girl from C class left.

Kinoshita-san turned around and said to me while I’m hiding.

“Yoshii-kun, are you really hiding around because of the summoning war?”

“IT’S TRUE! I’VE NEVER DONE ANYTHING LIKE PEEPING EVER SINCE I WAS BORN!”

“Yoshii-kun…you just made one huge lie down there…”

“Speaking of which, I think I saw Yoshii-kun once in the girls’ changing room before.”

“No, that’s not it. That’s because Yuuji was in there.”

“..Yoshii, tell me the specifics later.”

This is bad. Yuuji’s lifespan is about to shorten again.<ref>Yuuko here is mentioning about how Akihisa went to find Yuuji in the girls' changing room. For more information, please check Baka Test Volume 2 The Second Question.</ref>

“Well, nevermind. I’ll trust you for now. But if you said a lie, I’ll really send you over to C class.”

“Go, got it.”

When Kinoshita-san said ‘I’ll contact you if I see that peeping tom’, that wasn’t a lie at all.

“Then, what should we do next? Yoshii-kun?”

At this moment, everyone calmed down. Kubo-kun continued off with where we left off. Erm…

“Yeah, we have to have intel before we can identify how they’re going to contact each other. If we don’t know how Koyama-san and Nemoto-kun are going to contact each other, we won’t be able to go for the decisive.

“I understand. In that case, I’ll be in charge of collecting information on Koyama-san’s movements. I do have my personal network of acquaintances after all.”

“…We’ll be in charge of checking the situation of the war between F class and C class.”

“Okay, leave it to us.”

“Well, it can’t be helped. I’ll just help out since I agreed to.”

Everyone found what they could do. What should I do?

“I’ll help Kubo-kun out then.”

“No, it’s better for you to stay here, Yoshii-kun.”

“..It’s dangerous to go outside.”

“Yeah~ someone just went past here to check.”

“It’s better to hide until things end. Don’t worry too much, we’ll check your class’ status for you.”

“I see. Sorry. Thanks, everyone.”

The four of them and seemed to say ‘don’t mind’ as they walked out of the classroom. Seriously, I need to prepare gifts next time.

<noinclude>
===Notes===
<references />

{{BakaTest Nav|prev=Baka to Tesuto to Syokanju:Volume9 Novel Illustrations|next=Baka to Tesuto to Syokanju:Volume9 The Second Question}}
</noinclude>

User talk:Shortykilz

2014-11-20T02:37:26Z

Shortykilz:

Thanks for the advice, didn't know what the nowiki tag was. Also, I seem to be having problems with some pages not updating to the current version, would you know anything about that? [[User:Zekeinferno|Zeke]] ([[User talk:Zekeinferno|talk]]) 01:09, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

Mushoku Tensei

2014-09-08T10:43:46Z

Shortykilz:

{{Status|Active}}

[[File: Mushoku Tensei .jpg|300px|thumb]]

"Mushoku Tensei -Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu-" (無職転生～異世界行ったら本気だす～) is a Light novel written by Rifujin na Magonote and illustrated by Shirotaka. Currently ongoing, there are 19 volumes written by the author in his website and 3 volumes (published) printed out by KADOKAWA / Media Factory. A manga based from the novel is serialized in Monthly Comic Flapper.

== Story Synopsis ==
A 34-year-old NEET otaku was chased out from his house by his family. This virgin, plump, unattractive, and penniless nice guy found that his life was heading towards a dead end. He recalled that his life could actually become much better if he can get over the dark history of his life.

Just when he was at the point of regret, he saw a truck moving at a high speed with 3 high school students in its path. Mustering all his strength, he saves them but ended up getting run over by the truck, which kills him.

The next time he opens his eyes, he had reincarnated to a world of swords and magic, as Rudeus Greyrat. Born to a new world and a new life, Rudeus declared, "This time, I'll really live my life to the fullest with no regrets!" Thus begins the journey of a newly made man. (Original from animesuki.com)

==Character Introductions==
{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:left; margin:5px 20px clear:both; font-size:100%; background:transparent; width:100%;"
! style="background:#66CCFF;" align="center"| '''Warning: May contain spoilers!!!'''
|-
|

''I'll keep the spoilers to a minimum as I can:''

''NOTE: Due to katakana translation with unconfirmed English equivalent, the list here may differ from [[Mushoku Tensei Names and Terminology]] and from chapter-to-chapter as for a number of names the translators and editors have not come to a conclusion on which English name to use''

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Rudeus Greyrat'''
[[Image:Rudeus_001_icon.jpg‎|200px|center|link=]]
or Rudy, as his given nickname, is the main character, who is the reincarnated NEET loser who died, the twist is that his memories of his past life remained. His current body possesses high affinity for magic, even as a child (baby).
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Paul Greyrat'''
[[Image:Paul_001_icon.jpg‎|200px|center|link=]]
Rudy's father, an accomplished swordsman. Currently works as swordsman who protects their village. He teaches Rudy swordsmanship.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Zenith Greyrat'''
[[Image:Zenith.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
Rudy's mother, she's a mage who seems to know healing magic.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Lilia'''
[[Image:Lilia_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
Greyrat's family maid. she's a former palace maid bodyguard. Her family's sword school was where Rudy's father studied at.
</div>

 

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Roxy Migurudia'''
[[Image:Roxy_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
She is Rudy's magic tutor (during his 3-5 years of age), a talented mage from a demon race.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Sylphiette'''
[[Image:Sylphy_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
Rudy's first friend of the same age (5 years old), whom Rudy saved from bullies. The reason was Sylphy's a mix of elf, human and beast.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Eris Boreas Greyrat'''
[[Image:Eris_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
She is Rudy's older cousin, she's also his student, (at this time, when he's around age 7) he's supposed to teach her magic among other things such as math, reading, etc.
</div>

|}

== Translation ==

=== [[Mushoku Tensei:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

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

'''Translators are asked to [[Mushoku Tensei:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on.'''

=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline | General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Mushoku Tensei Names and Terminology| Mushoku Tensei Names and Terminology]]

=== Feedback / Discussions ===
'''If you enjoyed the read, why don't you tell us in the forum [http://www.baka-tsuki.org:8080/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=10574 Feedback thread]'''

== Updates ==
{{:Mushoku_Tensei:Updates}}

Older updates can be found [[Mushoku_Tensei:Updates|here]].

== Mushoku Tensei by Rifujin na Magonote ==

===Volume 1 - Infancy Period ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01|Full Text]])===
[[File:Mushoku1_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]

::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_01|Chapter 1: Could This Be Another World?]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_02|Chapter 2: Expressionless Maid]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_03|Chapter 3: Magic Textbook]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_04|Chapter 4: Teacher]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_05|Chapter 5: Magic and Swordsmanship]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_06|Chapter 6: Reason for Respect]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_07|Chapter 7: Friends]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_08|Chapter 8: Insensitive]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_09|Chapter 9: Emergency Family Meeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_10|Chapter 10: Bottleneck]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_11|Chapter 11: Separation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Special_Chapter|Special Chapter]]

===Volume 2 - Juvenile Period - Home Teacher Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_02|Full Text]])===
[[File:Mushoku2_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]

::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_02_Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 12|[Web Novel 12] Chapter 1: Young Lady's Violence]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 13|[Web Novel 13] Chapter 2: Self Directed Role]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 13.5|Side Story: Aftermath of the Event & Boreas Style Greeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 14|[Web Novel 14] Chapter 3: Brutality Has Yet to End]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 15|[Web Novel 15] Chapter 4: Staff Meeting & Sunday]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 16|[Web Novel 16] Chapter 5: Young Lady Is 10 Years Old]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 17|[Web Novel 17] Chapter 6: Studying Languages]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 18|[Web Novel 18] Chapter 7: Definite Promise]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 19|[Web Novel 19] Chapter 8: Turning Point]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 19.5|Side Story: Half a Year After Fedoa Region Vanishes]]

===Volume 3 - Juvenile Period - Adventurer Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_03|Full Text]])===
[[File:mushoku3_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]
::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 20|[Web Novel 20] Chapter 1: Swindler Calling Himself God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 21|[Web Novel 21] Chapter 2: Supard Race]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 22|[Web Novel 22] Chapter 3: Teacher's Secret]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 23|[Web Novel 23] Chapter 4: Reason for Trust]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 24|[Web Novel 24] Chapter 5: Three Days to the Nearest Town]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 25|[Web Novel 25] Chapter 6: Disguise & Infiltration]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 26|[Web Novel 26] Chapter 7: Adventurer's Guild]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 27|[Web Novel 27] Chapter 8: Adventurer's Inn]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 28|[Web Novel 28] Chapter 9: First Job & Sanctity of Life]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 29|[Web Novel 29] Chapter 10: First Job Completed]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 30|[Web Novel 30] Chapter 11: Good Start]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 31|[Web Novel 31] Chapter 12: Warrior & Children]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 32|[Web Novel 32] Chapter 13: Mistake, Disorder & Determination]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 33|[Web Novel 33] Chapter 14: Start of the Journey]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter World Map|Special Chapter: World Map]]

===Volume 4 - Juvenile Period - Voyage Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_04|Full Text]])===
[[File:mushoku4_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]
::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume4_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 34|[Web Novel 34] Chapter 1: Wind Port]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 35|[Web Novel 35] Chapter 2: Crossing Paths - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 36|[Web Novel 36] Chapter 3: Crossing Paths - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 36.5|Side Story - Crossing Paths - Extra Chapter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 37|[Web Novel 37] Chapter 4: Sage within the Ship]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 38|[Web Novel 38] Chapter 5: Demon in the Storehouse]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 39|[Web Novel 39] Chapter 6: Children of the Beast Race]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 40|[Web Novel 40] Chapter 7: No Cost Apartment]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 41|[Web Novel 41] Chapter 8: Slow Life of Dorudia Village - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 42|[Web Novel 42] Chapter 9: Slow Life of Dorudia Village - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 43|[Web Novel 43] Chapter 10: Holy Sword Highway]]

===Volume 5 - Juvenile Period - Reunion Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_05|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 44|[Web Novel 44] Chapter 1: Holy Milis Kingdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 45|[Web Novel 45] Chapter 2: Paul 1.5 Years Later]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 46|[Web Novel 46] Chapter 3: Parent & Child Fight ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 47|[Web Novel 47] Chapter 4: Reunion with Paul]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 48|[Web Novel 48] Chapter 5: Reconfirmation of Objectives]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 49|[Web Novel 49] Chapter 6: One Week in Milishion]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 49.5|Side Story - Eris' Goblin Subjugation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 50|[Web Novel 50] Chapter 7: To the Central Continent]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 50.5|Side Story - Return of Roxy]]

===Volume 6 - Juvenile Period - Homecoming Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_06|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 51|[Web Novel 51] Chapter 1: Route Options]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 52|[Web Novel 52] Chapter 2: Rice]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 53|[Web Novel 53] Chapter 3: Shirone Kingdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 54|[Web Novel 54] Chapter 4: Absence of God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 55|[Web Novel 55] Chapter 5: Third Prince]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 56|[Web Novel 56] Chapter 6: Speed Resolution]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 57|[Web Novel 57] Chapter 7: The Day the Little Sister Maid Was Born]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 58|[Web Novel 58] Chapter 8: Becoming an Adult]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 59|[Web Novel 59] Chapter 9: Turning Point 2]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 60|[Web Novel 60] Chapter 10: Gaping Hole Opened in the Chest]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 61|[Web Novel 61] Chapter 11: End of the Journey]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 62|[Web Novel 62] Chapter 12: Reality of the Disaster]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 63|[Web Novel 63] Chapter 13: Young Lady's Decision]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 63.5|Side Story - The Two Who Met]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter World Map 2|Special Chapter: World Map 2]]

===Volume 7 - Youth Period - School Entry Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_07|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 64|[Web Novel 64] Chapter 1: Quagmire The Adventurer]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 65|[Web Novel 65] Chapter 2: Recommendation Letter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 66|[Web Novel 66] Chapter 3: Entrance Examination]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 67|[Web Novel 67] Chapter 4: First Day of School - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 68|[Web Novel 68] Chapter 5: First Day of School - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 69|[Web Novel 69] Chapter 6: Fitts Senpai]]

===Volume 8 - Youth Period - Special Student Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_08|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 70|[Web Novel 70] Chapter 1: An Unreachable Power - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 71|[Web Novel 71] Chapter 2: An Unreachable Power - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 72|[Web Novel 72] Chapter 3: Daughters of the Beast Race Kidnapping and Confinement Incident - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 73|[Web Novel 73] Chapter 4: Daughters of the Beast Race Kidnapping and Confinement Incident - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 74|[Web Novel 74] Chapter 5: The Genius Youth's Secret - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 75|[Web Novel 75] Chapter 6: The Genius Youth's Secret - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 76|[Web Novel 76] Chapter 7: Precipice of Engagement - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 77|[Web Novel 77] Chapter 8: Precipice of Engagement - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 78|[Web Novel 78] Chapter 9: White Mask - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 79|[Web Novel 79] Chapter 10: White Mask - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 80|[Web Novel 80] Chapter 11: Daily Life at the Magic University]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 80.5|Side Story - Enter the Mad Dog]]

===Volume 9 - Youth Period - Sylphiette Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_09|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 81|[Web Novel 81] Chapter 1: Sylphy's Past]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 82|[Web Novel 82] Chapter 2: Guardian Magician Introduction - Fitts]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 83|[Web Novel 83] Chapter 3: Princess, Knight, & Magician]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 84|[Web Novel 84] Chapter 4: First Day of School - Extra Chapter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 85|[Web Novel 85] Chapter 5: Insensitivity of Good Judgement]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 85_Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 86|[Web Novel 86] Chapter 6: Forethought That Goes Too Far]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 86_Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 87|[Web Novel 87] Chapter 7: The Protected Secret]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 87_Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 88|[Web Novel 88] Chapter 8: Rain of the Forest - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 89|[Web Novel 89] Chapter 9: Rain of the Forest - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 90|[Web Novel 90] Chapter 10: The Final Push]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 91|[Web Novel 91] Chapter 11: Backing]]

===Volume 10 - Youth Period - Newlyweds Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_10|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 92|[Web Novel 92] Chapter 1: Things to Prepare Before Marriage - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 93|[Web Novel 93] Chapter 2: Things to Prepare Before Marriage - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 94|[Web Novel 94] Chapter 3: Dramatic]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 95|[Web Novel 95] Chapter 4: Wedding Reception - Preparation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 96|[Web Novel 96] Chapter 5: Wedding Reception - Holding]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 97|[Web Novel 97] Chapter 6: Wedding Reception - Finished]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 98|[Web Novel 98] Chapter 7: Lifestyle in the House]]

===Volume 11 - Youth Period - Younger Sisters Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_11|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 99|[Web Novel 99] Chapter 1: Letter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 100|[Web Novel 100] Chapter 2: Breakdown]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 101|[Web Novel 101] Chapter 3: Transcendental Wisdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 102|[Web Novel 102] Chapter 4: Nostalgia and Impatience]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 103|[Web Novel 103] Chapter 5: Treatment of the Sisters]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 103_Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 104|[Web Novel 104] Chapter 6: Maid and Boarding Student]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 104.5|Side Story - Doll Research & Master-Servant Relationship]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 105|[Web Novel 105] Chapter 7: Delinquent Leader & His Allies]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 106|[Web Novel 106] Chapter 8: Elder Brother's Feelings]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 107|[Web Novel 107] Chapter 9: Norn Greyrat]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 107_Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 108|[Web Novel 108] Chapter 10: Lifestyle with the Younger Sisters]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 109|[Web Novel 109] Chapter 11: Turning Point 3 ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 109.5|Side Story - Sharpening Fangs]]

===Volume 12 - Youth Period - Begaritto Continent Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_12|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 110|[Web Novel 110] Chapter 1: Saying Farewell]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 111|[Web Novel 111] Chapter 2: Towards Begaritto Continent]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 112|[Web Novel 112] Chapter 3: Natural Enemy Encounter ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 113|[Web Novel 113] Chapter 4: Desert Ecology]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 114|[Web Novel 114] Chapter 5: Desert Journey]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 115|[Web Novel 115] Chapter 6: Bazaar]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 116|[Web Novel 116] Chapter 7: The Desert Warriors]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 117|[Web Novel 117] Chapter 8: Arrival]]

===Volume 13 - Youth Period - Labyrinth Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_13|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 118|[Web Novel 118] Chapter 1: Confirmation of the Situation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 119|[Web Novel 119] Chapter 2: Enter the Labyrinth]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 120|[Web Novel 120] Chapter 3: Her Feelings at that Time]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 121|[Web Novel 121] Chapter 4: Magician of Persistence]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 122|[Web Novel 122] Chapter 5: Without a Hitch]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 123|[Web Novel 123] Chapter 6: Magic Circle on the Sixth Level]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 124|[Web Novel 124] Chapter 7: Teleport Labyrinth's Guardian ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 125|[Web Novel 125] Chapter 8: Mortal Combat]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 126|[Web Novel 126] Chapter 9: Parent]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 127|[Web Novel 127] Chapter 10: Face Forward]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 128|[Web Novel 128] Chapter 11: Return Home ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 129|[Web Novel 129] Chapter 12: Return]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 130|[Web Novel 130] Chapter 13: Report]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 131|[Web Novel 131] Chapter 14: Hell]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 132|[Web Novel 132] Chapter 15: In Front of the Gravestone]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 132.5|Side Story - Is the Mad Dog's Sword Heavy, or Sharp?]]

===Volume 14 - Young Man Period - Everyday Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_14|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 133|[Web Novel 133] Chapter 1: Roxy Becomes a Teacher]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 134|[Web Novel 134] Chapter 2: Third Year Student]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 135|[Web Novel 135] Chapter 3: Training with Norn]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 136|[Web Novel 136] Chapter 4: I'll Raise It]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 137|[Web Novel 137] Chapter 5: A Father of Dignity]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 138|[Web Novel 138] Chapter 6: Water King Class]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 139|[Web Novel 139] Chapter 7: Marriage Ceremony]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 140|[Web Novel 140] Chapter 8: Flowers in Both Hands]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 141|[Web Novel 141] Chapter 9: Birthday Party]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 142|[Web Novel 142] Chapter 10: Graduation Ceremony]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 143|[Web Novel 143] Chapter 11: Fourth Phase]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 143.5|Side Story - Birth of a New Sword King]]

===Volume 15 - Young Man Period - Summoning Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_15|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 144|[Web Novel 144] Chapter 1: Floating Citadel]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 145|[Web Novel 145] Chapter 2: Audience with Perugius]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 146|[Web Novel 146] Chapter 3: Past, Curse, Summons, and Jealousy]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 147|[Web Novel 147] Chapter 4: Lamentation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 148|[Web Novel 148] Chapter 5: Towards Demon Continent Once Again]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 149|[Web Novel 149] Chapter 6: Search for Kishirika]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 150|[Web Novel 150] Chapter 7: Audience with the Immortal Demon Lord]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 151|[Web Novel 151] Chapter 8: Duel with the Immortal Demon Lord]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 152|[Web Novel 152] Chapter 9: Everyday Life in the Floating Citadel]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 153|[Web Novel 153] Chapter 10: Turning Point 4]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 154|[Web Novel 154] Chapter 11: End and Beginning]]

===Volume 16 - Young Man Period - Human God Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_16|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 155|[Web Novel 155] Chapter 1: Diary - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 156|[Web Novel 156] Chapter 2: Diary - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 157|[Web Novel 157] Chapter 3: Resolve]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 158|[Web Novel 158] Chapter 4: Nanahoshi's Hypothesis]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 159|[Web Novel 159] Chapter 5: Letter Arrives]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 160|[Web Novel 160] Chapter 6: Preparation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 161|[Web Novel 161] Chapter 7: Preparation Complete]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 162|[Web Novel 162] Chapter 8: Quagmire vs Dragon God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 163|[Web Novel 163] Chapter 9: Mad Dog King vs Dragon God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 164|[Web Novel 164] Chapter 10: Eris Greyrat - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 165|[Web Novel 165] Chapter 11: Eris Greyrat - Second Part]]

===Volume 17 - Young Man Period - Kingdom Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 166|[Web Novel 166] Chapter 1: Summon]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 167|[Web Novel 167] Chapter 2: Explanation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 168|[Web Novel 168] Chapter 3: Towards the First Mission]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 169|[Web Novel 169] Chapter 4: Magical Beast Guardian ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 170|[Web Novel 170] Chapter 5: Men's Meeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 170.5|Side Story - Women's Meeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 171|[Web Novel 171] Chapter 6: Luke]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 172|[Web Novel 172] Chapter 7: Make Your Decision]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web_Chapter_172_preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 173|[Web Novel 173] Chapter 8: Organization of Cooperation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 174|[Web Novel 174] Chapter 9: Armored Dragon King and Second Princess]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 175|[Web Novel 175] Chapter 10: Before Leaving for Asura Kingdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 175.5|Side Story - Black Wolf Sword King]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter World Map 3|Special Chapter: World Map 3]]

===Volume 18 - Young Man Period - Asura Kingdom Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 176|[Web Novel 176] Chapter 1: Departure Towards Asura Kingdom]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 176 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 177|[Web Novel 177] Chapter 2: Red Dragon's Upper Jaw]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 177 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 178|[Web Novel 178] Chapter 3: Conjecture]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 178 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 179|[Web Novel 179] Chapter 4: Ariel's Choice]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 179 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 180|[Web Novel 180] Chapter 5: Tristina]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 180 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 181|[Web Novel 181] Chapter 6: Along the Way]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 181 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 182|[Web Novel 182] Chapter 7: Capital of Kings Alusu]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 183|[Web Novel 183] Chapter 8: Mortal Combat at Dusk]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 184|[Web Novel 184] Chapter 9: Ariel's Battleground]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 185|[Web Novel 185] Chapter 10: Rudeus's Battleground]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 186|[Web Novel 186] Chapter 11: Luke's Recklessness]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 187|[Web Novel 187] Chapter 12: Truth of Orsted and Ten Days in the Capital]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 188|[Web Novel 188] Chapter 13: Practice of Separation and Sylphy's Change]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 189|[Web Novel 189] Chapter 14: Return and Determination]]

===Volume 19 - Young Man Period - Subordinates Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 190|[Web Novel 190] Chapter 1: Present Situation]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 190 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 190.5|Side Story - One Example of Work]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 190.5 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 191|[Web Novel 191] Chapter 2: The Borrowed Cat]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 191 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 192|[Web Novel 192] Chapter 3: Entrance Ceremony & Student Council President]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 192 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 193|[Web Novel 193] Chapter 4: Research Progress]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 193 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 194|[Web Novel 194] Chapter 5: Signs of Household Collapse]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 194 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 195|[Web Novel 195] Chapter 6: Business Start-Up]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 195 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 196|[Web Novel 196] Chapter 7: Company Venture]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 196 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 197|[Web Novel 197] Chapter 8: Dorudia Village Once More]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 197 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 198|[Web Novel 198] Chapter 9: Dried Meat Murder Incident]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 198 Preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 199|[Web Novel 199] Chapter 10: Next Battle]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 199 Preview|PREVIEW]]

===Volume 20 - Young Man Period - Zanoba Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 200|[Web Novel 200] Chapter 1: Zanoba's Resolve]]- [[Mushoku_Tensei:Web_Chapter_200_preview|PREVIEW]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 201|[Web Novel 201] Chapter 2: Foreboding]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 202|[Web Novel 202] Chapter 3: To Shirone Again]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 203|[Web Novel 203] Chapter 4: King Pax]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 204|[Web Novel 204] Chapter 5: Karon Fort]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 205|[Web Novel 205] Chapter 6: Preparing for War]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 206|[Web Novel 206] Chapter 7: War]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 207|[Web Novel 207] Chapter 8: Emergency Situation, Zanoba True Motive]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 208|[Web Novel 208] Chapter 9: To Pax's side]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 209|[Web Novel 209] Chapter 10]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 210|[Web Novel 210] Chapter 11: Post War]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 211|[Web Novel 211] Chapter 12: Zanoba's chosen path]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 212|[Web Novel 212] Chapter 13: It`s okay to rejoice]]

===Volume 21 - Young Man Period - Cliff Chapter===

==Original Web Novel==
[http://ncode.syosetu.com/n9669bk/ Web Novel' homepage] (WARNING: The web version shows some differences with the published one)

==Project Staff==

*Supervisor: [[user:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]]
*Project Manager:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''
:* [[User:Dark Kaito|Dark Kaito]]
:* [[User:zmunjali|zmunjali]] (Learner)
:* [[User:Tensaizz|Tensaizz]]
:* [[User:Skuizaan|Skuizaan]]
:* [[user:Ren|Ren]] (Learner)
:* [[user:Kazeboy|Kazeboy]] (Learner)
:* [[user:COTHER|cother]] (Learner)
:* [[user:Giorgio wu|Giorgio wu]] (CHI -> ENG)
:* [[User:Banisher|Banisher]] (CHI -> ENG)
:* [[User:Awrya|Awrya]]
:* [[User:Fighter747|Fighter747]]
:* [[user:Phiseca|Phiseca]]
:* [[user:Onii Sama| Onii Sama]] (CHI -> ENG)
:* [[user:Johnemis123| Johnemis123]] (learner)

'''INACTIVE'''
:*[[user:Superduperelectromagnetictops|Superduperelectromagnetictops]] (worst-case-scenario backup translator, I have yet to finish PuiPui )
:* [[User:SallissLights|SallissLights]]
:* [http://silentwolfie.deviantart.com SilentWolfie] Translator outside BT
:* [http://pastebin.com/u/loliDrag0n LoliDrag0n] editor for [http://silentwolfie.deviantart.com SilentWolfie]
:* [[User:Kanant Vaito|Kanant Vaito®]]
:* [[user:Team Tensai|Team Tensai®]]
:* [[User:Vanant|Vanant]]

===Editors===
:* [[user:C0debreaker6|C0debreaker6]]
:* [[user:Striderman34|Striderman34]]
:* [[user:DaiZzed|DaiZzed]]
:* [[user:Acolyte|Acolyte]]
:* [[user:Trejon|Trejon]]
:* [[user:John Woodward|John Woodward]]
:* [[user:Trev lite|Trev lite]]
:* [[user:Doomr|Doomr]]
:*[[User:Tasear|Tasear]]
:*[[user:Sarnik|Sarnik]]
:*[[user:Laclongquan|Laclongquan]]
:*[[user:Deadgye|Deadgye]]

== Series Overview ==
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 1 ''312 pages'', (January 23, 2014) ISBN 978-4040662206
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 2 ''320 pages'', (March 22, 2014) ISBN 978-4040663937
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 3 ''323 pages'', (May 23, 2014) ISBN 978-4040667553
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 4 ''318 pages'', (August 25, 2014) ISBN 978-4040669618

[[Category:Kadokawa Shoten]]
[[Category:MF Bunko J]]
[[Category:Genre - Harem]]
[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Light novel (English)]]

Mushoku Tensei

2014-08-04T19:07:44Z

Shortykilz: Not empty anymore.

{{Status|Active}}

[[File: Mushoku Tensei .jpg|300px|thumb]]

"Mushoku Tensei -Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu-" (無職転生～異世界行ったら本気だす～) is a Light novel written by Rifujin na Magonote and illustrated by Shirotaka. Currently ongoing, there are 19 volumes written by the author in his website and 3 volumes (published) printed out by KADOKAWA / Media Factory. A manga based from the novel is serialized in Monthly Comic Flapper.

== Story Synopsis ==
A 34-year-old NEET otaku was chased out from his house by his family. This virgin, plump, unattractive, and penniless nice guy found that his life was heading towards a dead end. He recalled that his life could actually become much better if he can get over the dark history of his life.

Just when he was at the point of regret, he saw a truck moving at a high speed with 3 high school students in its path. Mustering all his strength, he saves them but ended up getting run over by the truck which kills him.

The next time he opened his eyes, he was reincarnated to a world of sword and magic as Rudeus Greyrat. Born to a new world with a new life, Rudeus declared, "This time, I'll really live my life to the fullest with no regret!" Thus begins the journey of a newly made man. (Original from animesuki.com)

==Character Introductions==
{| class="collapsible collapsed" style="text-align:left; margin:5px 20px clear:both; font-size:100%; background:transparent; width:100%;"
! style="background:#66CCFF;" align="center"| '''Warning: May contain spoilers!!!'''
|-
|

''I'll keep the spoilers to a minimum as I can:''

''NOTE: Due to katakana translation with unconfirmed English equivalent, the list here may differ from [[Mushoku Tensei Names and Terminology]] and from chapter-to-chapter as for a number of names the translators and editors have not come to a conclusion on which English name to use''

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Rudeus Greyrat'''
[[Image:Rudeus_001_icon.jpg‎|200px|center|link=]]
or Rudy, as his given nickname, is the main character, who is the reincarnated NEET loser who died, the twist is that his memories of his past life remained. His current body possesses high affinity for magic, even as a child (baby).
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Paul Greyrat'''
[[Image:Paul_001_icon.jpg‎|200px|center|link=]]
Rudy's father, an accomplished swordsman. Currently works as swordsman who protects their village. He teaches Rudy swordsmanship.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Zenith Greyrat'''
[[Image:Zenith.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
Rudy's mother, she's a mage who seems to know healing magic.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Lilia'''
[[Image:Lilia_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
Greyrat's family maid. she's a former palace maid bodyguard. Her family's sword school was where Rudy's father studied at.
</div>

 

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Roxy Migurudia'''
[[Image:Roxy_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
She is Rudy's magic tutor (during his 3-5 years of age), a talented mage from a demon race.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Sylphiette'''
[[Image:Sylphy_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
Rudy's first friend of the same age (5 years old), whom Rudy saved from bullies. The reason was Sylphy's a mix of elf, human and beast.
</div>

<div style="float: left; width: 200px; margin: 5px 20px;">
'''Eris Boreas Greyrat'''
[[Image:Eris_001_icon.jpg|200px|center|link=]]
She is Rudy's older cousin, she's also his student, (at this time, when he's around age 7) he's supposed to teach her magic among other things such as math, reading, etc.
</div>

|}

== Translation ==

=== [[Mushoku Tensei:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

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

'''Translators are asked to [[Mushoku Tensei:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on.'''

=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline | General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Mushoku Tensei Names and Terminology| Mushoku Tensei Names and Terminology]]

=== Feedback / Discussions ===
'''If you enjoyed the read, why don't you tell us in the forum [http://www.baka-tsuki.org:8080/forums/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=10574 Feedback thread]'''

== Updates ==
{{:Mushoku_Tensei:Updates}}

Older updates can be found [[Mushoku_Tensei:Updates|here]].

== Mushoku Tensei by Rifujin na Magonote ==

===Volume 1 - Infancy Period ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01|Full Text]])===
[[File:Mushoku1_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]

::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_01|Chapter 1: Could This Be Another World?]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_02|Chapter 2: Expressionless Maid]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_03|Chapter 3: Magic Textbook]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_04|Chapter 4: Teacher]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_05|Chapter 5: Magic and Swordsmanship]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_06|Chapter 6: Reason for Respect]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_07|Chapter 7: Friends]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_08|Chapter 8: Insensitive]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_09|Chapter 9: Emergency Family Meeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_10|Chapter 10: Bottleneck]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Chapter_11|Chapter 11: Separation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_01_Special_Chapter|Special Chapter]]

===Volume 2 - Juvenile Period - Home Teacher Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_02|Full Text]])===
[[File:Mushoku2_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]

::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_02_Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 12|[Web Novel 12] Chapter 1: Young Lady's Violence]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 13|[Web Novel 13] Chapter 2: Self Directed Role]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 13.5|Side Story: Aftermath of the Event & Boreas Style Greeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 14|[Web Novel 14] Chapter 3: Brutality Has Yet to End]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 15|[Web Novel 15] Chapter 4: Staff Meeting & Sunday]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 16|[Web Novel 16] Chapter 5: Young Lady Is 10 Years Old]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 17|[Web Novel 17] Chapter 6: Studying Languages]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 18|[Web Novel 18] Chapter 7: Definite Promise]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 19|[Web Novel 19] Chapter 8: Turning Point]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 19.5|Side Story: Half a Year After Fedoa Region Vanishes]]

===Volume 3 - Juvenile Period - Adventurer Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_03|Full Text]])===
[[File:mushoku3_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]
::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 20|[Web Novel 20] Chapter 1: Swindler Calling Himself God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 21|[Web Novel 21] Chapter 2: Supard Race]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 22|[Web Novel 22] Chapter 3: Teacher's Secret]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 23|[Web Novel 23] Chapter 4: Reason for Trust]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 24|[Web Novel 24] Chapter 5: Three Days to the Nearest Town]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 25|[Web Novel 25] Chapter 6: Disguise & Infiltration]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 26|[Web Novel 26] Chapter 7: Adventurer's Guild]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 27|[Web Novel 27] Chapter 8: Adventurer's Inn]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 28|[Web Novel 28] Chapter 9: First Job & Sanctity of Life]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 29|[Web Novel 29] Chapter 10: First Job Completed]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 30|[Web Novel 30] Chapter 11: Good Start]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 31|[Web Novel 31] Chapter 12: Warrior & Children]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 32|[Web Novel 32] Chapter 13: Mistake, Disorder & Determination]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 33|[Web Novel 33] Chapter 14: Start of the Journey]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter World Map|Special Chapter: World Map]]

===Volume 4 - Juvenile Period - Voyage Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_04|Full Text]])===
[[File:mushoku4_01.jpg|frameless|right|x250px]]
::*[[Mushoku Tensei:Volume4_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 34|[Web Novel 34] Chapter 1: Wind Port]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 35|[Web Novel 35] Chapter 2: Crossing Paths - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 36|[Web Novel 36] Chapter 3: Crossing Paths - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 36.5|Side Story - Crossing Paths - Extra Chapter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 37|[Web Novel 37] Chapter 4: Sage within the Ship]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 38|[Web Novel 38] Chapter 5: Demon in the Storehouse]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 39|[Web Novel 39] Chapter 6: Children of the Beast Race]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 40|[Web Novel 40] Chapter 7: No Cost Apartment]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 41|[Web Novel 41] Chapter 8: Slow Life of Dorudia Village - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 42|[Web Novel 42] Chapter 9: Slow Life of Dorudia Village - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 43|[Web Novel 43] Chapter 10: Holy Sword Highway]]

===Volume 5 - Juvenile Period - Reunion Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_05|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 44|[Web Novel 44] Chapter 1: Holy Milis Kingdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 45|[Web Novel 45] Chapter 2: Paul 1.5 Years Later]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 46|[Web Novel 46] Chapter 3: Parent & Child Fight ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 47|[Web Novel 47] Chapter 4: Reunion with Paul]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 48|[Web Novel 48] Chapter 5: Reconfirmation of Objectives]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 49|[Web Novel 49] Chapter 6: One Week in Milishion]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 49.5|Side Story - Eris' Goblin Subjugation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 50|[Web Novel 50] Chapter 7: To the Central Continent]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 50.5|Side Story - Return of Roxy]]

===Volume 6 - Juvenile Period - Homecoming Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_06|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 51|[Web Novel 51] Chapter 1: Route Options]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 52|[Web Novel 52] Chapter 2: Rice]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 53|[Web Novel 53] Chapter 3: Shirone Kingdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 54|[Web Novel 54] Chapter 4: Absence of God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 55|[Web Novel 55] Chapter 5: Third Prince]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 56|[Web Novel 56] Chapter 6: Speed Resolution]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 57|[Web Novel 57] Chapter 7: The Day the Little Sister Maid Was Born]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 58|[Web Novel 58] Chapter 8: Becoming an Adult]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 59|[Web Novel 59] Chapter 9: Turning Point 2]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 60|[Web Novel 60] Chapter 10: Gaping Hole Opened in the Chest]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 61|[Web Novel 61] Chapter 11: End of the Journey]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 62|[Web Novel 62] Chapter 12: Reality of the Disaster]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 63|[Web Novel 63] Chapter 13: Young Lady's Decision]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 63.5|Side Story - The Two Who Met]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter World Map 2|Special Chapter: World Map 2]]

===Volume 7 - Youth Period - School Entry Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_07|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 64|[Web Novel 64] Chapter 1: Quagmire The Adventurer]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 65|[Web Novel 65] Chapter 2: Recommendation Letter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 66|[Web Novel 66] Chapter 3: Entrance Examination]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 67|[Web Novel 67] Chapter 4: First Day of School - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 68|[Web Novel 68] Chapter 5: First Day of School - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 69|[Web Novel 69] Chapter 6: Fitts Senpai]]

===Volume 8 - Youth Period - Special Student Chapter ([[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_08|Full Text]])===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 70|[Web Novel 70] Chapter 1: An Unreachable Power - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 71|[Web Novel 71] Chapter 2: An Unreachable Power - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 72|[Web Novel 72] Chapter 3: Daughters of the Beast Race Kidnapping and Confinement Incident - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 73|[Web Novel 73] Chapter 4: Daughters of the Beast Race Kidnapping and Confinement Incident - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 74|[Web Novel 74] Chapter 5: The Genius Youth's Secret - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 75|[Web Novel 75] Chapter 6: The Genius Youth's Secret - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 76|[Web Novel 76] Chapter 7: Precipice of Engagement - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 77|[Web Novel 77] Chapter 8: Precipice of Engagement - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 78|[Web Novel 78] Chapter 9: White Mask - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 79|[Web Novel 79] Chapter 10: White Mask - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 80|[Web Novel 80] Chapter 11: Daily Life at the Magic University]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 80.5|Side Story - Enter the Mad Dog]]

===Volume 9 - Youth Period - Sylphiette Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 81|[Web Novel 81] Chapter 1: Sylphy's Past]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 82|[Web Novel 82] Chapter 2: Guardian Magician Introduction - Fitts]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 83|[Web Novel 83] Chapter 3: Princess, Knight, & Magician]] - [[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_09_Chapter_3_-Preview-|(PREVIEW)]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 84|[Web Novel 84] Chapter 4: First Day of School - Extra Chapter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 85|[Web Novel 85] Chapter 5: Insensitivity of Good Judgement]] - '''[Editing in progress]'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 86|[Web Novel 86] Chapter 6: Forethought That Goes Too Far]] - '''[Editing in progress]'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 87|[Web Novel 87] Chapter 7: The Protected Secret]] - '''[Editing in progress]'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 88|[Web Novel 88] Chapter 8: Rain of the Forest - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 89|[Web Novel 89] Chapter 9: Rain of the Forest - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 90|[Web Novel 90] Chapter 10: The Final Push]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 91|[Web Novel 91] Chapter 11: Backing]]

===Volume 10 - Youth Period - Newlyweds Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 92|[Web Novel 92] Chapter 1: Things to Prepare Before Marriage - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 93|[Web Novel 93] Chapter 2: Things to Prepare Before Marriage - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 94|[Web Novel 94] Chapter 3: Dramatic]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 95|[Web Novel 95] Chapter 4: Wedding Reception - Preparation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 96|[Web Novel 96] Chapter 5: Wedding Reception - Holding]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 97|[Web Novel 97] Chapter 6: Wedding Reception - Finished]] '''Incomplete''' (Some untranslated Japanese)
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 98|[Web Novel 98] Chapter 7: Lifestyle in the House]] '''Editing needed'''

===Volume 11 - Youth Period - Younger Sisters Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 99|[Web Novel 99] Chapter 1: Letter]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 100|[Web Novel 100] Chapter 2: Breakdown]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 101|[Web Novel 101] Chapter 3: Transcendental Wisdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 102|[Web Novel 102] Chapter 4: Nostalgia and Impatience
]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 103|[Web Novel 103] Chapter 5: Treatment of the Sisters]] [[Mushoku_Tensei:Volume_11_Chapter_5 -Preview-|(PREVIEW)]] -
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 104|[Web Novel 104] Chapter 6: Maid and Boarding Student]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 104.5|Side Story - Doll Research & Master-Servant Relationship]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 105|[Web Novel 105] Chapter 7: Delinquent Leader & His Allies]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 106|[Web Novel 106] Chapter 8: Elder Brother's Feelings]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 106|[Web Novel 107] Chapter 9: Norn Greyrat]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 108|[Web Novel 108] Chapter 10: Lifestyle with the Younger Sisters]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 109|[Web Novel 109] Chapter 11: Turning Point 3 ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 109.5|Side Story - Sharpening Fangs]]

===Volume 12 - Youth Period - Begaritto Continent Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 110|[Web Novel 110] Chapter 1: Saying Farewell]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 111|[Web Novel 111] Chapter 2: Towards Begaritto Continent]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 112|[Web Novel 112] Chapter 3: Encounter of Natural Enemy]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 113|[Web Novel 113] Chapter 4: Ecology of the Desert]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 114|[Web Novel 114] Chapter 5: Journey of the Desert]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 115|[Web Novel 115] Chapter 6: Bazaar]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 116|[Web Novel 116] Chapter 7: Warriors of the Desert]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 117|[Web Novel 117] Chapter 8: Arrival]]

===Volume 13 - Youth Period - Labyrinth Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 118|[Web Novel 118] Chapter 1: Confirmation of the Situation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 119|[Web Novel 119] Chapter 2: Enter the Labyrinth]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 120|[Web Novel 120] Chapter 3: Her Feelings at that Time]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 121|[Web Novel 121] Chapter 4: Magician of Persistence]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 122|[Web Novel 122] Chapter 5: Without a Hitch]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 123|[Web Novel 123] Chapter 6: Magic Circle on the Sixth Level]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 124|[Web Novel 124] Chapter 7: Guardian of the Teleport Labyrinth]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 125|[Web Novel 125] Chapter 8: Mortal Combat]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 126|[Web Novel 126] Chapter 9: Parent]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 127|[Web Novel 127] Chapter 10: Face Forward]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 128|[Web Novel 128] Chapter 11: Return Home ]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 129|[Web Novel 129] Chapter 12: Return]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 130|[Web Novel 130] Chapter 13: Report]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 131|[Web Novel 131] Chapter 14: Scene of Carnage]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 132|[Web Novel 132] Chapter 15: In Front of the Gravestone]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 132.5|Side Story - Sharp & Heavy Sword of the Mad Dog]]

===Volume 14 - Young Man Period - Everyday Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 133|[Web Novel 133] Chapter 1: Roxy Becomes a Teacher]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 134|[Web Novel 134] Chapter 2: Third Year Student]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 135|[Web Novel 135] Chapter 3: Training with Norun]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 136|[Web Novel 136] Chapter 4: I'll Raise It]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 137|[Web Novel 137] Chapter 5: A Father of Dignity]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 138|[Web Novel 138] Chapter 6: Water King Class]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 139|[Web Novel 139] Chapter 7: Marriage Ceremony]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 140|[Web Novel 140] Chapter 8: Flowers in Both Hands]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 141|[Web Novel 141] Chapter 9: Birthday Party]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 142|[Web Novel 142] Chapter 10: Graduation Ceremony]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 143|[Web Novel 143] Chapter 11: Fourth Phase]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 143.5|Side Story - Birth of a New Sword King]]

===Volume 15 - Young Man Period - Summoning Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 144|[Web Novel 144] Chapter 1: Floating Citadel]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 145|[Web Novel 145] Chapter 2: Audience with Perugius]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 146|[Web Novel 146] Chapter 3: Past, Curse, Summons, and Jealousy]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 147|[Web Novel 147] Chapter 4: Lamentation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 148|[Web Novel 148] Chapter 5: Towards Demon Continent Once Again]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 149|[Web Novel 149] Chapter 6: Search for Kishirika]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 150|[Web Novel 150] Chapter 7: Audience with the Immortal Demon Lord]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 151|[Web Novel 151] Chapter 8: Duel with the Immortal Demon Lord]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 152|[Web Novel 152] Chapter 9: Everyday Life in the Floating Citadel]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 153|[Web Novel 153] Chapter 10: Turning Point 4]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 154|[Web Novel 154] Chapter 11: End and Beginning]]

===Volume 16 - Young Man Period - Human God Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 155|[Web Novel 155] Chapter 1: Diary - First Part]] '''Needs editing and TLC'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 156|[Web Novel 156] Chapter 2: Diary - Second Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 157|[Web Novel 157] Chapter 3: Resolve]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 158|[Web Novel 158] Chapter 4: Nanahoshi's Hypothesis]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 159|[Web Novel 159] Chapter 5: Letter Arrives]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 160|[Web Novel 160] Chapter 6: Preparation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 161|[Web Novel 161] Chapter 7: Preparation Complete]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 162|[Web Novel 162] Chapter 8: Bog vs Dragon God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 163|[Web Novel 163] Chapter 9: Mad Dog King vs Dragon God]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 164|[Web Novel 164] Chapter 10: Eris Grayrat - First Part]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 165|[Web Novel 165] Chapter 11: Eris Grayrat - Second Part]]

===Volume 17 - Young Man Period - Kingdom Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 166|[Web Novel 166] Chapter 1: Call]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 167|[Web Novel 167] Chapter 2: Explanation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 168|[Web Novel 168] Chapter 3: Towards the First Mission]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 169|[Web Novel 169] Chapter 4: Guardian Magical Beast]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 170|[Web Novel 170] Chapter 5: Mens Meeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 170.5|Side Story - Girls Meeting]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 171|[Web Novel 171] Chapter 6: Luke]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 172|[Web Novel 172] Chapter 7: Make Your Decision]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 173|[Web Novel 173] Chapter 8: Organization of Cooperation]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 174|[Web Novel 174] Chapter 9: Armored Dragon King and Second Princess]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 175|[Web Novel 175] Chapter 10: Before Leaving for Asura Kingdom]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 175.5|Side Story - Black Wolf Sword King]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter World Map 3|Special Chapter: World Map 3]]

===Volume 18 - Young Man Period - Asura Kingdom Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 176|[Web Novel 176] Chapter 1: Departure Towards Asura Kingdom]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 177|[Web Novel 177] Chapter 2: Red Dragon's Upper Jaw]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 178|[Web Novel 178] Chapter 3: Conjecture]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 179|[Web Novel 179] Chapter 4: Ariel's Choice]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 180|[Web Novel 180] Chapter 5: Tristina]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 181|[Web Novel 181] Chapter 6: Along the Way]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 182|[Web Novel 182] Chapter 7: Capital of Kings Alusu]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 183|[Web Novel 183] Chapter 8: Mortal Combat at Dusk]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 184|[Web Novel 184] Chapter 9: Ariel's Battleground]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 185|[Web Novel 185] Chapter 10: Rudeus's Battleground]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 186|[Web Novel 186] Chapter 11: Luke's Recklessness]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 187|[Web Novel 187] Chapter 12: Truth of Orsted and Ten Days in the Capital]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 188|[Web Novel 188] Chapter 13: Practice of Separation and Sylphy's Change]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 189|[Web Novel 189] Chapter 14: Return and Determination]]

===Volume 19 - Young Man Period - Subordinates Chapter===
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 190|[Web Novel 190] Chapter 1: Present Situation]] - '''TLC Needed.'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 190.5|Side Story - One Example of Work]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 191|[Web Novel 191] Chapter 2: The Borrowed Cat]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 192|[Web Novel 192] Chapter 3: Entrance Ceremony & Student Council President]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 193|[Web Novel 193] Chapter 4: Research Progress]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 194|[Web Novel 194] Chapter 5: Signs of Household Collapse]] - '''Editing in progress'''
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 195|[Web Novel 195] Chapter 6: Business Start-Up]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 196|[Web Novel 196] Chapter 7: Company Venture]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 197|[Web Novel 197] Chapter 8: Dorudia Village Once More]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 198|[Web Novel 198] Chapter 9: Dried Meat Murder Incident]]
::*[[Mushoku_Tensei:Web Chapter 199|[Web Novel 199] Chapter 10: Next Battle]]

===Volume 20 - Young Man Period - Zanba Chapter===
::*

==Original Web Novel==
[http://ncode.syosetu.com/n9669bk/ Web Novel' homepage] (WARNING: The web version shows some differences with the published one)

==Project Staff==

*Supervisor: [[user:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-GTO]]
*Project Manager:

===Translators===

'''ACTIVE'''
:* [[User:Dark Kaito|Dark Kaito]]
:* [[User:SallissLights|SallissLights]]
:* [[User:zmunjali|zmunjali]] (Learner)
:* [[User:Tensaizz|Tensaizz]]
:* [[User:Skuizaan|Skuizaan]]
:* [[user:Myopius|Myopius]]
:* [[User:Vanant|Vanant]]
:* [[user:Ren|Ren]] (Learner)
:* [[user:Kazeboy|Kazeboy]] (Learner)
:* [[User:Kanant Vaito|Kanant Vaito®]]
:* [[user:Team Tensai|Team Tensai®]]
:* [[user:COTHER|cother]] (Learner)
:* [[user:Giorgio wu|Giorgio wu]] (CHI -> ENG)
:* [[User:Banisher|Banisher]] (CHI -> ENG)

'''INACTIVE'''
:*[[user:Superduperelectromagnetictops|Superduperelectromagnetictops]] (worst-case-scenario backup translator, I have yet to finish PuiPui )
:* [http://silentwolfie.deviantart.com SilentWolfie] Translator outside BT
:* [http://pastebin.com/u/loliDrag0n LoliDrag0n] editor for [http://silentwolfie.deviantart.com SilentWolfie]

===Editors===
:* [[user:C0debreaker6|C0debreaker6]]
:* [[user:Striderman34|Striderman34]]
:* [[user:Pumkingboyz|Pumkingboyz]]
:* [[user:DaiZzed|DaiZzed]]
:* [[user:Acolyte|Acolyte]]
:* [[user:Trejon|Trejon]]
:* [[user:John Woodward|John Woodward]]
:* [[user:Trev lite|Trev lite]]
:* [[user:Doomr|Doomr]]
:*[[User:Tasear|Tasear]]

== Series Overview ==
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 1 ''312 pages'', (January 23, 2014) ISBN 978-4040662206
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 2 ''320 pages'', (March 22, 2014) ISBN 978-4040663937
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 3 ''323 pages'', (May 23, 2014) ISBN 978-4040667553
*無職転生 ~異世界行ったら本気だす~ 4 ''??? pages'', (August 25, 2014) ISBN 978-4040669618

[[Category:Kadokawa Shoten]]
[[Category:MF Bunko J]]
[[Category:Genre - Harem]]
[[Category:Genre - Action]]
[[Category:Light novel (English)]]

User talk:Zekeinferno

2014-08-01T06:35:26Z

Shortykilz:

Editing Mushoku Tensei. If there's some rules that I'm not following, please point that out. Thanks! - Zeke

Well Js06 just started translating The Zashiki Warashi volume 4, doesn't seem to be any registered editors, but I'm not too sure what it's about. -[[User:Marrow|Marrow]] ([[User talk:Marrow|talk]]) 23:32, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

Ah... I don't really mind about the remarks since I can understand wanting to talk about things, just hide them if they aren't editing related. <nowiki></nowiki> is how you hide things in the text. [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] ([[User talk:Shortykilz|talk]]) 00:59, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

Removing the nowiki tags will cause the "Text goes here" portion to be hidden from the text. The important part to remember is the <nowiki></nowiki>. Regarding page saving, I also have problems with that. But that's only if I do one edit after the other. It will "forget" the previous edit and only save this time's edits. So it'd be best to just put all your edits into one run through. It may be an anti-spam measure, but I honestly don't have any idea. [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] ([[User talk:Shortykilz|talk]]) 01:35, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

User talk:Zekeinferno

2014-08-01T06:34:40Z

Shortykilz:

Editing Mushoku Tensei. If there's some rules that I'm not following, please point that out. Thanks! - Zeke

Well Js06 just started translating The Zashiki Warashi volume 4, doesn't seem to be any registered editors, but I'm not too sure what it's about. -[[User:Marrow|Marrow]] ([[User talk:Marrow|talk]]) 23:32, 31 July 2014 (CDT)

Ah... I don't really mind about the remarks since I can understand wanting to talk about things, just hide them if they aren't editing related. <nowiki></nowiki> is how you hide things in the text. [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] ([[User talk:Shortykilz|talk]]) 00:59, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

Removing the nowiki tags will cause the "Text goes here" portion to be hidden from the text. The important part to remember is the . Regarding page saving, I also have problems with that. But that's only if I do one edit after the other. It will "forget" the previous edit and only save this time's edits. So it'd be best to just put all your edits into one run through. It may be an anti-spam measure, but I honestly don't have any idea. [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] ([[User talk:Shortykilz|talk]]) 01:34, 1 August 2014 (CDT)

User talk:Zekeinferno

2014-08-01T05:59:38Z

Shortykilz:

User:Shortykilz

2014-08-01T05:56:16Z

Shortykilz: /* Shortykilz */

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
The name I go by online is shorty. 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say. 
'''(!)''' 
 
This is how to put text above other text {{Furigana|Text|Floating Text}}

Properly putting in a navigation.
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
|-
|}
[[{{Furigana|series_name:Volume_#_Chapter_#|the title that shows up in URL}}|Text shown in box]]

User:Shortykilz

2014-08-01T05:54:45Z

Shortykilz: /* Shortykilz */

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
The name I go by online is shorty. 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say. 
'''(!)'''

This is how to put text above other text {{Furigana|Text|Floating Text}}

'test'
Properly putting in a navigation.
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
|-
| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
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User:Shortykilz

2014-08-01T05:54:15Z

Shortykilz:

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
The name I go by online is shorty. 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say. 
'''(!<--!Hidden text here-->)'''

This is how to put text above other text {{Furigana|Text|Floating Text}}

'test'
Properly putting in a navigation.
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
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| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
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| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
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Mondaiji-tachi ga isekai kara kuru soudesu yo:Volume 9 Chapter 7

2014-07-03T22:45:50Z

Shortykilz: /* Translator's Notes */

==Shiroyasha-sensei! Teach me!==

Shiroyasha: Fuhahahaha! To the readers who have thought that I have left the storyline for good!

Sucks to be you!

The Demon Lord of the White Night is eternal!

I was feeling lonely because I’ve left the main plot line for some time, so I took over this section!

Kuro Usagi: YES! The section that will explain the vast and complex world of Little Garden, “Teach Us! Shiroyasha-sensei” will now begin!…………. But, is it alright? For you to not return to the Heavenly Realm?

Shiroyasha: Ya~, its like this. Its good that I went back home, but I had nothing to do. So I consulted that Sid***tha dude and he said; “How about a job that leads people to enlightenment?” and suggested this. So that's why I was left to take care of this extra section. Here we’ll be explaining the said Little Garden’s world, and explain some side plots that were simplified for the convenience of time.

Kuro Usagi: ……….Please wait a moment. Than that would mean the one who took over this section is-

Shiroyasha: Oops, thats a story for later. Now lets start!

Q: Gift games and Gifts

Gift Games are games that are only allowed to be played by those who’s powers transcend humans.

In Little Garden, it has the same value as normal economic selling/buying;

……..Well that's what's on the surface.

I’m sure some of you have realized, but this is a big white lie. It's a type of excuse.

The origin of Gift Games turn historical theologies, cultural common senses, and phenomenons into trials, and use these trials to wage representative wars. Depending on the outcome of these representative wars, the outside world’s history may change. As Garol Gandack said in volume 5, Gifts are phenomenon that are given during a Paradigm Shift.<ref>This occurred in Volume 5, Chapter 6.</ref>

Gifts are basically the balancing system of the gods given so that humanity will move in the correct path. The reason why many of the people invited into Little Garden are hero’s, famous people, and historically important people is because when the gods tried to recover the Gifts, their users came with it. If Gifts were left as is in the era, it would get messy later on.

Well, once in a blue moon, there are those who are summoned at a completely mundane time. Those exceptions tend to be human shaped, but there are a few that are completely unrelated to the Genomes. According to the records of the Divine Army, those folks called themselves the Cthulhu Mythos.<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cthulhu_Mythos</ref>

Mixing various worlds, histories, testing Genome patterns, and collecting them all, as a result, the Little Garden ended up having a unique culture. In other words, the economic use of Gift Games.

Q: Vajra Replica

Kuro Usagi’s favorite Vajra that was blessed by Taishakuten<ref>Otherwise known as Indra in Sanskrit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%9Aakra_(Buddhism) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indra</ref>. The Vajra is one of the famous armor that represents the buddhist gods, but this one has the power to summon holy lightning due to Taishakuten’s blessings. It's a Gift that's easy to use, has a high output, and it's well versed for offense, defense, and speed.

By the way, “Divinity” is a Gift “a Divine Spirit has recognized as a god”, and can enforce the Gift, regardless of type/equipment, to its strongest potential. Thats the greatest difference between a Divine Spirit and one that gained Divinity.

Q: Brahmastra Replica

A Divine Spear of absolute victory made by the leader of the 12 Devas, Taishakuten, and the overseer of the 12 Devas, Great god Brahma<ref>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brahma</ref> from Indian lore.

The model for this Gift would be Brahma’s Divine Spear. The original spear is similar to the Celtic lore’s Broniac, and will always win and defeat its opponent.

The scary part about this spear is that it was blessed “to win”, not “to kill”. For example, if an opponent had a shield that could not be penetrated no matter what, the spear would twist the world and display a power that would win against that opponent. It’s a power made possible for the Great God Brahma whose name means the truth of the universe, but with this much power it touches the realm of authority rather than power.

Kuro Usagi’s Divine Spear is only a replica of this, and it doesn’t have that much of a cheat function. Instead, it endlessly provides and shoots out the power needed to defeat the opponent it has speared.….. MU, I guess that in itself is a cheat.

Q: Chandra Mahal

This is the holy temple that the “Moon Rabbit” from buddhist lore was invited to. The authorities of the moon are divided into 15 parts, and it's a game board type gift that can be summoned by a “Moon Rabbit” with more than one authority of the moon.

Inside there’s a barrier maintains similar environmental conditions (gravity, oxygen, etc) as on earth, but the ON and OFF of the barrier is determined by the summoner. If the opponent is a human, Kuro Usagi can use this single Gift to easily defeat them. The authority of the moon isn’t for show you know.

Q: Code Unknown.

The cheat Gift that Sakamaki Izayoi uses. Super strong. The end.

…………..I guess that's not good. Frankly I have no clue what this gift is.

What I can say though is that it's not the same type or form as other “Candidates of Origin”. Rather, because it's so different, it's counted as a Candidate. If it was the same type, there would be no need to have candidates, after all.

Besides, the “Candidates of Origin” that I know of are all Demi-Celestial spirits of Earth. Please understand how weird a human boy having this Gift is in the first place.

Q: Authority

Cheat Gift #2 that is used by Kudou Asuka.

Unlike the other two, the answers for Kudou Asuka’s gift can be said to be near completely answered. It's said to be a Gift that gives Virtual Divinity, but that’s obviously a power on the side of a provider; a power very similar to “Influence”.

“Influence” refers to a power granted only to the gods. The power of blessings are mostly born from this Gift.

Using the power of Asuka’s version of “Influence” that “strengthens Gifts”, a flame Gift makes Hell Fire, lightning Gift becomes Divine Lightning, and frost Gift will make things fall in temperature to absolute zero. Her power to give Divinity to anything is very similar to the concept of Yaoyorozu <ref>Translates as “the 8 million gods”, the expression implying the ever increase amount of gods. In Shinto religion, anything can become a god/youkai (the only distinction between the two is if they are worshipped or not) given the right conditions.</ref> of Shinto religion. So there may be a clue in Japanese Lore that will solve the mystery.

Than the question shifts to why did this power reside in Asuka. Let's ponder a bit.

In volume 8, do you remember what Almathea was pondering about?<ref>Volume 8, Chapter 3.</ref>

That was probably because her godly form she originally should have had separated in some shape or form. If this hypothesis is correct, than the “IF” dream that Asuka in volume 2 at the time of VS [Grim Grimoire] becomes suspicious.<ref>Volume 2, Epilogue.</ref>

—I, Kudou Asuka, should have had sisters.
—I ran alongside my dead sisters.
—I silently watched myself say “Trick or Treat” as I laughed gleefully with them.

This dream would be the key to solve the mystery that Kudou Asuka carries. The time the answer will be known should not be too far away.

Q; Genome Tree

The cheat Gift #3 used by Kasukabe Yō. At first glance, its hard to tell what the Gift’s powers are, but as the story has progressed, we now know a few things.

1. It makes it possible for the user to attain the natural powers of any beast (including Eudaemons and Holy Beasts)
2. Using the powers the user has attained as materials, it is possible to produce a weapon with the powers of a completely different beast.
3. The amount of combinations of the weapons made by said attained materials are unknown.
4. When using a Gift that the user cannot control, all attained powers vanish?

…….Hm, Even when we line them up, it's hard to think these up from just the Gifts ability alone.

This is only speculation, but the reason why Kasukabe Yō was able to weaponize one of the strongest species, “Great Garuda” would be most likely because there is a known parent Divine Spirit. The relationship between Parent and Child, in other words a family tree exists, so Genome Tree can weaponize the Garuda using that condition. In other words, it can’t weaponize a beast that doesn’t have a family tree that incorporates a different species.

Anyway, the price for using the powers of the Great Garuda being the loss of all attained powers is absurd. Besides, a Gift does not disappear for no good reason. Perhaps, a power besides that of Genome Tree has intervened.

Or perhaps the row of words that appeared inside Kasukabe Yō’s head during volume 4 may have a relationship to the true identity of this Gift.

In other words; at this point, we don’t understand anything!

Q: Little Garden

Currently its turned into the playground of the Gods, but originally a place created to guide the outer world to the correct progress, in other words a space of Third person view.

In volume 6 Izayoi had said “Little Garden is maldistributed connected to the outer world’s flow of time.” This is an assumption made from the fact that the three problem children were summoned from different time periods and time flows.

But sorry! If it's just that than the assumption is half correct and half wrong.

The thoughts of Sakamaki Izayoi is probably as follows.

Temporarily naming the time period the kids were summoned to be points a, b, and y, in order for them to be summoned at the same time, there needs to be a completely different time flow that can observe all three points a, b, y at the same time.

That's why Izayoi assumed “Little Garden is maldistributed connected to the outer world’s flow of time.”

Well, he isn’t wrong up to there, but he’s still missing something.

For one thing, Divine Spirits can exist because of humans religions and history. But these Divine Spirits are the ones that are observing and fine tuning the fate of humanity from an outer world. This creates a question of which actually came first; the humans or gods?

This would be a form of the so called “Bootstrap Paradox”. <ref>The most famous example of this paradox would be "Which came first; the chicken or the egg?". For further reading, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bootstrap_paradox</ref>

If this paradox can be solved, is can uncover the truth of the world of Little Garden………maybe, but this has little to do with the main storyline. <ref>In other words, using this paradox, Little Garden can observe multiple time periods.</ref>

Q: Strongest species

This phrase would refer to the three great species that represent Little Garden.

The ones born as Divine Spirits, pure blooded Dragon species, and Celestial Spirits.

If you want to put ranks of strength, the Celestial Spirit would be at the top, followed by the other two with rivaling strength. This is not a matter of battle prowess, but rather that Celestial Spirits are born regardless of human civilizations. Of course this includes unknown future worlds as well. So killing a Celestial Spirit completely would mean you’d have to be able to kill an infinitely existing world.

But like demon lord Algol, it is possible to demote a Celestial Spirit to a Divine Spirit, then enslave it.
Therefore, its not always true that Celestial Spirits are superior.

Q: Demon Lords

The disasters of Little Garden. They are the beings who have the ability to forcefully impose a type of Game called [Host Master Authority].

But these [Host Master Authorities] are not all evil in nature, and can also be used for justice. That’s why the virtuous gods and apostles give their representatives this privilege, and make them use it to judge evil. If these representatives abuse this, the god's responsible of granting the Authority would have to capture and judge them. These people are commonly referred to as “fallen”.

Q: Demon lord Algol

Known as “Medusa”, “Lilith”, and various other names.

Her verbal tick is “Al-chan is a super beauty!”

……….Yeah, go die. Thanks to her arrogant personality, I ended up crying many times.

Right now, her spiritual power is greatly weakened because she’s become a servant to [Perseus], but her true form is one that can rival Queen Halloween, and is one of the Three Great Problem Children of Little Garden.

Being a variable star, Algol has had great magical capabilities since ancient times, and her roots spread to as far as ancient Mesopotamia. At that time she was hailed as a Mother Earth Goddess, she gradually changed with the changes of culture and advancement of Astrology. She steadily grew away from being a spirit of Earth.

The reason she changed into her form as Celestial Spirit Algol would be her appearance in the Masoretic text of the Old Testament.

Using this, Algol began to spread various demons and poisonous animals (snakes, spiders, and scorpions) throughout various worlds and ages, and declared war against deities of the Three Thousand Worlds.<ref> This means the Buddhist deities.</ref>

After many hardships, she was finally sealed, but the deities of the Old Testament, where the roots of her power came from, refused to look over her because of how much of a pain in the ass she was.
She was passed around from place to place until finally the Greek Mythologies took her in. But, Algol decided to agitate Athena, her overseer, by showing off her beauty and hooking up skills, and finally

Algol: “U so ugly~”

Athena: “Ok, I’m buying that fight.”

Thus, both sides began an all out war.

Their fight made many worry that it would develop into a huge war, but Athena’s group gained an advantage in a unusual form.

Algol’s spiritual power had been shrinking because she was taken in by the Greek Cosmology.
As a result, while Algol was drunk, she was assassinated/eternally bounded to Perseus. The fight of two women ended on that idiotic note.

By the way, the word Alcohol comes from the name Algol. This comes from the saying that “alcohol is the demons drink that leads men to depravity”.

The reason why the Celestial Spirit of the fluctuating star Argol changed her name into Algol is rumored to be because of the influence of the drunks that worship her, but…….it's also rumored that she’ll get drunk with just a tiny sip of holy wine.

Q: Baron La Croix

A God of Death as well as a God of Love in Haitian Voodoo. Otherwise known as a God of Life. He’s one who understands my interests, and is a great friend as well as my eternal rival!

He has many names, with the most famous of them being “Goethe”.

He looks like a pitch black shadow wearing a tail suit<ref>This type of suit -> http://www.moss.co.uk/images/original/963112115_01.jpg</ref> and a bowler hat, and his entire body is thin and flat. Being a Divine Spirit with profane emotions, his emotions are easily understood.

Well, his true body is not the shadow but rather the hat and suit. The existence of the Divine Spirit known as Goethe is based on how he’s dressed rather than his actual body.

This comes from the fact that when the believers of Voodoo go into ceremonies or political activities, they dress as if to look like Goethe, wearing a tail suit and bowler hat. In this way the Divine Spirit has no actual form, and his suit and hat are the strongest symbol of his existence.

While there are many Divine Spirits, there are few who are capable of being called Sagacious God. How he became known as a demon lord has to do with this slave freedom movement of the outer world……….This little mystery will be solved in the near future of the main story.

Q: Final Trial of Humanity

The title given to the oldest demon lords.
It's basically the origin of demon lords and Gift games that make Little Garden so unique.

They are the disasters that suddenly appeared during the time Gods were fighting each other for the fate of humanity. While the Gods war is a trial directly linked to the fate of humanity with the assumption that humanity continues, Final Trials of Humanity are the highest level trials that need to be cleared by humans in order for humans/the world to survive.

It would be easier to understand if I say that they are a manifestation of a [Host Master Authority] itself.

The scary part of those guys would be the fact that they do not need a Geass Scroll to continually activate their Game. So in order to defeat them you would need an incredible amount of knowledge, weird ideas, and the will to defeat the impossible.

Azi Dakaha that's currently attacking [No Name] right now is also one of them.

But in its case, its motives of action still hasn’t left the realm of a Divine Spirit.

What that means, I want you all to understand with your own eyes next volume.

<noinclude>

==Translator's Notes==
<references/>
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User:Shortykilz

2014-06-22T05:10:52Z

Shortykilz: /* Shortykilz */

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
The name I go by online is shorty. 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say. 

This is how to put text above other text {{Furigana|Text|Floating Text}}

Properly putting in a navigation.
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
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User:Shortykilz

2014-06-22T05:10:27Z

Shortykilz: /* Shortykilz */

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
The name I go by online is shorty. 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say. 

This is how to put text above other text {{Furigana|Text|Floating Text}}

Properly putting in a navigation.
{| border="1" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" style="margin: 1em 1em 1em 0; background: #f9f9f9; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; padding: 0.2em; border-collapse: collapse;"
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[[{{Furigana|series_name:Volume_#_Chapter_#|the title that shows up in URL}}|Text]]

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou

2013-08-21T15:43:56Z

Shortykilz: /* The Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou series by Mizuki Shoutarou */

[[Image:Daimaou_v01_cover.jpg|thumb|x400px|right|]]

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou (いちばんうしろの大魔王) is a light novel series written by Mizuki Shoutarou (水城正太郎) and illustrated by by Itou Souichi (伊藤宗一). As of 2013, it has 12 volumes published by Hobby Japan's HJ Bunko label. It has an anime adaptation as well as a manga adaptation.

Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou~Brazilian_Portuguese~|Português Brasileiro (Brazilian Portuguese)]]
==Story Synopsis==

"Future Occupation...Demon King."

Sai Akuto enters Constant Magic Academy to be useful to society and to become a top-ranked national magician. However, a horrible prediction is made on his first day. Thanks to this prediction, the class representative girl hates him, a girl with a mysterious power embraces him, a female artificial human is sent by the empire to observe him, and his school life is otherwise thrown into chaos...

== Translation ==

=== [[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Registration Page|Registration]] ===

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

'''Translators are asked to [[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Registration Page|register]] which chapters they're working on''' (see [[Format_guideline#Translators|the Guideline page]] for usage rules).

=== Format Standards ===
*[[Format_guideline|General Format/Style Guideline]]
*[[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Names_and_Terminology_Guidelines|Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology]] '''<Possible Spoilers>'''

=== Feedback ===
'''If you enjoyed the teaser, why don't you tell us in the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5802 Feedback Thread]'''

== Updates ==
{{:Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Updates}}
For a full list of updates visit the [[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Updates|Archive]].
==The ''Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou'' series by Mizuki Shoutarou==

===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou ([[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Volume 1|Full Text]])===
[[image:Daimaou_v01_cover.jpg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Chapter 1|Chapter 1: The Demon King is Born]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Chapter 2|Chapter 2: The Strange Observer]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Chapter 3|Chapter 3: The Slightly Frightening Upperclassman]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Chapter 4|Chapter 4: That Highly Assumption-Prone Girl]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Chapter 5|Chapter 5: The Menacing Optimist]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume1_Afterword|Afterword]]
 
=== Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 2 ([[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Volume 2|Full Text]]) ===
[[image:Daimaou_v02_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Chapter_1|Chapter 1: Do You Like Solitary Confinement?]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Chapter_2|Chapter 2: Who is that Girl?]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Chapter_3|Chapter 3: The Three Keys]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Chapter_4|Chapter 4: The Student Council President’s Rage]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Chapter_5|Chapter 5: The Cheerful Conspirator]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume2_Afterword|Afterword]]
 

===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 3 ([[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Volume 3|Full Text]])===
[[image:Daimaou_v03_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Chapter_1|Chapter 1: Let’s Go on a Beach Field Trip]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Chapter_2|Chapter 2: Seaside Album]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Chapter_3|Chapter 3: A Surprise in a Dark Forest?]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Chapter_4|Chapter 4: The Legendary Hero Arrives!]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Chapter_5|Chapter 5: The Trouble Still Isn’t Over?]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume3_Afterword|Afterword]]
 

===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 4 ([[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Volume 4|Full Text]])===
[[image:Daimaou_v04_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume4_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume4_Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume4_Chapter_1|Chapter 1: Someone is Targeting Someone]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume4_Chapter_2|Chapter 2: The Shadow of Iga Fully Revealed]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume4_Chapter_3|Chapter 3: A Truly Amazing Birthday]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume4_Chapter_4|Chapter 4: Akuto’s Great Imperial Capital War]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume4_Afterword|Afterword]]
 

===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 5 ([[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Volume 5|Full Text]])===
[[image:Daimaou_v05_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Chapter_1|Chapter 1: Chaos from the Beginning]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Chapter_2|Chapter 2: So Many People Plotting Behind the Scenes]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Chapter_3|Chapter 3: Akuto and the Flying Aircraft Carrier]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Chapter_4|Chapter 4: The Perfect Ending?]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Chapter_5|Chapter 5: The Foreign Transfer Student]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume5_Afterword|Afterword]]
 

===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 6 ([[Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou:Volume 6|Full Text]])===
[[image:Daimaou_v06_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume6_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume6_Prologue|Prologue]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume6_Chapter_1|Chapter 1: Chaos Over a Date]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume6_Chapter_2|Chapter 2: I Want to Eat Rice Pudding]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume6_Chapter_3|Chapter 3: Literature is Difficult?]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume6_Chapter_4|Chapter 4: An Afternoon of Playing with Dolls]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume6_Afterword|Afterword]]
 

===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 7===
[[image:Daimaou_v07_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume7_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*Prologue
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Afterword
 
===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 8===
[[image:Daimaou_v08_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume8_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*Prologue
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Afterword
 
===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 9===
[[image:Daimaou_v09_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume9_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*Prologue
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Afterword
 
===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 10===
[[image:Daimaou_v10_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume10_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*Prologue
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Afterword
 
===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 11===
[[image:Daimaou_v11_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume11_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*Prologue
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Afterword
 
===Ichiban Ushiro no Daimaou Act 12===
[[image:Daimaou_v12_cover.jpeg|thumb|x200px|right|]]
*[[Ichiban_Ushiro_no_Daimaou:Volume12_Illustrations|Illustrations]]
*Prologue
*Chapter 1
*Chapter 2
*Chapter 3
*Chapter 4
*Chapter 5
*Chapter 6
*Afterword
 

== Project Staff ==

*Project Administrator:
*Project Supervisor:
=== Translators ===

'''ACTIVE'''
:*[[user:Js06|Js06]]

=== Editors ===

'''ACTIVE'''
:*[[user:Koakuma|Koala]]
:*[[User:Kory|Kory]]

== Series Overview ==
*いちばんうしろの大魔王 (1 February 2008, ISBN 4-89425-660-6)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT2 (1 May 2008, ISBN 4-89425-703-0)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT3 (1 September 2008, ISBN 4-89425-759-7)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT4 (1 December 2008, ISBN 4-89425-794-8)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT5 (1 March 2009, ISBN 4-89425-830-3)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT6 (30 June 2009, ISBN 4-89425-882-2)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT7 (1 September 2009, ISBN 4-89425-929-4)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT8 (1 December 2009, ISBN 4-89425-966-9)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT9 (1 April 2010, ISBN 4-7986-0029-1)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT10 (1 July 2010, ISBN 4-7986-0077-2)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT11 (1 December 2010, ISBN 4-7986-0150-2)
*いちばんうしろの大魔王ACT12 (29 September 2012, ISBN 4-7986-0460-2)

[[Category:Genre - Harem]]
[[Category:Genre - Action]]

Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 3

2013-05-08T03:40:41Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter 3: A Foreign Land */

== Chapter 3: A Foreign Land ==

When Gerard Augres visited LeitMeritz, Tigre was still at sea.

The young man, about 25 years old had curled brown hair and bronze eyes, wearing an official uniform of red and black. That official uniform showed status as registrar (clerk) of the Kingdom of Brune, and the chest seam symbolized the Red Horse embroidery of Brune.

"Though as expected, I certainly become used to seeing it since it's the third time..."

Waiting at the main gate to meet with Ellen, Gerard looking up at the towering Imperial Palace sighed slightly.

A year ago he did not even imagine that he would become the registrar (clerk) of Brune and would visit Zchted on a regular basis. He originally thought he would inherit from his father the vineyard around the Territoire land, and uneventfully spend a nice and quiet, but missed the chance of a lifetime.

All was after he met Tigrevurmud Vorn.

In Brune’s civil war, Gerard, under Tigre’s command, was responsible for managing material showing excellent ability to adjust the distribution of food, fuel, and weapons work. That ability was highly rated, and after the civil war ended, he worked in the Imperial Court of the Kingdom of Brune.

Every two months, he will visit LeitMeritz. And reporting to Ellen the progress of the work on the Vosyes Mountains was one of Gerard's works. It was the third time now, and since the gatekeeper also remembered the name and the face of Gerard, he was able to enter the Imperial Palace without being kept waiting too much.

He was taken to the office after his luggage and clothes were inspected. His luggage was only a linen backpack filled with notes props and a bundle of letters.

He was already checked at the main gate, but since he was with luggage this time, there was a need to check it again. After the inspection, the Gerard sounded the door.

"Long time no see, Mr. Secretary."

Ellen, who wore a formal dress based on blue, was sitting on the office desk. Lim standing beside her.

"It's good to see that both Vanadis-sama and also Limlisha-dono seem to be healthy above all."

Gerard hung up a smile used for social etiquette and bowed with an exaggerated gesture. Ellen nodded generously, but Lim speechless returned the courtesy.

Though Gerard's smile was basically stemming from interpersonal politeness, in it was also somewhat sincerity. In front of Ellen, attitudes needed not be so rigid. However if facing a big aristocrat or high-ranking official of the court of Brune, he must pay attention to his words and behavior.

"Without delay, let me first report of the Vosyes Mountains Road."

This was the agreement that was established in accordance with the mutual non-aggression pact between Brune and Zchted which was signed half a year ago. As long as the mountain path was upgraded, the shortest highway linking the King Capital of both countries would be born. The merchants and travelers could not, not to take this road, and LeitMeritz on the halfway would therefore also profit.

The reason had yet to resolve the matter, because this mountain range was in the border between Zchted and Brune. If large-scale construction was performed near the border, it would surely be admonished by the others, and the highway being made also meant that aggression will be more convenient.

Originally it was not a talk that would be swallowed no matter how, even if a non-aggression pact was concluded. But Brune was indebted to Zchted, and moreover the contract was exchanged partly because of various circumstances and speculations.

Gerard was familiar with it. While he read aloud the report he has prepared in advance, while fluently answering the questions raised by Ellen from time to time. With regard to the status quo of this road, he has a clear understanding since he passed there from Brune to the way here. He answered without hesitation.

When she finished hearing Gerard's report, Ellen smiled contentedly.

"Yeah. It seems to be going smoothly. Good work, Mr. secretary."

"To be able to receive such words from Vanadis-sama, even I felt relieved. We would also convey as such to our lord."

Gerard bowed in an exaggerated gesture in the same way as the time when he entered the work office.

After that, the topic moved to small talk.

Even if it is said small talk, the main topic was the situation of each country.

A certain aristocrat made such a remark, the one of getting into trouble where, the talk about the movement of Muozinel or Asvarre accounted for most.

"What position does Brune take concerning the civil war in Asvarre?"

"As for our country, as sparks of the war does not affect us, we intend to watch it calmly. Fortunately, the interest of Sachstein seems to be facing to Asvarre, so we are thankful for there not being a menace on the west side of Brune."

"Currently, there are three main forces in Asvarre. Prince Jermaine, Prince Eliot and Princess Guinevere... If one among those sought assistance of Brune, what does Her Highness Princess Regin plan to do?"

"Obtaining desirable result by thrusting one's neck into a quarrel of others is probably something possible only in the world of heroic tale or dramas. Much more since, for our country, the damage of half a year ago is hardly cured, too."

Gerard lifting more irony pot the edge of his mouth, shrugged his shoulders.

Though Lim frowned at his behavior which lacked in etiquette, he was soothed by Ellen's gaze and remained silence to some extent.

"That's right, isn’t it? Please sincerely tell Her Highness Regin to take care of herself."

"Thank you for your warm words. I will certainly convey every single of those words."

Then, just before finishing the small talk and leaving, Gerard expressed one wish.

"After this, I would like to greet Lord Tigrevurmud."

This was what he applied for whenever he visited LeitMeritz.

Tigre was currently a guest of honor here.

Though a trivial thing, there was no troublesome people who set aside permission to Ellen.

For Gerard until now like this, he had thought that the only thing to be said there would be “go and meet him”, but it was different this time.

As Ellen's face looked glum, she shook her head with an apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry. Lord Tigrevurmud is not there today. He was called by His Majesty the King about ten days ago, and went to the King Capital Silesia."

"By King Viktor? For exactly what kind of business?"

Speaking with a very troubled voice, Gerard frowned plainly.

However, Ellen again shooked her head.

"I was not told, either. However Lord Tigrevurmud is an important guest, even for His Majesty. So there is no need for Lord Gerard to worry."

"...Is that so. It's regrettable that I'm not able meet Lord Tigrevurmud."

Though Gerard made an expression of disappointment, he backed down quietly without further questioning.

He did not think that he could get something out from Ellen even if he continued to ask questions.

"By the way, there is something I want you to hand over when Lord Tigrevurmud returned, may I request it to Vanadis-sama?"

"I will take over. What is it?"

As Ellen asked, Gerard carried it on his back, took out a bunch of letters from his bag, and put which was held to full of both hands on the work desk.

Both Ellen and Lim stared in wonder.

There were nearly twenty letters.

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

"There are 17 letters. Three of them are application for marriage meeting. The remaining 14 notes are letters of wish liking to consider a daughter and a niece as Trainee maids and to attach them to his side."

"Marriage meeting? And moreover letters of wish?"

Making a face as if she swallowed a bitter medicine, Ellen stared at the bunch of letters.

Lim broke her expressionless face, and asked Gerard without being able to hide her embarrassment.

"Excuse me, but... Are Her Highness Princess Regin and Lord Massas aware of that?"

Massas was Tigre's father Urz's best friend, and the man who took care of Tigre all the time even after Urz died.

He helped Tigre in the civil war of Brune, and Lim which acted as his assistance trusted that character.

After the end of the civil war he let his son inherit his title and his territory, though he was requested by Regin and Prime Minister Bodwin to serve the royal court, she could not think at all that he overlooked these.

"Of course. Since I brought it simply because I was able to get the approval of those two."

As Gerard answering as if it was a matter of course, Ellen and Lim looked at each other.

Ellen knew that Regin held light feelings for Tigre that exceeded social status or position.

Even Lim vaguely noticed it.

Despite that, she let the Noble Lords send such letters. What was the meaning behind it?

Didn't they notice Regin's feelings, or were they aware of that and pretended not to know?

"...Mr. Secretary."

With a cough Ellen somehow regained her composure, she asked with a careful way of talking while poking the letters with her fingertip.

"What do these people think of Princess Regin and Lord Tigrevurmud?"

"They have naturally pledged allegiance to Her Highness the Princess. The assessment of Lord Tigrevurmud should not be low, either. He was the hero in the previous war, Her Highness the Princess, Lord Massas, and even the knight squadron have deep trust in him. They also expect an edge with Zchted. They would like to conclude good relations."

With his barefaced smile, the secretary with brown hair gave a model answer as a bureaucrat of Brune.

Ellen realized that she got the wrong way of questioning.

It seemed that she should say it more directly.

"I wonder if Princess Regin doesn’t think too much about such an act. Apparently, the Feudal Lords in the country of the secretary Palace seem to hold a different thought."

"...As for Her Highness the Princess, her life was certainly saved by the efforts of Lord Tigrevurmud, and she became the leader of one country as the successor of the late King Faron. Suppose that gratitude becomes affection, and Her Highness becomes a maiden in love and continues to yearn earnestly for Lord Tigrevurmud."

After saying up to there, Gerard suddenly changed his expression to a severe one.

"...There cannot be such a thing. They (Feudal Lords) think so. Lord Tigrevurmud is a person born from a Earl House in the frontier, and he doesn’t have anything to be proud other than his archery. Such a person cannot be suitable as the King of the next generation. Her Highness should also be thinking so."

Ellen did not answer back to that, and sullenly looked at the bunch of letters.

It would not be a lie, that Tigre's assessment was not low.

Also the point that a compromise could be reached if she became as a partner with friendship, she could just say that she would not give up if it is the object set on the throne.

And they believed that Regin also thought in the same way.

''---It can't be helped.''

Since Ellen, Lim, and Gerard were in the "Silver Meteor Army", they knew that Regin was trusting Tigre.

However most of the Feudal Lords did not know it.

Even listening to the rumors of the triumph in the King Capital Nice, it would be indeed impossible to imagine so far.

Therefore, Lim asked Gerard whether anything might have occurred.

"Has Princess Regin said anything about Lord Tigrevurmud?"

"Her Highness is very concerned about Lord Tigrevurmud's situation. she said that she cannot use goods, Territory, or wealth to express her gratitude, and that upon his return to Brune she will reward him accordingly."

"W-Well, it is natural. It is thanks to Tigre..., Lord Tigrevurmud that she is currently there."

Ellen's face became stiff, though she was about to return to her usual tone, the Vanadis with silver white hair somehow corrected her track and nodded.

Not be able to express her gratitude with only goods or territory.

So what on earth was she up to?

"Then, speaking about the fact that even though Lord Tigrevurmud was bestowed the title of "Knight of the moonlight" by His Highness the Princess, the ground of Alsace which he inherited from his father is requisitioned and in the co-management of Her Highness the Princess and Vanadis-sama. In addition Lord Tigrevurmud himself was forced to leave the homeland, where he was born and raised, to Zchted..."

Thereupon Gerard cut his words unnaturally and bowed with an exaggerated gesture when saying sorry for complaining about it.

It seemed that his cynic daring did not change so far, though it was the hit of a sarcastic man who withdrew from the words which could be taken as the criticism to Ellen, and called it an omission.

Ellen immediately understood the meaning of such a way of talking of Gerard who should have heard about the story from Tigre.

Probably, this had also led to the firm belief of the Feudal Lords that there was no way Regin would love Tigre.

''---We decided so like that, Tigre has also consented...''

Ellen, folding her arms, dropped her gaze on the bunch of letters again, and sighed.

In a situation she could not publicly say her thoughts, and moreover she did not have a reason to stop it while knowing the schemes of Feudal Lords; she felt sympathy for Regin who could only confirm these letters with a depressed face.

Lim also again imagined Massas which would sort the letters with a bitter face and bore a wry smile.

"...I understand. When Lord Tigrevurmud returns, I will hand these over. I promise to keep it firmly so as not to show it to anybody till then."

"Thank you very much."

Having a face that felt relieved of his burden, Gerard left this time for sure.

When the door was closed, Ellen and Lim looked at the bunch of letters by contrast with a trouble face.

Gerard who left the work office did every request at the soldier who was going to send him at the main gate.

"Sorry to bother you, but would you be around for a while. There is someone that I want to greet. Of course I get the approval of Vanadis-sama."

The latter half of the dialog was a lie.

He judged that he would not confirm it right away and talked at random.

The soldier consented uneventfully without doubting, as he told the name of the person that he wanted to greet.

''---Though I was not able to ask neither Vanadis-sama nor Limlisha-dono...''

Gerard wanted to know by all means what kind of life Tigre was leading nowadays.

Though it was not as if he was personally interested by it, there was a reason behind it.

Regin and Massas would be very glad if he talked to them about Tigre.

Especially Region who brightened her blue eyes shining like a child, and seeing the change of her facial expression was indeed interesting.

As Gerard had greed for success in life like everyone else, he could not afford himself to go home empty-handed in order to improve his boss's memory about Tigre, too.

As he walked down the corridor of the Imperial Palace, Gerard soon spotted a person of mark.

In maid figure of white apron on top of the black long sleeves and skirt, It was a girl who was in a twin tail chestnut hair.

Gerard called out to her with a radiant smile.

"Long time no see. Teita-san"

the girl, Teita also nodded to Gerard politely with a smile, too.

"Gerard-san. Did you come here?"

"Yeah. I just finished my business with Vanadis-sama earlier."

And then for a while, Gerard had fun with Teita about small talk

There were many topics that she was interested in, like Alsace's situation or matters about Massas who was fed up with the royal court duty.

Teita also again, happily talked about the events of Tigre's life recently in the Imperial Palace.

"Is Massas-sama doing well as usual?"

"His Excellency the Prime Minister Bodwin-sama and him often argue."

"Like Gerard-san and Rurick-san?"

To the innocent words of Teita, the secretary of Brune was at loss for words.

Though he would just be going to think of it as irony or some kind of sarcasm if it was another person who said it, and because he understood that this girl would not do such a thing, he was troubled about how to react.

Suddenly removing his gaze, Gerard saw the soldier who was standing silently nearby.

Because he bore the duty to guide Gerard to the main gate, he made a smile as hard as possible and was waiting faithfully for the talk to finish.

"Excuse me, but I want to talk with her a little more. Since I will feel bad for making you wait any longer, I think that I will ask her to guide me to the main gate."

Though the soldier looked perplexed, Teita was the maid of the guest of honor Tigre, and also trusted by Ellen and Lim.

Living here for half a year was also not short at all.

The soldier briefly explained the situation to Teita, and asked if it was okay.

"I understand. If it is something like that, I will bear the task to see off Gerard-san properly to the main gate."

Like that seeing off the soldier walking away with Teita, Gerard gloated inwardly.

Up till now it went as planned.

"By the way, Teita -san. About Lord Tigrevurmud."

with his radiant smile intact, Gerard changed the topic of discussion.

Teita looked at Gerard with a puzzled face.

"Is there something wrong with Tigre sama?"

"I heard from Vanadis-sama that he went to the King capital Silesia, but... Has Teita-san not heard some details from Lord Tigrevurmud?"

"... Not, especially."

Teita shook her head, but her eyes swam for an instant, and Gerard not overlooking her depressed voice did not miss it.

His intuition telling him there was something up, he leaned his body forward and looked into Teita's face.

"...Really?"

Teita flinched from Gerard's abrupt action, Barge and play after shaking the without one. (to correct)

Gerard took one step forward promptly and shortened the distance to her.

"Th-That..."

Seeing Teita shaking her head unwillingly with a troubled face, as expected, even Gerard inwardly hesitated.

However, it was unavoidable in order to find out what she was hiding.

"Stop that."

A voice suddenly came from behind.

A shock and a pain ran to his head, and Gerard staggered.

When he looked back while holding down his head, One young man wearing an armor was standing there.

with a well-featured face and a slippery head without even one hair, he had a sword normally put in the sheath in his hand.

It seemed that he knocked Gerard's head with it.

"Even if it was just for one moment, what intention do you have to threaten the maid of the person whom I serve, you malicious person of Brune? Depending of your answer, I might knock you again."

"When I wondered who it was, it was only you... "

Gerard groaned annoyingly.

The man's name was Rurick.

Despite his short fellowship with Gerard, they had (what we might call) a close bond relationship.

"It is bad for my reputation for you to say I threatened her. I would not possibly do something like that to her."

"It only seems to me that even a child of 5 years old would be scared if you look him like that. You bastard, what are you trying to do?"

So that to protect Teita, Rurick interposed his body between the two people, and turned harshed eyes to Gerard.

The secretary of Brune sighed.

"I might not have you understand even if I explained it to you who had clouded eyes and a muddy brain, but I was only talking with Teita-san about Lord Tigrevurmud. Since it might be a little interested, I leaned forward carelessly."

"...Isn't such a man sly and insidious, Teita-dono?"

Looking back at Teita, Rurick asked with a very earnest face and tone.

Teita, with a troubled face, alternately looked at Rurick and Gerard's faces.

"E-Err... What Gerard -san says is true. While talking about Tigre-sama, we mutually became very keen on that."

Tough Gerard was inwardly relieved to the brave words of the maid with foxtail millet colored hair, Rurick seemed to be still suspicious.

"Teita-dono. You don't need to force yourself to cover up for this man. Even if you are afraid of a retorsion, in place of Lord Tigrevurmud, I won't let him lift even one finger on you."

"Do you put on air of a knight?"

"I'm a knight. That's why."

Replying immediately to Gerard's misnomer, Rurick stared at Teita.

As Teita unintentionally laughed, she slightly bowed to show her gratitude.

"Thank you Rurick-san. But I really wasn't being threatened."

"...I understand. If Teita-dono says so."

Though he could not consent, if she said it like that, even Rurick could not hold on any further.

However, seeming to feel the need to give a warning to Gerard, the bald head knight turned toward the secretary with brown hair.

"I must report about what I saw just now to Limlisha-dono just in case."

"Wait a minute. Why is it necessary to do something like that?"

Impatience is mixed with Gerard's voice.

As for what was bad for him, Lim was friendly with Massas.

In the worst case, she might convey this matter to Massas in a letter or something.

"It will be only natural to report to the top if something unusual happened in the castle."

Folding his arms, Rurick answered dignifiedly.

Gerard was not able to just retort to this sound argument.

Though he requested help to Teita with a gaze, only an apologetic smile was returned.

''---It seems here that I have no choice, but to withdraw...''

It was certain that Rurick would become a hindrance if he kept up any further with this conversation.

Besides, He was able to obtain something of that small talk about Tigre's life nowadays.

As tales of his travel to Regin and Massas, even if it was not complete, that portion could certainly be satisfying.

''---And if I tried to find about the rest myself?''

First of all, he dispatched someone in the King Capital Silesia and must examine for what kind of business Lord Tigrevurmud was called by the King of Zchted.

"Well then, I will leave soon and, first. since I will apparently be haunted by an unpleasant gaze if I stay here."

"Ah, then I will see you off to the main gate."

As Teita remembered and said so, Gerard was accompanied to the main gate by both Rurick and her.

Despite of repeated misnomer exchanges with Rurick while walking down the corridor, it did not reach extreme disparagement, and would end with an incomplete burning feeling since Teita was near.

"The blessing of the gods be with you, Gerard-san."

Returning the wave of hand to Teita who waved her hand, and deliberately ignoring Rurick's presence, Gerard left afterwards the Imperial Palace.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

It was seven days later that Tigre reached Asvarre across the Breton Peninsula at the northwest edge of the kingdom of Brune since he got on the 'Proud White Dolphin'.

When the port city which was the destination could be seen in the distance, Matvei feeling relieved took a short rest, a color of relief spread through the sailors' faces, and the strain that covered the ship was removed after two days.

"It seems we end our travel without incident somehow or other."

Matvei looking back at Tigre and Olga on the deck smiled brightly.

Even if he said that while smiling, in the case of this man, the fact that it only seemed that he was plotting something while chuckling was troublesome.

However, Tigre, who got used to see that in this sea trip nodded with a smile.

After passing the peninsula two days ago, the sailors became laconic, their behavior were somewhere frenzied and they seemed to put their body in the battlefield.

Even passengers also took in such a mood, and kept their weapons beside whenever and wherever they were inboard.

Tigre, Olga and Matvei were the only people calm.

"The pirate appeared."

To Tigre who asked about the strange mood, Matvei replied disheartenedly.

"Though I think Lord Tigrevurmud is aware of that matter, among the two princes who are currently fighting in Asvarre, Prince Eliot employs pirates as subordinates. Prince Eliot's base is Asvarre island, and that area is like the yard for the inside of fate."

Matvei frowned and explained while drawing a map on space by a fingertip.

"Aren't they supposed to aim at the merchant ship of Zchted?"

It was Olga who asked so. She wrapped herself in a mantle, when coming out of the deck, and she was being covered with the hood over her eyes.

"Sadly there is convenient words of "having mistaken" in society."

As Matvei shrugged, he said that he would look at the state of the surroundings and left from there.

As Tigre was looking at the scenery of the small port city that gradually approached, he was pulled to the sleeve of his clothes by Olga.

"Tigre. Can you shoot that down?"

Extending her arm straight, what Olga pointed to was every bird flying gracefully under the cloudy sky.

After observing the sea bird for a while, Tigre shook his head.

"It is meaningless, even if I shoot it."

Seeming not to understand Tigre's answer, Olga tilted her head.

"It will only fall into the sea even if I shoot it down. Though this ship is loaded with shallop, I may not possibly borrow it to collect only one seabird."

He explained so while looking at the sea bird, but Olga seemed to interpret it as making excuses.

She narrowed her eyes at the back of the hood and said with a bored voice.

"You travel only with a bow and handled it with great care, I thought that you would be very confident...Or it sounded like I said it ill-tempered."

"I do not think that you said it ill-tempered. But it is a difficult target."

Tigre replied to Olga with a gentle expression and voice.

This was because he knew that she didn't say it just on a whim.

Although talking about various things, both living together in this ship, she was heartily surprised that Tigre held a weapon in only not more than a dagger with a bow.

"Is it so unusual?"

Instead of being curious Tigre asked again, Olga was surprised, or amazed.

"Most people have a sword and a hatchet. And after that many are spear and ax. Even if there are people who use the bow in addition to such a weapon, I have never seen people using only a bow."

"A hatchet is good. I will prepare that from the next time."

Tigre also carried a hatchet when hunting.

It was because it was convenient to cut away highly spreading weeds, obstructive branches and leaves.

However, there was no way of thinking of carrying it in a trip.

To Tigre who was impressed, Olga asked.

"Are you confident with the bow that much?"

"more than with a sword or a spear."

Though he stated the fact, Olga having difficulty to say anything turned her gaze at Tigre.

While recalling such a conversation several days ago, Tigre observed the seabird again.

Though it was not so fast, the sea bird was flying pretty high.

The wind was blowing, and since there were on a ship, the scaffold was also unstable.

It would probably be difficult for someone of ordinary skills to make an arrow hit the mark.

''---To begin with, Can that bird be eaten? Since I see such a bird for first the time...''

Tigre returned his eyes to the port city while intending to ask Matvei later.

There was a small hill in the immediate place from the shore, and cityscape spread along gentle ups and downs.

He saw a building that seemed like a mansion on the hill.

He might overlook the sea from there.

The ship's captain was loudly giving instructions, 'The Proud White Dolphin' folded the sails and began slowing down little by little.

The power was changed to an oar, the ship were pulled and guided to the harbor.

Mariayo was one of the very common ports city in the kingdom of Asvarre.

The harbor was crowded with people busy with taking up and down of load, street stalls scattered among merchants and travellers, the housewives who appeared for the shopping come and go and were wrapped in an indecent atmosphere.

A certain big fish, that also had adult stature, was chopped into chunks on the spot and was sold.

There were baskets of small fish that seemed to be fresh and still jumping (splashing) with pichipichi, and the sea water dripped from the shellfish piled in heaps to a wood bucket.

Moreover, there were also those who put in order and sold mushrooms, cabbages, and wild grasses to the straw mat.

"It is lively, but not as much as in Libnah. I wonder if it is because of the civil war."

When Tigre said his honest impression, Olga beside him also nodded.

"The number of ships is different, though the port size is about the same."

To those words, Tigre looked at her with a surprised face.

It was so even when she talked about the archery, but this girl was very much used to traveling despite her age and was calm.

The only thing that surprised Tigre when leaving Libnah was that he did not observed well both the port and the ship.

'The Proud White Dolphin' was pulled up on the wharf, and passengers got off in sequence.

Tigre and Olga waiting for Matvei got down last.

Though it was Tigre who applied his foot on the hard ground after a long time, he felt a sense of incongruity to his body and stamped several times on the spot.

Olga asked him with a wondering face.

"What are you doing?"

"I may only be tired, but I feel like my body is still shaking."

"...I also feel that, too. What is it?"

the two looked at each other tilting their head.

It was Matvei that gave them a clear answer.

"We are calling it wave motion sickness (drunkenness), but the body has got used to the state of vibration. It will be mostly settled if you leave it."

"How long will it be if we leave it?"

Olga asked with an uncanny voice.

While leaping some chicks eyebrows, Matvei answered.

"If you walk just for a moment, your body will get used to the hard ground. Although there are rare cases where the person turns worse like illness, you will probably be alright since you did not get seasick. Shall we go eating for the time being?"

Matvei led the way out of the port walking down the street.

''---As expected, it is different from Brune or Zchted after all.''

The fence surrounding houses, the material properties of wood and the way of combining it, the pattern of the walls, The structure of the cliff root.

The difference among such fine portions, and the conversations of people, that leaked to the ear strengthened the thought of having come to a foreign country.

The characters (letters) which sometimes stood out was the only thing which was not readable.

Before long, Matvei chose one shop and entered.

Tigre and Olga also followed.

A fragrant smell assailed their nose at the moment they passed through the door, and the noise struck the earlobe.

In the snug store, more than half was already buried.

The visitors were not only the residents of the town, but also the travelers and the sailors.

When we sat around a round-topped table in the back, Matvei ordered sake and dish to the daughter of the waiter who pushed visitors aside.

Tigre looked around the store inside.

Such places did not change wherever he went.

"After this we are going to meet a person."

Tigre looked at Olga covered with the hood over her eyes also in the store.

Although it might as well be such that she was a mysterious person, other guests were also far from being decent.

He decided not to mention it.

"We plan to leave this town today at the earliest. What will you do?"

Olga to whom he asked, cast down her eyes to think.

She paused, and opened her mouth at intervals of about three count.

"May I be allowed to accompany you on the way? Concerning meals and lodging, I will prepare my share myself. I won't do something like causing trouble."

"If you tell us the purpose of your trip."

Tigre replied so.

Olga remained silent once again.

Perhaps going to intercede on her behalf, holding back Matvei who was about to say something, Tigre continued his wording.

"I won't ask you to explain in detail. Like I say just now, I will see a person, it will be good if you tell to a certain extent. I won't even ask your identity. However, I want you to speak about that at least."

When he was sometimes free, during the sea trip, Tigre had thought about Olga, but did not reach a conclusion.

Anyhow, she did not just fit that age.

She also seemed to be accustomed to traveling, and she also had a splendid ax hung to her waist.

Even she was in front of him or Matvei, she was not perturbed or scared, and she also tried to put a dignified attitude.

If she was an itinerant entertainer or a bard, then it was strange that she did not have a tool for work.

If she was a fugitive guilty of some crime, her behavior was sloppy.

Even if he would not learn anything here, he did not also talked too much about himself.

It was like saying "please, I am suspicious".

He considered in some way the possibility of spy to be an extreme conception, but, as expected, she was too young and it would be rather conspicuous.

It seemed long like a silence of a lifetime.

In a place where the waiter carried the bier with which the big glasses of ceramic was filled to the brim, and put them on the table, Olga finally spoke.

"...Is it no good if I say that there is something that I want to see?"

Matvei ran his look at Tigre.

His face was showing that he did not agree, though he did not object.

"Does that mean there is a place where you want to go?"

To Tigre's question, Olga shook many times her head.

"It's just that I want to walk around this country properly, and hear various stories in towns and villages at which we will drop in. I want to go those towns and villages, meaning there isn't particularly any place where I want to go."

It became more and more incomprehensible.

Anyway, it wasn't Brune or Zchted currently with no sign of war, it was Asvarre here.

Tigre violently rummaged his darkish red hair and sighed.

He looked at Matvei.

"Since I told myself that I will help you."

it seemed that he entrust him the decision.

Thus as Tigre asked him whether it was fine with his gaze, the scary-looking sailor said with a happy smile.

"Unexpected incidents occur as many as one likes on the sea. If I get flustered to one small girl, the white dolphin on my back will become disaffected."

Tigre felt grateful and at the same guilty to him.

Rather than being Tigre's subordinate, He was only cooperating because it was Sasha's request.

But he was willing to respect the will of youngster who would probably not have live at least half of his age.

"I would like to hear from that man looking good with the white dolphin, our future plans?"

"We will leave the town as soon as we can supply horses. We will arrive at the destination city after two or three days. Though it is a camping-out tonight, we will stay at a small village along the highway tomorrow."

Matvei which would expect a question answered smoothly without settlement.

Tigre especially made a severe expression and turned around to Olga.

"We don't mean to stay long in Asvarre. We will return to Zchted quickly after we finish our business. Therefore, our trip together will be until that town if it is good with you."

Tigre and Matvei did not necessarily have profit of about Olga's accompanying them, either.

But if he took a child, that could cover the fact that he was an emissary.

"...I understand. Then, until that town."

Olga moved her small body and bowed to Tigre and Matvei respectively.

"Well then, let's give a toast in the hope that our journey in this country will be good."

The three people picked up their glasses respectively, and hit them lightly.

They gulped down the beer vigorously.

When resting after drinking the half, Tigre made a grimace.

"This is very bitter."

Though he also drank beer in either Brune or Zchted, there was no bitterness remained in his tongue so far.

Distorting her facial expression in the back of her hood, Olga seemed to think about the same thing.

It was only Matvei that still had a smiling face.

"There is also a way of drinking it while diluting with water, wine or herb. Or, would you drink another liquor?"

While being lost, the dish had been carried.

In addition to Asvarre's peculiar dish such as the rice porridge karasumugi (wild oats)and the thing which stewed beef with liquor, probably because it was a port city, a soup of salmon, shellfish and cabbage, there were many things that treated the fish and shellfish such as the cod that takes out the internal organ and pack in the abdomen and burnt smell grass and mushroom.

Such as fried soybean, sheep meat and bread topped with potatoes mashed were also lined up in the table.

All this was filled with fragrant smells in the steam, and just by looking at it, saliva accumulated in the mouth.

They were at loss of which they would attach their handle from.

The rice porridge of karasumugi had a unique smell and texture, and since the sake of beef stew had a strong flavor, it was just right eating it with bread in turn.

Salmon used in soup in what had been salted, the dissolving salt was well effective.

While Tigre and the others smacked their lips over those many dishes, though they were talking about their cruise until today and their impression of this town, they were listening also to conversations that could be heard from other tables.

"...It seems that before we leave Zchted the situation here had not changed."

It was about the fight between Prince Jermaine and Prince Eliot.

Although small-scale battles occurred frequently, either still did not seem to be superior.

"It is likely going to move from now on. Because it seems that Prince Eliot left the island of Asvarre that is his base, and came to the continent."

Similarly overhearing the end of a conversation, Matvei said.

"It is probably to encourage the soldiers of his army."

"There is also the possibility that he gives directives himself. As for the number of soldiers, the fact that Prince Eliot's side is superior didn't change."

Matvei answered while carrying a fish to his mouth.

Stopping her hand that drank beer, Olga asked.

"Though I hear Prince Eliot's troops had pirates accounting for great numbers (is composed mostly of pirates), are they so many?"

"Half a year ago, a civil war occurred in Brune. I have heard that just thousand of the pirates were indeed remnants of the defeated army who fled to the North at that time."

To Matvei’s lines, Tigre was almost choked by the food in his throat.

"Besides, those called mercenaries of Sachstein and marine people by others are quite various. Moreover, as such bleak situation is prolonged, Those who fail to get a job and become penniless will appear. Since they cannot be for not being subject to Zchted and its influence. For example."

Stopping his hand that was eating, Matvei suddenly put on a serious expression.

"As there are those who are making a living in the trade with Asvarre merchants, what will happen when they are no longer be able to trade if those merchants were killed due to the civil war? You may say that they should look for new trading partners, but, if such a thing was easily found, they would not have a hard time."

Listening to the conversation of the two people, Tigre tore bread roughly and threw it into his mouth.

Even if it was to escape from starvation, becoming a pirate was not something allowed.

The misfortune could never become a reason to dispossess (to deprive) an innocent person.

So, instead of becoming a pirate, was it better to starve and die?

No. What should be done was…

"Lord Tigrevurmud."

Unwittingly, Tigre fell into silence with a serious face.

Matvei said with a soothing tone and a threatened expression.

"Are you tired from the sea trip? Food will cool down, you know?"

"Ah, no, I was just thinking about the upcoming thing."

"For us here is a foreign land. Although it may not help, I would like you no to be discouraged."

"...That's right. Thank you."

It was for consideration towards Matvei that Tigre expressed his gratitude.

After Matvei understood about what the young man was getting angry about and worry, he indirectly felt anxious.

Tigre fiercely stretched out his hand to the remaining food on the table.

To face Jermaine in an adequate condition with stamina and energy, He persuaded himself that he must properly eat from now.

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Along the road flanked by a small hill, a small village came into view when they exited the forest.

It was two days later since they left the port city of Mariayo.

The three people were on horseback and had tied their luggage to the saddle.

Matvei led the way, followed by Tigre and behind could be seen Olga’s shape.

Though Tigre thought Olga to be used to traveling, she was proving it by action.

When they camped out yesterday, she hunted hares of two wings only over the past half-time (in only a half koku).

Although Tigre also shot down two wild birds, and the supper of that day became very much gorgeous, Olga pulled off (did a good job indeed) really well when handling the birds and hares.

She continued the work without faltering (fluently) drawing out blood, tearing off the skin and pulling off wings for instance, Tigre was impressed.

"Though it is still daylight, we will rest in this village for today."

While looking up at the bright sunshine in the cloudless sky, Matvei that was at the vanguard said those words.

"If we leave on the early morning of tomorrow, we may arrive at Valverde which is the destination at afternoon."

After finishing the harvest, straw color of dried grass were scattered sparsely in the field, and farmers were resting in a position of their own way.

Made beyond the field on the roof which piled up the flat stone stucco walls, the houses made of structure were lined up.

Remembering the villages of his hometown, nostalgia crossed Tigre’s eyes.

Suddenly one farmer turned around their way and noticed Tigre and the others.

His calm face changed radically into that mixed with fear and suspicion, and he called out to other farmers and run hurriedly.

"…What is it?"

For villagers to be wary of strangers was not a rare sight.

However, Tigre sensed a different atmosphere from there.

"Isn’t it because Matvei-san’s face scared them?"

Olga muttered so, and Matvei showed an exaggeratedly sorrowful face.

Even Tiger could not refrain from laughing.

It was unusual for this girl to speak of a joke, and thank to that the strain mood softened.

"In any case, I do not want to scare them too much. Let's go down from the horse."

Since talking on horseback would wither the other party.

Getting off the horse, the three people went to the village by pulling the reins.

One man walked their way.

His linen clothes were stained with soil, and his face had the trace of wiped sweat.

It was an understandable figure in a day when considering they was working on the farms until just a while ago.

"Mrs. Travelers, what kind of business do you have with this village?"

"We would like to ask for food and overnight accommodation. Also for horses."

It was Matvei which could speak Asvarre’s language fluently that answered, and he took out several pieces of silver coins from his breast pocket and handed them to the man.

After looking at the silver coins, the man glanced at Tigre and Olga.

Tigre said with a smile to reassure him.

"There were also such villages in my home. I do not intend to loiter and to interfere with your work."

Matvei conveyed it again in Asvarre’s language.

The man let out a breath of relief, and seemed to loosen some wariness.

Tigre and the other two were guided in the man's house.

The man seemed to be the village mayor and he was living in (it was) the only 2-story building in this village.

There were a hovel and the cereals storehouse near the house, too and he had his family help move the horses there.

Tigre and the others were provided with the spare chamber on the second floor of the house.

Though there was nothing in the room, if there was something they desired, it would be said to prepare that as long it was possible.

Tigre left negotiations to Matvei and walked to the window.

He could overlook the aspect of the village from the window.

He saw the entrance of the village where they came.

Because children were looking up at Tigre standing at the window with great interest, and when he waved his hand, some would hide quickly or run to escape, but there were also several people who waved their hand awkwardly back.

"Lord Tigrevurmud. The talk was settled."

At Matvei’s voice, Tigre turned toward him.

"It is impossible to sleep on bed, but it seems that they have prepared three thick blankets, so one per person. The meal will be a moment later. He said that we will have one smashed chicken with soup and bread. After that, three cups of hot water in a bucket."

After saying to there and suddenly lowering his voice, Matvei added happily whether or not he would be sticky about one part of the chicken.

Tigre shook his head with a bitter smile.

Rather than having to withhold from the village, he avoided stimulating be worried about how scared he was when he first saw, it was correct.

Laying the blanket which had been carried on the floor, Tigre lied down on it.

As the relaxation of stretching at ease his limbs, Olga displayed an astonished expression.

when the person of the village left the room, she removed the hood that she was wearing.

"It is untidy..."

"Because they didn't use this place for a while."

"Certainly. I wonder if I can also taste the freedom throughout the whole body for a while."

Matvei agreed, as he also laid on the blanket in the same way.

As the dimly expressionless Olga looked down at the two men, she laid her body on the blanket.

For a while, the three people did nothing, they were like that without even saying a word.

Then, the time that passed was only about a half koku.

Tigre frowned suddenly.

He had a feeling that he heard something like a scream in the distance (far away).

Tigre and Olga woke up almost simultaneously.

One breath minutes later Matvei got up rather slowly.

Tigre grabbed his black bow kept in his hand hauling the quiver with arrows and compromised to the window.

He inquired the situation outside carefully.

''---What are those guys?...''

There were thirty, no about forty men in the village.

They wore a discernibly rough atmosphere, and despite being armed there was no uniformity in their equipment.

If there were some people who were wearing leather armor which struck the rivet, there were also those wearing chain mail.

The weapons were also swords or spears, the ax with a pike mallet was not uniform.

And each house of the village shut the door firmly.

As if waiting for the storm to pass while holding their breath.

Only several people who had come out to the field were keeping standing on that occasion together with their horses or cows.

When the men had their eyes on one house, their flung spears and pike mallets against the door while booing aloud (loudly pouring the jeers).

Stepping over the wrecked door, several people went into the house, and many screams broke out.

"Are they... Brigands?"

"It is possible that those bandits have their stronghold in the neighborhood."

Matvei which was looking at the situation across the window from the side opposite of Tigre, replied in a calm tone.

''---But considering they are brigands, it's strange.''

Tigre frowned.

For an attack the attitude of those men was too laid-back.

The villagers also, rather than running away, were just only shutting their door firmly.

Even while thinking, and those who attacked the houses were different men, or those who went towards the field surrounded and beat the farmers.

Even those who bludgeon livestock to death seemed to be laughing happily.

It was certain that they would tremble violently if they were people weak in mind.

It was a terrible spectacle that could get Tigre sick just by looking.

When the right hand of Tigre which could not bear anger lengthened to the quiver, the door of the room was knocked on.

Matvei moved quickly and went for the reception.

A woman in her mid-40s was there.

She was from the village chief's family.

Though her face was paled, since she was safe when she was here, she said that she wanted to close the sliding shutter and would like us to remain still.

"What are those guys? Bandits?"

To Tigre's question, the woman shook her head with a look.

"Those people are the soldiers of His Highness Jermaine."

Not only Tigre, even Matvei and Olga stares wide-eyed at that answer.

" Prince Jermaine’s Soldiers...? Those guys?"

It was suddenly an unbelievable story, but there was no reason for this woman to tell them such a lie.

Above all, their behavior also and even their correspondence of village entrance was understandable (if it was the case).

At that time, the woman's look turned to Tigre's hand.

To the left hand which grasped the black bow tightly, and the right hand which was extracting the arrow.

"W-What do you plan to do?"

The woman's voice was shaking in fear.

She ran up ahead of Tigre's answer trotted out and clung to press down the hands of the youngster.

She appealed in a face and a voice that seemed to burst into tears at any moment.

"Please. Don't do anything strange. Please..."

"But... But, you should not let those fellows run loose."

When Tigre painfully spit out those words, She blotted tears to the edges of her eyes and twisted her expression.

"You will leave here tomorrow, right? We will live in this village not only tomorrow, but also the next day and the next day of that day."

Feeling bitterness spreading within his mouth, Tigre was not able to answer to her mournful voice.

Even if Tigre sent away those soldiers here, the situation would not improve.

They will revenge themselves on this village soon after (in the near future).

In the worst case, they might burn the village saying the villagers defied Prince Germane.

I must endure it until their tyranny passed.

Even if they made sacrifices.

It was the way that this village chose.

Although the woman tried to continue her words further, the scream which had been heard scratched it out.

When only moving his head, Tigre looked outside from the window, as several girls were pressed down by many soldiers, they were dragged in the center of the village.

Villagers who apparently tried to stop it, was beaten and crouched down the Jizo.

"Matvei."

Tigre suddenly called the name of the sailor of white dolphin.

To the dreadfulness with which the voice was tinged, Matvei's shoulders shook with a startle.

"Tie up this person. No, tie up all those present in this house and roll them on the first floor. And then, block up the first floor with whatever you can use. Even doors and windows, everything."

two persons, the woman and Olga made an expression of astonishment.

Matvei understood immediately Tigre's intention, he bound the woman's arms from behind.

"What do you try to achieve?"

Tigre did not answer back to Matvei's question.

Carrying an arrow piece to his waist he applied his foot to the window frame.

In the next moment he clung to the wall on the outside with a light motion and quickly climbed up on the roof.

No one among the soldiers on the ground noticed.

Tigre set up the bow when settling down on the roof and nocked an arrow.

He aimed at the soldier who was going to cover the girl.

The distance was approximately 100 alsins.

Without difficulty.

The shot arrow cut the wind, flew and went through the head of a man so that it was inhaled.

The body of the man who ceased to breathe inclined and fell down beside the daughter.

Several persons doubtfully turned their eyes to their friend, and as they found fault with the arrow in his head, two flat knots were already released.

The arrow which stuck in the scruff went through the throat, and the second let a bloodstained sickle peep out.

The man fell down to the place and writhed painfully without being able to utter voice.

The men finally noticed the existence of an enemy.

On the other hand, Tigre not changing his cold expression in not even one bit, shot the third arrow and killed the third person.

Flickering in his mind was the memory of one year ago.

Alsace central city Celesta that is his hometown.

The son Zaian of the Duke Thenardier did an invasion with his soldier, many private houses were crushed and baked, and many people lost their life.

The state of the girls held down by soldiers just reminded the young man the account of hundred million (many times) when Teita was being once attacked by Zaian at one time.

When he thought of the scene that he saw at that time. It was not Tigre to be able to overlook it in silence.

When Tigre shot and killed the third person, Matvei was tying up the woman skillfully at the back in the second floor under the roof.

He did it carefully with a gag, and pushed a dagger against her scruff.

Although he would not do something like hurting her, he made a scary face to stir up respect by fear.

"Even Lord Tigrevurmud gave a cruel order. It might be a little painful, but please forgive me."

"...Explain."

It was Olga who watched the course of thing in silence until then that asked Matovei.

Doubt and suspicion were swirling in her black pupils.

"Don't you understand? No, excuse me. Let me explain it later since my hands are busy now. It will be faster if you help me."

To the answer of the Matvei who seemed happy, the dimly expressionless Olga slightly changed, and wrinkles appeared in the middle of her forehead.

Being lost in her thoughts, her eyes went around the inside room and then were directed to the outside of the window.

"Will it also counted as help if I cut down those guys?"

Matvei which was going to leave the room with the woman whom he restricted stopped.

Although he was also surprised that Olga's tone lost the usual politeness, and became even more colder, the scary-looking sailor couldn't help turning around.

He tried to open his mouth to ask what she meant, but was forestalled

"Yes or no? Answer only that. Your Hands are busy, right?"

"...It would be convenient that you could do so that even one person don't die."

Having answered so was utmost, and when he finished saying, Olga was moving.

She kicked the floor, slipped through the side of Matvei and the others and ran in the hallway.

After Matvei opened his mouth as if having grown senile and saw her off, he finally came to his senses at the gaze of the woman.

Outside the house, Tigre just shot and killed the sixth person.

''---That was a terrible miscalculation...''

As for the soldiers, though half was running about in confusion still reeling from the surprise attack, the remaining half was trying to counter attack following the directives of a man who seemed to be the adjutant.

Tigre had already shot and killed the commander who led them.

At first he took down the commander to confuse them, and furthermore reduced their number and retreated.

Though Tigre planned so and it went smoothly until the first half, the adjutant who fled quickly into the shade of the building desperately scolded soldiers and restored their morale.

When the commander fell down, it was natural for the adjutant to act as a substitute, but the fact that this adjutant splendidly took the reins of troops could be seen as miraculous.

Even a decent army, rarely bounced back early this much.

''---Well, how do I pull it down?''

While nocking an arrow to the black bow, Tigre thought calmly about the next development.

It was looking as if he was predominantly advantageous, and, in fact, Tigre knew that it was not the case.

Tigre could not help but surrender if the soldiers of Jermaine held a villager hostage while hiding themselves to the shades of the buildings.

Even if Tigre forsook the hostage, they would use the village as a shield to the arrows as it was.

In that way the fight would become difficult if he surrounded this house while protecting himself.

"The enemy is only one person, you know? You, 'Ranra', What are you afraid of?"

"I didn't think I could do something like this alone! How about you step forward without letting only your underlings do it and hiding on the sly."

Covering the jeers of the man, Tigre also reverberating inside the village just shouted at him

He had already shot down 8 people.

Since they were sniped in a high place, Jermaine's soldiers backed away (got cold feet).

They wanted to overcome the resistance (to face down the opposition) like that.

One of soldiers threw an adze (hand ax).

Although Tigre avoided it at once by twisting his body, he destroyed his posture and slipped.

He avoided falling down from the roof, but the adjutant cried out without overlooking the chance.

"Runnn..."

In response to the instruction, four soldiers ran.

Went to the house in which Tigre was standing.

"Oh no-!"

Though Tigre shot an arrow quickly and took down one soldier, the three remainders rushed quickly at the door.

It was at that time.

The door was opened with sufficient vigor from the inner side, and a girl who wrapped her body short in stature in a mantle ran out.

It was Olga.

when the soldiers of Jermaine understood that the opponent was a child though she stood reflectively, they were merciless and swung down their weapon which they had in their hands.

A dull sound was chained and blood splash danced suddenly.

Tigre was about to appeal for her name in surprise, but it was Jermaine's soldiers who screamed the next moment and fell down.

Olga as always with the hood covering her eyes, was silently standing inside the puddle of blood which was spreading

In her hand, there was now a dark red ax stained with blood.

''---In one blow? No two blows...''

It was not only Tigre, even the village girls who had late run away and the soldiers of Jermaine who hid themselves in the shade as well failed to get out in time and stared at the girl with an stunned face.

It was a dreadful skill.

Among the three soldiers that attacked her, two wore chain mail and one was in leather armor reinforced in metal piece.

The girl's ax cut and tore their belly.

A girl of only 13, no 14 years old who wielded an ax.

Olga, as if unmindful of the surrounding in dismay, was observing the state of the men.

The soldiers of Jermaine shuddered to the enemy who appeared newly and was not ordinary.

Some turned their eyes to the adjutant for instructions.

Olga was waiting for their reaction.

She started running towards the adjutant fiercely was she was thinking whether she was easy and stepped over the body of the step.

The adjutant got impatient and cried.

"B-Bring her down."

Receiving that order, two men attacked Olga.

However. One of them was pierced to the neck with an arrow that Tigre shot and fainted in the ground.

Even the remaining one jumped an arm off from the hit of his elbow with Olga's ax, and crouched down on the spot while shrieking.

Realizing he could not escape, the adjutant lie in wait, lowering his posture.

The weapon which he had in his hand had been a spear.

In terms of reach, it was very advantageous than the ax.

The adjutant thrusted out the spear.

With only one slash, Olga blew away The dark gray tip of the spear that was approaching her.

The action of the girl with pinked colored hair did not end yet.

She ran over the edge of the spear which was no longer than just a stick at one go (breath), and shortened the distance.

The adjutant's head flew in the sky leaving a trail of blood.

Olga, without taking notice of the body, thrusted her ax at the man who ran in order to support the adjutant.

"Throw away your weapon."

The man realized instantly, that he would lose his life if he took action otherwise.

Fearing the girl who was only half about his age from the bottom of his heart, he discarded his weapon crossed his hands behind his head and surrendered.

The other soldiers discarded their weapons, suddenly cried and turned their back and escaped.

As the adjutant fainted, there was not the person who was able to command them now.

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Tigre immediately released the soldiers that Olga arrested caught.

And gave them a short order.

"Go back and tell. That People of a foreign land wanted to see Prince Jermaine."

Afterwards, Tigre sat down on the doorway of the village facing the highway.

It was at that direction that the soldiers of Germane escaped.

If they waited here, Their comrades would show up sooner or later.

After a while, Olga and Matvei accompanied by horses were walking.

As Tigre looked at the two, though somewhat tinged with gloom, he asked with a quiet expression.

"How is the state of the village?"

"Since one of the village headmen came over to that house, we explained the circumstances while having a look at the inside."

The village though poor, in order to prevent fox or wild boars from entering, was surrounded with the fence of a tall tree.

While tying the horses there, Matvei explained in a cheerful voice.

"Were you able to tie up all the people of the house?"

"Yes. Since the village headman seems to come here later, they would appreciate an explanation from Lord Tigrevurmud once again. And then, they will likely do the burial of hooligans."

"You saved us. Thank you very much."

When Tigre bowed, Matvei smiled wryly and waved his hand.

"Don't mind it. Because I was also on the point to turn a blind eye primarily since I forsook easily while seeing such a scene. One more thing, Lord Tigrevurmud. I would like you to quit soon the polite way of talking. It will also be easy for you, won't it?"

"...Oh! If you say so."

When he seemed to be at loss and scratched his head, Tigre changed his expression and turned toward Olga.

"I must also give you my gratitude. Thank you. Honestly, you saved me."

Without this girl's involvement, though it could not be said that he would be defeated, there was no doubt that he would be force to put on a hard fight

However, Olga shook her head to say that such a thing did not matter.

"Leaving that aside, I want you to explain. Why did you tie up the people of that house?"

Tigre stared steadily at her involuntarily.

Though she was still expressionless.

He felt a strong core (the wick) in her quiet voice.

This might be Olga's true figure (nature).

Thinking a little, Tigre instead of talking as if talking to children, said it while considering the other party as equal.

"While receiving such treatment, the people of this village didn’t resist. As far I have seen the soldiers' attitude and the village's reaction, I conclude such a thing won't happen once or twice. Perhaps, they may also smashed the village as a warning to others."

The expressionless Olga got fogged.

Tigre continued in a serious tone.

"It is the policy of the village not to defy the soldiers. If it oppose, it will rouse the anger of those guys and they will retaliate. Not only that, it will make another flipped through the involvement of other villagers. much more if it caused the confusion between the people in position like the village mayor and the village headmen when doing so. However... if I tied them up so that we weren't be disturbed, it would save face to the village."

Tigre remembered the words of the woman who clung to him.

They must live tomorrow and also the day after tomorrow in this village.

Olga looked down and murmured in a dissatisfied way.

"Isn't there the otpion of escaping, abandoning this village? To a place without outrage and tyranny..."

"Have you ever plowed a field?"

Giving a mild smile, Tigre kindly asked

After blinking several times, Olga shook her head.

Plotting a look, Tigre gazed at the long distance field.

"It's hard, you know. Tough I also grasped a hoe only once. At first, I remove pebbles, weeds and chip of wood as much as possible. It's a hard work. Next, I dig up the soil, but it is still a hard labor because I must put the hoe considerably deeply."

The field of his hometown came into Tigre's mind.

The scenery which he just watched along with his late father.

"While putting in the hoe, if it hits the stones buried into the soil, and the edge bends or is broken, you must repair it. In case there is no smithery mentor and only wooden hoes can be used, it will greatly take both time and effort."

"... if there is a way of making a cow or a horse pull a plow."

"It doesn't mean that chicks also keeps cattles and horses. That is expensive."

To Tigre's answer, Olga fell in silence without a word.

Matvei opened his mouth to brush the atmosphere that was about to be sunk heavily.

"Well then, Lord Tigrevurmud, what do we do from now on?"

"I will wait for a subordinate of Prince Jermaine here. If early, he will come over even tomorrow. Tough it was somewhat strange, it was done as planned."

"Did you come to this country to meet Prince Jermaine?"

Olga blurred an unexpected color to her black pupils.

"Yeah, so our travel together will end here."

He did not think they would part in this manner. But Tigre believe that this child would certainly have no problem. Whether it was riding the horse, or the level of hunting, as well as excellent combat skills, Olga's strength should not be underestimated. Speaking of her good riding of horse, her skill in hunting, and now that admirable fight style, Olga's ability was the real deal.

But the girl of the light pink-colored hair gave an unexpected words that Tigre was not even think about.

"Tigre. If good, would you not let me accompany you as your attendant?"

"... The reason?"

In order to ask this sentence, Tigre has used two breathing time to ask.

"I want to personally meet the man called Jermaine. - Can't I?"

Just also thinking that she would give a categorical answer, and not actually expecting her expression to change, she put on a child-like weak expression. Tigre folding his arms muttered. He did not think Olga unaware of how dangerous it was to see the Jermaine now. He do not really completely understand her thoughts.

"Who are you exactly?"

After wavering, Tigre asked bluntly.

"Until now, we did not ask each other identity and because we planned to say goodbye with you here, we decided no longer to ask. But since you must come with us, it is another matter. Tell me."

Olga momently turned her gaze, shook the head, seemingly to reconsider it. Subsequently, she went straight on Tigre's eyes.

"You may not believe me."

On her dignified expression, In a calm tone to let you feel her intention, the image of the traveling girl from the two that got used to seeing did not remain at all.

"I am one of the seven Vanadis of Zchted. The Moon Princess Olga Tamm bestowed with the land of Brest and the Dragonic Tool named Takeshi also known as the curse of the reversal is me. [『崩呪の弦武』の二つ名を持つ竜具ムマとブレストの地を賜った『羅轟の月姫』ーオルガーータム. (Translation of this part difficult for me) someone will have to recheck this Translation.]"

Tigre and Matvei stared wide-eyed and were at a loss for words.

Standing before the two people now was not the girl without sociability who was in some way absentminded. She was an ikkitousen (match for a thousand) warrior accepted by a Dragonic Tool. She was a Vanadis whom he couldn't help but be terrified if he looked close.

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| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_4|Chapter 4]]
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</noinclude>

Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 2

2013-05-08T03:39:46Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter 2: The Blue World and the Travelling Girl */

== Chapter 2: The Blue World and the Travelling Girl ==

The autumn in Zchted is short, though one might also say that winter simply comes early.

The deep green of vegetation as they had bathed in the midsummer sun had since faded with the autumn wind.

It wasn't all bleak, however; autumn was also the season of harvest.

Under the blue sky, golden wheat fields stretched far along the highway. As the wind blew, plump ears of wheat rustled softly in the wind. It seemed that with the abundant harvest around here, the faces of the farmers who were cropping were also smiling broadly.

Also standing out were green apple trees, whose branches hung down, heavy with plump green apples.

Looking at such peaceful scenery, Tigre felt at ease. The wind was cool to a comfortable extent, filling him with the desire to chat with the farmers in their fields. Suppressing this desire, however, he urged his horse onward.

In places with many people, he avoided riding at any great speed. Such an action was far too ostentatious. If he was seen simply riding, however, the presumption would likely be that he was just some young noble, off on a hunt. His neat clothing and bow, hung on his saddle, served to further reinforce this image.

At sunset, he'd find his way to a hamlet or small village, looking for accommodations for the night, as well as food.

Having thus traveled for a few days, Tigre exited LeitMeritz, and, passing through the King's territory, entered Legnica.

Three days after that, he arrived at the Imperial Palace where the Vanadis Sasha lived. Though an appointment was made upon handing over Ellen's letter; in truth, it was another two days before he was able to meet her.

''---Two days, huh. That doesn't leave much time.''

He'd heard from Ellen that Sasha was suffering from a debilitating illness. As the silver-haired Vanadis handed her letter to Tigre, she'd warned him.

"If Sasha's condition isn't too bad, you will also be able to meet on the day you hand over the letter. However, after handing over the letter, if you cannot meet her even after waiting for three days, please continue to Asvarre."

The Imperial Palace was composed of sand-colored stones laid upon one another, with scatterings of white marble to be found all over. Though its appearance was surpassingly peculiar, there was no doubting the solidity of its construction.

Leaving his black bow, Tigre walked down the hallway of the Imperial Palace, led by an aged servitor.

''---Truly a palace that gives off quite a calming presence.''

Looking at the ceiling and the walls, Tigre couldn't help but be moved.

LeitMeritz aside, this was his first time setting foot in an Imperial Palace, and thus everything intrigued him. Far from a single monotone gray, the walls were inlaid with white marble. The design masterfully built upon the labors of previous architects, and one did not tire of simply gazing upon their splendor.

''---And here I'd thought carved murals were the only way to decorate a wall. To think that you could do things like this...''

Still awed, Tigre reached the front of Sasha's room.

The servitor made Tigre's presence known, before Tigre proceeded to open the door.

''---This is somewhat of a lonely room.''

The room was bright, lit both by the sunlight which shone through the window, flung wide open, as well as the candle holder near the bed. However, with regards to furniture, the furnishings were the barest of the bare, and plainly colored at that. Aster flowers by the bedside provided the room's only color.

"Nice to meet you."

An unclouded voice struck Tigre's ears.

The woman on the bed sat up as she greeted him. Her dull black hair was trimmed to shoulder length, and she wore a loose white gown. She had a thin face and skin that was shockingly white. She was abnormally slender, and the loose fit of her clothes was evidence of her wasting away.

Above her knees, wrapped in a thick blanket, were two swords. Above their white hilts and finely decorated black crossguards, the blades shone with a brilliant gold and red. The blades were rather short, and their sole distinguishing factor was their gold and vermilion colors.

From their design, Tigre realized the two swords were paired.

''---So this is her Dragonic Tool, huh.''

Apparently belying her welcome, her swords rested near at hand.

Notwithstanding, Tigre found such an action neither rude nor unnatural. Ellen placed her Silverflash Arifal within reach even while working in the office, and assuming this girl to be no different, he instinctively comprehended the reasoning behind her actions.

Tigre bowed and stepped into the room. As he walked up beside the bed, he bowed again.

"I am Tigrevurmud Vorn. Nice to meet you."

"I am Alexandra Alshavin. I would have liked to have met with you much sooner than this, but because of my illness, I've made you wait. My humblest apologies."

Responding to the black haired beauty who apologized politely, Tigre shook his head to indicate he did not mind.

"More than me, please take good care of your body, Alexandra-dono."

When he said so, Sasha sweetly smiled, and invited Tigre to sit.

"You can call me Sasha, Lord Tigrevurmud."

"Thank you. Please call me Tigre, then."

Sitting down, Tigre returned her smile. Looking up close, he thought she was a beautiful person.

That said, her beauty was quite unlike that of the energetic and lively Ellen. Like the aster flowers that swayed in the gentle breeze by the window, hers was an ethereal beauty; tranquil, like water.

''---If you're not feeling well...''

About to speak out, Tigre changed his mind.

Sasha's illness was nothing recent. She alone was the best judge of whether or not she was fit enough to converse. Moreover, the servitor who'd guided him until then was also checking Sasha's condition. Though it was only natural to be worried, doing too much wasn't for the best either.

"Then, Tigre. May I ask you something?"

Smiling from ear to ear, Sasha tilted her head quizzically. The adorable charm of her action made his heart skip a beat, and, hiding the disturbance in his heart, he smiled and nodded.

"Please, speak."

"If possible... I wish to speak with you candidly, as if with a close friend. I know the importance of courtesy, but I worry the tenseness of such a thing will serve me poorly."

She was already speaking more casually. Tigre, with a wry smile, answered that he understood.

''---If I'm not mistaken, this person is 22 this year.''

He heard so from Ellen. In other words, Sasha should be five years older than Tigre, but it did not seem that way from her earlier behavior. Though she did not seem to be the same age, it was as if she was only one or two years older.

Sasha extended her right hand. Being careful not to use excessive force, Tigre gripped her hand in turn. Her soft hand carried a faint warmth.

"So it really is true that you don't use a sword."

Staring at Tigre's hand, Sasha spoke in surprise. At those words, Tigre suddenly clenched his hand and stared widely. ''She must have determined this from the condition of my palms, by tracking calluses and blisters, even though she didn't grip my hand all that tightly.''

"If possible, can you tell me about your encounter with Ellen?" Sasha asked.

At her eyes, filled with curiosity, Tigre tilted his head.

"Didn't you already hear it from Ellen?"

"I did. But that was from Ellen's perspective. I would like to hear your side of the story."

Tigre pondered inwardly. Though there was no reason to refuse, he wondered if he had time for such things. He was, after all, in a hurry to reach Asvarre.

Nonetheless, his hesitation lasted but a brief moment. Having already read Ellen's letter, she was undoubtedly aware he was pressed for time. Accordingly, there must be some deeper meaning behind her request.

"I understand. I'm not the greatest orator, so this might take some time."

"That's fine."

He did his utmost to clearly and concisely convey the events of the past year, from his captivity after the battle at Dinant to the battles in Brune following.

He tried to avoid diving into unnecessary details. Though the haste he felt within his heart was certainly a factor, the primary reason was due to the strong emotions that would arise as he recalled each event. It had been, after all, but a short half-year since these things had transpired.

Sasha nodded from time to time, following Tigre's story with great exuberance and interest.

When Tigre rested, Sasha rang the bell by her bedside and called the servitor, ordering him to prepare wine. Tigre, who'd been talking for half the day, was quite thirsty, and gratefully accepted her goodwill. The servitor placed two goblets on the table, and quietly filled them with wine.

"Thank you. It was very interesting, and I learned a lot."

"I'm happy to hear that."

"By the way, what kind of relationship do you have with Ellen?"

At this sudden question, Tigre almost dropped the silver cup which he'd received from the attendant.

Sasha continued happily, "From what you've said, it doesn't look like you're anything more than allies, but...what you've told me is a little different from what I'd heard from Ellen."

A chill ran down Tigre's spine. What on Earth had Ellen said?

''---Even if you ask me what kind of relationship we have, I'm not entirely sure myself...''

It would be a lie to say that it was not a special relationship.

For example, the other day the two of them had gone to the city to play, and had danced together. When he'd placed his hands on her slender waist, Tigre had suddenly blushed. As if his blushing was contagious, Ellen had blushed as well, leading their fellow dancers to tease them mercilessly.

However, those kinds of thoughts were not to be made public. Tigre and Ellen both had their respective positions to consider, and neither could place priority on their personal feelings. Even though there were times he couldn't restrain his feelings, he would not allow them to be more than an impulse.

Buying time, he brought the silver cup to his mouth while stealthily evaluating the look on Sasha's face. Though the smiling face of the Vanadis with black hair did not change, Tigre perceived the sincerity in her eyes.

Then I'll answer honestly. Lowering the goblet from his lips, he spoke.

"Ellen is... She is an important comrade-in-arms. She has been many times my savior. Were anything to happen to her, I would do my utmost to help. That's what I think."

"...Is that so."

Though Sasha's reaction was decidedly brief, her face revealed a satisfied smile. The strained atmosphere passed, and after a short pause, Tigre carefully asked, "By the way, when you say it's a little different what you'd heard, which parts were you referring to?"

"Oh! The part where you peeked at Ellen in the bath, or when you sucked Lim's breasts..."

As Sasha replied without a hint of shyness, Tigre was caught off guard by these words, and was left speechless, his face red up to his ears.

"Since Ellen and Lim seem to like you, I thought it probably was not only because of that. I thought in various ways. Such as, whether you are winsome enough to tolerate some outrage, or weird enough to not feel like getting angry and appalled, either."

"...And now, what kind of person do you think I am?"

Managing to bounce back and sitting up straight, Tigre asked. Sasha let her eyes wander looking to the sky without answering immediately, and then turned a slightly nasty smile to the young man.

"Isn't it also good to let you imagine this and that on your own? Well, since it would not be interesting to say nothing, when you come back from Asvarre, I will tell you."

To that statement, Tigre stared steadily at her and blinked spontaneously several times. Thinking about whether he should also wear such face, he could not hide his surprise.

''---The prejudice to be a sick person might be too strong. ''

Though it is just going to say that whether or not a quarter koku did not yet elapse after exchanging words with Sasha, she gave a smile that seemed very much like. He thought that she somewhat looked like Ellen, or maybe it was Ellen who had been influenced by Sasha.

"I understand. I will look forward to that time."

Tigre responded with a smile. He had the impression that it was avoided, but he felt that it was not bad when he thought about the fun when he would come back.

"Now then, let's go to the main topic."

With her smile still intact, Sasha’s black pupils harbored once more an earnest brightness. She handed the silver cup which she had in her hand to the attendant and sent him off with words of gratitude. In response to it, he left quietly. Waiting for the door to close, the Vanadis with black hair opened her mouth.

"According to Ellen's letter, she hoped that I would help you. Though it said you will go to Asvarre, could you allow me to hear the full story?"

Tigre who took again the mood described the circumstances of King Victor's request, and Ellen's and Lim's opinion that led him to become the emissary accurately as possible.

This time Sasha, far from throwing in words of agreement and without stirring like a statue, listened to him in silence. Only her black pupils gave off light of strong will.

As she finished hearing the story she relaxed her whole body and gave a small sigh.

"You are in serious trouble, too."

"You might say that, though I do not regard it as being serious to cross secretly the sea and in a middle of a bloody fight to deliver a letter as well."

Deliberately saying that in a joking tone, Tigre shrugged. Although it was half his real thoughts, the rest was a bad joke to bring out Sasha's words. Though the Vanadis with twin swords laughed unintentionally, she became soon serious.

"Do you understand in what kind of situation you are placed in this Zchted now?"

"It would be a guest, I think. Even It might also be a hostage to Brune."

Though Tigre's answer did not seem to be wrong, it was also not something to be satisfied about. Sasha shook her head from side to side.

"Of course, you have some people who support you like Ellen or Mira. And according to the story I heard, maybe even also Sophie. However, there are people who bear a grudge against you and want to eliminate you, and also people who are going to use you."

"It is not as if I don't know that there are people who are trying to use me..."

Tigre frowned. In half a year after he began to live in LeitMeritz, Tigre thought that it might be those who came to meet him. However, he had no idea of those who beard clear hostility towards him. When twisting her neck, Sasha explained in a stern stone.

"You rewrote the power chart of the Brune Kingdom greatly. As a result, Zchted's Nobles that suffered a loss, whether big or small, increased considerably. It is however a matter of course since the two great Nobles who was said to represent Brune are not there anymore."

A low groan leaked from Tigre's mouth. He was dumbfounded.

If the people under the control of Duke Thenardier had a grudge against Tigre, That was still understandable. It was because he confronted Thenardier on the battlefield and defeated him with his bow himself.

However, after Duke Ganelon lost to Thenardier, he set the fire on the city and died. Tigre was not involved at all. And thus it was absurd to resent him for such a thing.

Sasha who guessed the young man's real intention from his expression showed a look of sympathy.

"I will tell you again, the most important thing is that the power chart was rewritten. They suffered loss during the flame, since there is the fact that they lost their influence over Brune. And, as for you, you already have strong ties with Ellen and Mira, and it will be difficult to encroach from now."

"But this time, it is King Victor that requested to go to Asvarre."

Since it might be possible for a King of a small country, He wondered if Viktor who was the King of a powerful nation like Zchted, had somehow received some loss because of the civil war in Brune.

"It would not be weird in this country (as in any other country) if someone on backstage made this proposal."

Tigre almost raised his voice involuntarily. Though he didn't realize until that point, it was the most reasonable point now that she mentioned it. Tigre himself, whether in governance of Alsace or in command of the Silver Meteor Army, had to listen to the advices of people under one's dominion and their subordinates. He had listened to the suggestion below over and over again.

"I think His Majesty was also worried about this appointment. Still, appointing you a foreigner, it is risky and is over with boldness for careful His Majesty to appoint you who are a foreigner."

"Is King Viktor a careful person?"

With this fresh comment, Tigre thought. This was because both Ellen and Mira assessed King Viktor severely. Sasha gave a wry smile.

"Speaking ill, he is a passive person. A bit cunning in some way. He doesn't try to stop conflict between Vanadis at all, or tend to ride in places such as self-protection. However, he had ruled this country for decades on the throne, don't you think we must evaluate the fact that he has not cause big fight?"

Tigre wasn't able to immediately answer back. Because King Viktor didn't stop the Vanadis' fight the winter of the last year, didn't the Vanadis Elizavetta Fomina advance her troops to Legnica? As for Ellen having fought against Mira, wasn't that (also) his fault?

However, Tigre didn't express those thoughts (with words) and swallowed them at his worrying ended.

After all, he was a man of another country. He wasn't King Viktor's vassal either, after three years, he was to return to Brune. It was such situation, he could not bring himself to criticize the King of another country.

"Let's return to our topic. The effect that you go as an emissary is Certainly big. As His Majesty said, It can be thought that two countries (Zchted and Brune) support another one. A valuable hero who is not a sacrificed chessman, meaning to go to a dangerous ground in where civil war has not fitted."

"Is that so? Zchted values Prince Jermaine. It is possible to think so."

To Tigre's words following Sasha's dialog, the Vanadis with black hair nodded in satisfaction.

"Yes. If that happens, our country can seize the initiative in a future negotiation with Asvarre. Should this fail here greatly, It will be a shuttlecock unless Prince Jermaine is also a sturdy person beyond anticipation. That is the advantage to the fact you are the emissary."

"And the disadvantage?"

"If anything happens to you, it will become a serious matter."

Sasha replied with a rather stern tone.

"First of all, there will be a crack with Brune. In the worst case Asvarre will turn to an enemy. Regardless of the country's decree, at least Ellen and Mira will not forgive His Majesty. Still though he will probably never defy it face-to-face, the country will be desolate."

Sasha continued her words looking at the Shion (floors) on the window side.

"I won't deny Ellen's guess. There is no doubt that His Majesty wants to test the man you are. Having finished with a letter without even meeting, or providing information that speaks poorly, It is for preventing you to realize his expectations. But I think that there are also the expectations of someone other than His Majesty about this matter."

A troublesome story. Though Tigre became agitated as he rummaged his darkish red hair in a disorderly manner, he made a small smile and exhaled to switch the mood.

"Thank you. I will take care."

That attitude surprised Sasha. Though this country is an existence that started trapping him at a crisis, she did not seem to see a glim of fear in Tigre.

"Do you have any measures?"

"No."

With an expression to let you feel even impudence, Tigre answered blankly.

"But, I cannot give up now. Though I don't know neither the real nature of that someone who might be behind the scene nor his purpose, it can't be help even if I frighten. Besides, I'm already prepared."

Of course, It wasn't a resolution to die, but to survive no matter what. The resolution to carry out this duty. When subjected to this requirement in LeitMeritz lectures, and when parting with Ellen and the others, he made up his mind to achieve this duty by all means and to come back.

If that someone was trying to deprive him of his life, he would crush him.

Though he did not express it with words, Sasha seemed to have understood Tigre's intentions through his expression. She gave a hot breath of relief.

"no wonder Ellen trusts you so much."

After that, she looked at the Shion (floors) at the window again. However, she seemed to be thinking about something rather than looking at the flower.

Around the time of a handful past ten, Sasha returned her gaze to Tigre.

"According to Ellen's letter, after this you are supposed to go to the port city of Pushpus... Could you change your destination to the port city of Libnah?"

Though Tigre frowned to this sudden request, his doubts were soon dispelled.

"Do you plan to hook that someone?"

It was the plan of King Viktor to go to Pushpus. If Sasha's thoughts were correct, the person trying to entrap Tigre would also certainly know it. Therefore, she proposed to deceive that person.

She wanted him to meet with a man called Matvei who was to the beach.

"Go to the port and ask Matvei of the White Dolphin. Well, you will understand."

"Though it is helpful, will that be alright?"

The follower who was scheduled to be going to meet thereafter, might have information that became advantageous about the negotiation with Jermaine. When Tigre spoke about it, Sasha shooked her head to say not to worry.

"His Majesty does not do such thing either. The negotiation gets confused, only because your value falls down. All things taught at the stage before the negotiation should be taught to you. Even that man would understand that he may die by unnecessarily disrupt of negotiations."

"That is also true. Thank you."

After bowing with a smile, Tigre who made a face that seemed to hesitate to say something asked this.

"By the way, what is that white dolphin you talked about?"

The Vanadis with black hair could not immediately understand the meaning of his question. Gazing at the expression of the youth full of perplexity, after saying "Eh!", Sasha with an unexpected expression asked so.

"You, don't you know what a dolphin is?"

Tigre nodded.

"...Have you already seen the sea?"

This time he shooked his head.

Sasha opened her eyes widely, she stared at Tigre's face with a face that said she couldn't believed it. She smiled and murmured that she wonder if everything will be alright. Still she didn't certainly consider that a person who had never seen the sea had been entrusted with a secret envoy to a country on the other side of the sea.

At that time, the door was knocked on from outside. After a hoarse voice "Excuse me" were uttered, the aged servitor came in. Looking at him, a disappointment in Sasha's black eyes appeared.

"It's already time, Vanadis-sama."

"...Can you give us a little more time? I feel better today."

Sasha's expression was like that of a child who wanted something even though she understood that it would be impossible. The servitor answered promptly without moving an eyebrow.

" Exactly because you feel better for this time, you must not push yourself."

From the conservation of those two people, Tigre realized that the time of parting came. He stood up quietly and bowed to Sasha.

"I will leave for today. Thank you very much."

"...No, I also thank you. It was fun."

Sasha extended her hand, and the two people shaked hands quietly.

When Tigre was about to leave the room, The Vanadis with dark hair suddenly stopped him. Sasha's face who turned around, didn't know that the sunlight from the window made a backlight.

"Tigre. I leave Ellen to you. Become that child's strength."

"I will do what I can."

When he gave her a reassuring reply while smiling, Sasha seemed to smile too.

It was early in the morning of the next day that Tigre left the Imperial Palace in Legnica. Straddling to the horse, he went in dash straight about the highway which led to Libnah's Town.

''---In the end, I was not able to meet with Sasha after that.''

He wanted at least to say good bye, but he could do nothing but left a message to the aged servitor since it was impossible even bill him because of her disease. Also the servitor handed him over a letter which contained a map describing the way to Libnah and Matvei's features.

''---Will we meet again?''

She was a Vanadis. There should be no such thing as a disease that could not be cured.

Tough he thought so, he remembered the feeling when they shaked hands. Thin flesh, skinny fingers, that was indeed the hand of a sick person.

When leaving the Imperial Palace, Tigre offered a prayer to the gods. Even if it would be no problem to pay his respects to the gods because Brune and Zchted believed in the same gods, Tigre was not so religious as to pray every time like Teita.

When Tigre often advocated the name Elis, the goddess of the wind and the storm while hunting, he sometimes went to the shrine to pray when an arrow flew well. But Elis is not a Goddess that healed disease. This sort of thing would be the jurisdiction of Moshia the mother Earth Goddess or the God of livestock Vors.

''---No, I must concentrate on the things that I should do right now.''

Shooking his head, Tigre shaked off the uneasiness. If he were to fail this duty, he would spoil Sasha's kindness. However, if he succeeded and came back safely, it would be a good story of this travel to tell her. Holding the reins, Tigre went over the highway.

At the time Sasha woke up, the day had fairly risen.

Her body felt heavy, feverish. After the court physician looked at her condition, she was told to rest after drinking medicine and taking a light meal.

When she did what she was told to do and then looked blankly at the ceiling, the servitor came in.

"How is your physical condition?"

"I am a bit tired... I think. I seem that I overdid it yesterday since it was a long time that a visitor came. Though I did not have such intention."

While lying on the bed, Sasha gave a wry smile and answered the servitor. The thing she originally wanted to speak about, she was not even able to speak about half of it.

"I have been entrusted with the message from that Earl Vorn. It says: 'I wish to express my gratitude for your kindness. Let's meet again after I returned from Asvarre. I pray to the Gods for your early recovery'."

As the aged servitor reported with a wry look, Sasha chuckled and then laughed.

"What did you think of him?"

"To me, he looked like a boy of his age. Vanadis-sama seems to have a different impression."

Though likely not to mean any harm, Sasha found amusing when he used the word "boy". To this old man's eyes, surely he might see her, who is 22 years old as a young girl too.

"I can't say that I understand all since I only speak with him a little... Well, I understand very well that he is a sincere person. I can also say that he possesses a strong will."

How Tigre met with Ellen, how he went through the civil war of Brune. Asking to hear all the story that she had already heard partly from Ellen, was because of her intention to know Tigre's personality.

It was likely to see whether the person himself would show off talking about his own distinguished military service, or he under valuated it and emphasized his good luck, she would know the way he adopted when he talked to Ellen and the others.

Supposing he spoke frankly noticing Sasha's intention, without dramatizing the facts, it would mean that he was a thoughtful person.

''---Well, he did not seem to think deeply there.''

Would that mean he had a straight personality, after all?

"Though I understood that when I met him, he is very interesting... No wonder Ellen lent him a hand."

"Do the Vanadis of LeitMeritz like such kind of person?"

"I don't dislike him too. If that child stays by Ellen's side in LeitMeritz, I wonder if this Legnica will therefore be also safe."

The two Vanadis who had their territory near Legnica were Ellen and Elizavetta Fomina. There had been a conflict with Elizavetta last winter, though Ellen helped and repulsed her somehow, their relationship wasn't yet restored, so it might be possible for the conflict to continue in the future.

If Leitmeritz were to become stable, Elizavetta could not interfere with Legnica anymore.

Though Ellen could not be on support whenever anything would happen, It would be nice to assume a deterrent.

"Then, please rest soon."

The servitor said with a kind voice.

"You will meet Earl Vorn again. It will probably be around the winter that he will come back from Asvarre. At that moment, you would be able to finish your talk with him."

"...Yes. Thank you."

With a smile, Sasha closed calmly her eyes.

Though it was a long talk, still it was dangerous to upset her health in autumn when the cold were not yet severe. Preparing from now to spend the winter of this year was necessary.

The servitor bowed and left.

Soon, Quiet breathing of sleeper began to leak from her thin lips.

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By the time he felt close to the height of the sun near the midheaven and the sunlight was getting strong, the port of Libnah had come into view. Under a pure blue sky, low walls stretched long North to South and the extend beyond the shadow of a building was visible. Wiping the sweat which blurred on his forehead, Tigre loosen the horse legs and went to the castle gate.

Two lots have passed since he left Sasha's Imperial Office. So far it was a smooth journey without incident.

As soon as he entered and passed through the gates in the city, Tigre opened widely his eyes in surprise. Men and women who had a different skin color and facial features traversing the road, and languages of many countries flitted.

''---There are many people, and not just people from Brune or Zchted. There are some Muozinel people with brown skin, some people of Asvarre and also some people of Sachstein.''

Foreigners exchanged words to each other as a matter of course, if languages with words did not passed, they would draw and show pictures, they also aimed to communicate in gestures.

Even after recovering from the surprise, Tigre walked while looking around restlessly in admiration. Signboards, such as bars and inns, which were expressed with picture stood out immediately.

''---Pictures seemed certainly looked better than characters in such a town.''

After that, he was concerned about the smell, too. From the Muozinel people who went traffic, there was the smell of perfumed oil and spices, the cheese from Brune's and Sachstein's people, and a smell similar to the smell of [seiniku] from Asvarre.

''---Anyway, that is a lively town.''

Similar to the castle town of LeitMeritz, it was more effervescent. Shabby carpet spread on the side of the street, selling jewelry on it side by side was a merchant of Muozinel.

Next to that were sung deed-of-arms poetry by a bard of Brune, furthermore next (to that), Sachstein's people were selling a number of small and large mirrors. Tigre, who was walking while enjoying the sight of such rare bending, had his shoulder suddenly struck from behind.

When he looked back, a beautiful woman who grew bright red hair to her waist were standing there. In her mid-twenties in time of year, wearing stirred clothes from which her ample bosom was emphasized, she suddenly came closer.

"Is it your first time in this town? I can be your guide if you want, what do you say?"

she had the accent of Sachstein's people. Though Tigre was surprised for a moment, he regained his composure at once.

"Thank you. But I have already decided where to go."

"Ara, is that so? That's a shame."

"...By the way, don't you know a store that serves good meal? Though I hope it is close to the port."

The woman looked puzzled and smiled happily when he asked so.

"Are you inviting me to dinner?"

"I don't hate speaking with someone while eating. If it tastes good, it doesn't matter if it is expensive."

To Tigre's answer, the woman shrugged with a smile.

"Well, thank you, but I finished cooking rice a little while ago, so I'll just tell you about some good shops I know of."

Tigre who were taught about three shops near the port, gave her one big copper piece as reward. When the woman received it with a smile, she disappeared into the crowd waving lightly. When Tigre saw her off, he resumed walking while carrying his luggage on his shoulder.

''---Was it out of goodwill?''

Those who suddenly offer guidance are not necessarily people like her. Among them, bringing the travelers with honeyed words to the back alleys, there are fellows stealing wallet or baggage.

Tigre had also saw such persons whether in Alsace or LeitMeritz. Again, this time, he thought that he was slightly aggressive and must have appeared as if she harassed him.

''---However... Tough it was unusual, maybe I was no restless.''

He persuaded himself in heart to be careful and was on the way and dropped in at one of the stalls and buy fruit.

He filled a big barrel with water and soaked an apple and a pomegranate, a fig in that and cooled it. When looking into the barrel, some ceramic bottles in which alcohol will probably be contained also sank.

Though the summer was already over, it was fairly hot today. Tigre bought an apple, wiped it with his sleeve and bit it while walking the road.

Looking at that, he thought many people would enter this town again.

Not only race, but there was also various occupations (professions). There were some mercenaries who wore leather armor that was dirty, there were a sword in their kite waist, and some travelers dressed similar to their own. Sometimes, he heard the language of an unknown country, or even noticed some characters he had never seen at all.

''---Is that the port city?''

Tigre stopped suddenly. The man who was walking immediately behind him, passed through the side with a strange face. Twitching his nose doubtfully, he stopped. There was a strange smell. No, it was not just the smell. The blowing wind also took on some moisture.

''---Was it the wind that came from the other side?...this strange smell too?''

He thought whether even any accident happened, but this smell seemed not to come from the people of the town as far as he observed the state of the circumference.

''---I wondered if he should not have asked some information to that woman a while ago.''

While thinking about such thing, Tigre passed through the crowd and arrived at the port.

Tigre stopped again. But this time with surprise.

So large that one might mistake it for a shrine or a mansion, the first thing he noticed was several huge ships. Either they were connected to a wharf, or there were about to set sail now.

There were some galleys that were arranged in a fleet of dozens of enormous suffering, and there was also a sailing boat which set a white sail of some small dogs.

He had never seen a ship until now. But, still Tigre knew that a ship was something made to go across big rivers and lakes. This was the first time he saw something as huge as this.

Around the ship, which was connected, the sailors made of robust body with burnt sun were moving around busily.

There were people who had to clean the ship, those who were carrying cargo, and such as those who had to inspect the comb. There was a person who made a brief furnace, and grilled shellfish and fish when taking a break.

Tigre was looking up at the ship as stunned, began to walk at a brisk pace to recover from the surprise. He stood from the wharf at some distance.

"...This is the sea, huh."

After saying those words, he became speechless. Tigre was gazing at the dark blue ocean which spread within a field of view, while fascinated. The sea surface which waved gently reflected sunlight and was dazzling, the roars of the sea were echoed continuously and sea birds were dancing in the sky. The ships which left the port gradually went away becoming smaller.

Tigre noticed that the smell he was worried about a while ago, was the smell of the sea. Wind, that came blowing across the sea, was architectural. The end of the ground became clear.

Anyway, he has been told so that there was an end of the ground roughly when he appeared in the sea. Beyond the horizon, Asvarre was across the sea.

Then, what was there beyond Asvarre?

Not seeing yet the ground, how many countries were there? Or are there dragons living to those uninhabited grounds? Was there a end to this sea? Or was the sea vast and spread far away without end forever?

It was the sound of the bell which made Tigre, which kept standing on that occasion and was gazing at the sea only in about 1/4 koku, come to himself. Thinking about it, he had only eaten apples since he entered this town. He spoke to the seamen, who were burning and eating fish and shellfish nearby, and he tossed them a copper coin and got a portion of their food.

The grilled fish, skewered through from mouth to tail, was as big as a double circle. When he dug in, the skin had a plump and crispy texture.

The shellfish soup was also delicious. Though the soup was too hot and nearly burnt his tongue, it was seasoned with ash salt, a seasoning made from burnt seaweed, that created a saltiness which gradually permeated throughout his mouth. While enjoying the fresh taste, Tigre asked a seaman about Matvei. But He shook his head in a way to show he didn't know Matvei, then he exclaimed as he remembered.

"White dolphin's Matvei? If it's that guy, he is usually on the wharf of the north side. You should go there and look."

The port in Libnah drew a gradual curve near the oval, and five wharves of various size had been installed from the north to the south. According to the sailors' talk, it seemed that ships which entered the port anchored in the same place as long as there were not special circumstances.

Telling them thank you and farewell, Tigre headed to the wharf in the north. Filling his hunger, he had worry about the sea breeze that blew from the ocean. He turned his gaze to the black bow in his hand.

''---Though I think that this bow is not affected by the salty test, but...''

It was not just a simple bow. It was the heirloom of the Vorn House, though he did not have further information yet, it was a thing in which gods might be involved. He did not even mind to have any problem even if he became steady carelessly as a feudal domain in the sea.

''---Let's take care more than usual while riding on the ship.''

After hesitation, Tigre made such decision. Rather than fear and awe to hoof in the black bow, and thinking of it as the heirloom of his House, his consciousness as a hunter had decided otherwise.

Afterwards, Tigre catching some sailors, asked if he was able to meet Matvei.

"Is it you that have business with me?"

He was a man in his mid-thirties or such. Though sailors, who he had seen by coming here, were big and strong, too, Matvei revolved more furthermore than them and was owner of a big physique.

His hair short and his skin browned burnt explicitly. His small eyes shined sharply. With his black silk hat, though be not seen as a rowdy person from his coat of crimson jacket wore above made with gold border, there was a feeling of coercion even if there was the body build and stands in silence. His polite way of speaking rather felt grim.

"Nice to meet you. I am Tigrevurmud Vorn."

But never overwhelmed by the scale his way too Tigre put his bags on the ground and took out a letter of Sasha. When Matvei received it, he looked over quickly cutting the seal then and there.

"Oh! Does Lord Tigrevurmud know the content of this letter?"

When Tigre shooked his head, Matvei gave a smile. For a tough look, it was like a smile of a pirate who had found his prey.

"It is said to accompany you and help you as much as possible. I cannot refuse a favor from Alexandra-sama. Please step on my ship "Proud White Dolphin"."

Ahead to thank his words, Tigre was impressed by his attitude. Thus he knew the current state of Asvarre, he didn't show any fear. As expected, he felt reliable as a man whom Sasha trusted.

"I hope to get along with you. By the way, when does this ship depart?"

When the answer “after a half koku” came back, Tigre was popeyed.
C
"The 'Proud White Dolphin' was originally scheduled to head to Asvarre. You are lucky. If you had come here a little later, we would not have even been able to meet."

As if revealing a trick, Matvei laughing explained and his words continued.

"Though the 'Proud White Dolphin' is a merchant vessel, he often let others various customers boarded, so I don't think you will particularly stand out."

"I'm sorry. But I haven't seen yet that white thing dolphin..."

When Tigre answered so apologetically, Matvei turned away quickly. To the back of his crimson coat, there was a pretty design of a white dolphin jumping. Though Tigre thought that it didn't look good at all, he wisely avoided to put out those thoughts into words.

"With this picture as basis, I have put on a white mantle for the title 'Proud White Dolphin'."

"...I understand it well."

"Though I should be here at about a quarter koku, What would you do? Will you come to my ship with me?"

"Thank you for your kindness. If it's good with you, I would like you to let me go first to the ship. Because I don't want to interfere with your work."

Bowing, Tigre answered so. As Matvei nodded with a smile, he took something out of his jacket's pocket, and presented it to Tigre.

At first glance, it looked like a silver coin. The design differed from that of Brune's or Zchted's silver coin that Tigre knew, and a white dolphin, such as that was displayed on Matvei's back was carved.

"Please take that. This is like a boarding permit, if you show that to the people in the ship, they will let you through with a smile."

Saying thanks as he received the silver permit, Tigre left the place. As he walked while looking at an average ship on the wharf, he was wrapped with tension in an upsurged feeling at the same time. He finally rode on the ship hereafter.

"Excuse me."

He was suddenly called out from the flank. As he looked at that place while thinking that he had been often called out today, a boy like a traveler who hung a small kyack on his hand was standing.

His body short in stature was wrapped in a slightly soiled mantle, and only a small part of his face was visible since it was being covered with a hood over his eyes.

"...I'm looking for a ship called Proud, White, Dolphin, Do you know it?"

His voice had an accent that Tigre didn't know. There was a little interval between the words before he uttered the ship's name.

Since he seemed to have remembered the name.

Tigre looked down at the boy with a mystified look. The boy's height was around his chest.

Supposing he was a traveler, it seemed to be the age which was likely to be accompanied by parents.

"Since I also ride the same ship, would you like to go together? And, are you alone or are there still more other-"

-companions? Those words were dispelled by a sudden snarl. When he looked there with a frown, three men who probably had not yet reached 20 years old walked with angered (squared) shoulders.

"You bastard, we asked you to show us the way around, what are you thinking when you are running away?"

One of the three people found the boy as a result, pointing his finger he showered a roar. Whether his expression or his attitude, there were young people whom the word hooligan seemed to be suited indeed.

The boy who didn't show any sign of fear even when he was yelled at calmly responded.

"Please don't chase me. It's troublesome."

"D-Damn kid!"

The enraged man with a red face struck a fist. Tigre with the bow in his left hand as he was, while throwing his kyack in his right on the ground, came in between the boy and the man. He caught the man's fist.

"He is my companion. Could you tell me the full story?"

"Because those people asked me to guide them to the ship, and I tried to take them out of the port."

As Tigre tried to calm the mood for the time being, the boy that answered back immediately. The man did not deny it, and moreover the two men who were watching the situation behind cluck their tongue and began to move. He grabbed Tigre vigorously much more, and the other headed toward the boy.

Tigre's action was quick. As he thought first to release the fist of the man who had struck, he promptly twisted gripping the arm without mercy and raised it. The man screamed in pain.

Then while using the man as a shield and checking the second person, he trusted him away vigorously. The two thugs who collided collapsed together to the ground.

''---I must help that child...''

When he looked back while thinking so, the battle was also already finished there. As the fist of the hooligan splashed the boy's hood a wound, thinking on the other hand whether the boy jumped into the partner's bosom, he shot one sharp pastern to his belly.

The man collapsed voiceless. Tigre with a look of surprise and admiration turned to the boy.

"Well... What do you do?"

Looking back to the thugs that had fallen on their feet, Tigre casted a cold voice.

"We are not free either. If you leave obediently, I won't do anything more."

Tough the man swatted it in vexation and scowled at Tigre, he could not admit that he was no match for Tigre at all. Challenging by 2 vs. 1, and despite of having blocked Tigre, they were soon defeated. As the men stood up unsteadily, they lent their shoulder to their friend who held his belly and crouched down, and they turned their back on Tigre.

They disappeared into the crowd while cursing the onlookers. Thinking the uproar to be settled, the people who were looking at this situation from afar walked away.

The clamor of the port returned. As Tigre turned back at the boy, almost at the same time, the boy also looked at him.

''---A girl...?''

Tigre opened his eyes wide. He thought all along that it was a boy, but it was a girl.

Thirteen, or around fourteen years? With disheveled light pink-colored short hair, No Black Pearl glossy kindness done to large eyes.

Her face was stained with dust storm, though the outline was roundish suitable to her age, looking well, she was so beautiful to arouse admiration. Although she gave an impression as if she was slightly absentminded with a no table tub, she was strangely amiable.

"Thank you very much for helping me."

With a very monotone voice, the girl quickly bowed her head.

"It was not big deal. Though I think you are ok, did you get injury?"

When Tigre asked that while picking up his luggage, the girl looked up and issued a question while tilting her head in wonder.

"I'm not hurt. Why did you help me, a total stranger? Though those people might be right."

"More or less, because there are such fellows in every town. You will understand it somehow, if you see such thing several times. Even with that, seeing three adults chasing a child, it would be a problem that they strike you without waiting any answer. After that, you did not run away when I went in between you and one those people."

At this answer, the girl narrowed her eyes while seeming to think about something. Her black pupils moving, was, this time, directed to Tigre's black bow.

"What didn't you let go of your bow? What if the opponent-"

"Even if it looks like this, this thing is my family heirloom. Though depending on the situation, I don't want to treat it rough too."

As he answered, Tigre thought that he didn't understand well this child. Although he didn't know about what she was thinking while being absent-minded, she was calm unlike a child. Her question was clear, too. When she nodded as being convinced, she saluted and gave her name.

"Sorry for the late presentation. My name is Olga. So, Proud... U-Uh, Proud... Dolphin White..."

She was at loss for words. Opening her eyes, which were near to half-opening, wide, Olga repeated some words desperately. Her Preheating flustered looking like a girl suitable of her age, Tigre gave a smile. She bent her knees, crouched and adjusted the height of her gaze.

"'Proud White Dolphin', right? Let's go together. I'm Tigrevurmud."

It was half for a precaution not to have given his family name, the other half was for consideration to her. Giving only her name must mean that Olga was very likely to be a commoner and not a noble. He took care not to frighten her. Of course, he also considered the fact that Olga didn't give her family name for precaution.

"Tig, revurvur... Tig, vurm..."

"If it's hard for you, just call me Tigre."

Looking at Olga repeating painfully and mumbling, Tigre gave a wry smile this time.

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When standing on the deck, he felt like the sea breeze became stronger.

"It shakes more than I thought."

In accordance with the shake of the sea surface, the ship had been repeating ups and downs gradually. That feeling was fresh to Tigre, it was a strange thing. He thought it will some take time until he got used to it. The 'Proud White Dolphin', a ship that belonged to a big class of the ships which was at a anchor in the port.

Two big masts, which folded sail soared, the deck under was a three-layer barrel structure including the bottom of the ship. While the deck was narrower than he thought, Seamen were moving about busily between the barrel located in a line and the rope spread around.

Because it had a strong body with each one large, Olga seemed to collide with Tigre several times.

"Let's quickly go to the cabin."

As Tigre said so profusely, Olga walking beside him, nodded slightly. She put back her hood again as he gets on the ship, and Tigre found the expression she had hard to understand.

She did not speak much since then. As she was ashamed to be unable to neatly speak Tigre's name and thought that was because of her words’ accent, it did not seem visible from her words or her attitude.

He did not really speak himself. Though he swore to travel alone, that said to make companion wasn't a problem.

As he gets off the ladder in the stern and enters under the deck, walks down the aisle which was filled with the sea breeze's smell mixed with that of the wood, Tigre dives in front of the room where he was told to stay for the time being on the ship.

When he opened the door, there was a really small room. Anyway, in addition of the bed fixed to the wall and the floor, there were about three or four steps of place to stand. There was nothing to do other than put his luggage on the floor and to sleep. By the way, the key to door was a rough lock handed over at the time of the boarding.

To Tigre who was stunned, Olga said with a monotone voice.

"Well then, see you."

To her words, Tigre rethought that, unlike himself, who was accommodated by Sasha and Matvei, Olga paid the fare as a simple guest to board the ship. At the time of boarding, the boarding permit she had passed to the sailors, though was brown as the others, was made.

"If it's okay with you, may I show you your room?"

As he asked out of curiosity, Olga approved it while nodding her head as if looking down.

While walking across a narrow passage, Tigre was observing while running his eyes to the left and to the right. This layer was for guests' and sailors' rooms, besides it seemed they were also the Armory.

When they arrived at the vicinity of the prow and got off to the nether layer, a gloomy and peculiar stench increased. The narrowness of the passages did not change. Olga stopped about ten feet in a few steps, stood in front of one door.

When she opened the door, there was nothing more than a large empty room. Compared to Tigre's room that was what we could call a private room of an inn, this place could be equivalent of a large room used by many people. Inside the room was 12 persons, with 3 men included.

Half of them were armed with swords and armor, they were leaning on the wall sitting on the floor. Though the others were not armed, that didn’t change the fact that a dangerous atmosphere was released from their whole body. They have opened distance moderately and everyone was looking out for each other.

those eyes mixed with hostility were of course turned to Tigre and Olga that opened the door.

''---Well that is to be expected...''

Though Tigre did not show that on his face and his voice, he was aware of that. The destination of this ship was Asvarre that was in the maelstrom of a civil war. Naturally, those who were going to such place were limited. This not about persons with special circumstances such as merchants or Tigre except where mercenaries would be.

"Would you like to come to my room?"

To Olga who were standing immediately nearby, he asked quietly. On her face who looked up at Tigre, there were a faint surprise in her expressionless absent-minded face.

"Is it okay?"

"As you saw a while ago, it is a small room. But I'll guarantee your security. And there is also a key."

Tigre didn't know why she was heading to Asvarre. It was not like he didn't care about that, but he had no intention to ask since he was in a position in which it would be troubled if he was himself be inquired.

Therefore, though he didn't know anything about her, as expected he was reluctant to let a girl who was younger than him staying there.

Soon after that, 'The Proud White Dolphin' departed from Libnah town.

A white sail conceived the wind big and 'The Proud White Dolphin' was leisurely progressing on the azure blue sea. Tigre and Olga were standing on the deck, looking at the boundless sea and far away silhouette of island.

"How do you feel, riding on my boat?"

With his crimson coat flapping in the sea breeze, Matvei came walking. Turned his gaze to Olga, he made his small eyes shine keenly.

"Oh! An acquaintance of yours?"

Tigre replied "Yes" with a smile and Olga nodded silently. Tigre was impressed (without saying anything) since the fact that she was not perturbed even before Matvei's evil look was admirable.

"In about how many days will we arrive in Asvarre?"

"If the wind continues to be good like now, in seven or eight days, I guess. Since this is not a windless season, we can think that at least it won't take ten days."

Tigre was relieved to hear that. He had no other choice but let Olga lay down on the only bed there was, and he himself intended to sleep on the floor, since he seemed to be able to endure it somehow for eight days.

"Matvei-san, about how old were you since you became a sailor?"

"It was when I was younger than the present you. Those who were born, raised in Libnah and decided to live with the sea thought that they will have their own ship first. Therefore while working and earning money in a ship of an acquaintance, they learn how to trade various things in order to handle a ship."

"Were you not scared to go out to the sea?"

To tell the truth, Tigre was a little scared. Puffing (with pride) his chest, Matvei replied while laughing.

"It's something familiar around here. As for me, though I did not mind since I saw shipwrecks drifting to the outskirts of the town where I was playing in my childhood, there are, as expected, many people who still get nervous when they get into a boat for the time. Nonetheless, I overcome the fear with various experiences."

"Various experiences?"

Olga tilted her head.

"Storms, shipwrecks, pirates... In addition, by narrow ships, most fights that were like killing each other occurred and fell into a situation that it was not possible to sail. There were also things such as sharks and sea dragon."

"Sea dragon."

Though the last words were a little theatrical, the single criticism of dragon did not set not to attract Tigre's interest. As he asked the parrot-like speaking, Matvei gave a wry smile and answered.

"A long time ago, I saw it only once afar. Like this, his body like a long rope looking like that of snakes, and that body was much bigger than this ship's mast. I wondered if it was capricious or was not hungry, since it did not come to attack us, and ran away with all its might."

"Such thing is...in the sea."

"What, even among the sailors who kept going to the sea for 40 or 50 years, those who happened to see that were few so to say since it is unusual."

To Matvei's words that reassured him, Tigre sighed.

From then Tigre who asked a lot of things about the ship and the sea, suddenly asked about what was on his mind.

"Matvei-san, do you know the details about Asvarre?"

"Yes, since it's an important customer. Is there something that worried you?"

"I'm sorry if my question is not clear, but... What kind of country is Asvarre? For example, I don't know what kinds of Gods are worshipped in Asvarre."

He intended to ask Sasha and could not. He knew the Kingdom of Asvarre only of name. Also the fight between the princes. But, about other things, It might be accurate to say that Tigre didn't know almost anything.

"Alright. It seems there is no problem now with the ship, then I will have the privilege to tell you a story."

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Asvarre is called the country of the fog and the forest. Once there was a small island floating in the North Sea.

It was the only island nation in that territory which assumed only the island of Asvarre a territory, and besides it was in a situation where five tribes were fighting with their hegemony at stake. The origin of the country name came from an island. There are few mountains and many hills, rivers and forests.

The wind-tinged heat which blew constantly from the west sea, was cooled by the time it reached the middle of the island, and hence most of the year was covered with fog.

"...So It is said, but as expected to say most of the year is exaggerated. There are also regional variations. However, for that reason the place when and where the fog also appears is not strange."

The island was always exposed to the danger of fights. Though , that was also right for the conflict between the five tribes, the nations of the continent that tried to get this bird were often bringing about war of aggression aboard ships, and that the pirates around troll the coast was also a daily occurrence.

"Though it was not really a pleasant story, it is therefore something usually said that where people are, there is also conflict. There were no one who even once said that there was no stream of blood in Asvarre. However, that situation changed completely due to one hero alone. His name was Arturius. He was the king founder of Asvarre."

Arturius once said that he dreamed that he transformed into a red dragon.

The red dragon is a symbol of the king who bundles the five tribes' leaders. Arturius, who was until then a very ordinary warrior, believed in an oracle, and decided he will become King. Though most people laughed at Arturius, 12 companions followed him.

Afterwards, Arturius had always stood at the front wielding his sword, run in countless battlefields and obtained victory. Various tribes altogether followed him, the pirates were swept up, and the 12 people following Arturius who repelled the nations that had invaded the north were called the knights of the round table.

"...It looked somewhat like the myths in Brune and Zchted, right?"

Tigre harbored such impression. Regarding the myth of Brune, Charles, who became the successor of the king founder, started his battles, after receiving a revelation from a highly virtuous monk living in a holy cave shrine. And according to the myth of Zchted, those who led the fight in front of many tribes following a man referred to as the incarnation of the Black Dragon had been contested.

Without showing how offended Tigre's impression was, Matvei responded with a smile.

"Though I am not well informed about the myths of other countries, I think there are points that are in some way common."

Tigre showed consent well obediently and Matvei resumed the talk.

"Though that Arturius and the 12 Knights of the Round Table are not gods in Asvarre, they have become objects of worship. Because, it is thought that all the victories of Arturius were assumed to be due to the blessing of God. It also assumed that each knight of the round table had the divine protection of angels - seemingly beings like spirits that obey God."

After Arturius' death, as the kingdom of Asvarre was spending a peaceful time without big fight, but then the peace was suddenly broken. There was the Cadiz kingdom of the continent possessing a large fleet that crossed the sea and invaded Asvarre.

"Asvarre desperately resisted, but succumbed before the pression of an overwhelming large army, It is said that it was deprived of half of the island in a short time. The king ended up sick in bed, the people who recommended the surrender and those who attempted to escape came out one after another, the fate of the kingdom was without doubt in a precarious state."

However, scolding the frightened retainers and soldiers, there was a person who showed a firm attitude. Princess Zephyria.

"While it was said that Princess Zephyria was the owner of an incomparable beauty, shall I say a lady of character, to the extent that she was not considered to be a woman, she took a sword and jumped into the battlefield. And thus, obtained victory that had the same value of what was said in the written of the founder Arturius. It was usually said: 'The armor is my husband and the battlefield is my palace'."

Afterwards, the king died without recovering from his illness, and after the conference during → years, Zephyria became the first queen of the kingdom of Asvarre. The impact, that this gave to the nations, was not small. It was because the idea of a queen in either Brune or Zchted was something absurd.

"Queen Zephyria was also excellent as ruler. The country that was shaken by the death of the king and was firmly brought together by the birth of the queen, subjugated the pirates in the coast, stabilized the country both inside and outside, and later counterattacked the kingdom of Cadiz that was about to invade."

The Cadiz kingdom was defeated.

"Asvarre then took possession of the dominion of the continent. That was what the king founder Arturius had strongly desired for, and was not able to accomplish. Queen Zephyria, who accomplished it, received the laborious title of 'Supreme King', afterwards she continued to rule without even marrying, proposed a person who had the closest blood relationship with the Father king to be the successor, and died."

"The queen huh..."

Tigre gave a breath of admiration. He raised a question from the back of the hood Olga was wearing.

"I have heard stories that Queen Zephyria actually had a lover."

"I see that there are more anecdotes than usual. I know some, too. Like the vassal who secretly supported her, the wandering knight, the traveling bard and hunter of maid and such... Since there were such stories when she was a ruler, surely people might have variously swollen their imagination."

Though Tigre showed a honest agreement to the three officials of Matvei, Olga was as if she was thinking about something.

"After that, there has never been such talk until now. I think that even now Arturius and Zephyria are heroes representing Asvarre, even local farmers are proud."

"Thank you. Well then... Now, concerning the current situation of civil war?"

Tigre asked it with a careful tone.

"What I know is only the gossips that are roasted by at least 10 mouths - That there are skirmishes that happen frequently, but no big fights, and that the situation has fallen in a stalemate."

''---It meant that those receiving damage (from the quarrel between the two Princes) were the people in Asvarre.''

Unbearable anger blotted to Tigre's expression. A stalemate meant that not to see the end line of each side. Anyhow, if the soldiers of each side did not move too much and from the beginning to the end glared at each other, then it was different from the story that he heard - that story was about the frequent occurrence of battles.

How soon they (soldiers) were going to involve themselves in the chaos of war without understanding anything, and without even knowing when the war would end. Even though it was not a battle they wished.

Tigre's feelings like a festival, Matvei deliberately continue to speak businesslike.

"Concerning the number of soldiers, Prince Elliot seems to be superior, but on Prince Germaine’s side, there is one very great general, that seems to often overturn the numerical inferiority and to obtain victory. Therefore there is a talk that the war won't be easy to settle."

"Is there such a person? What is his name?"

"If I'm not mistaken, his name is Tallard Graham. There is rumor saying that if that man was not there, Prince Germane might have sooner been defeated."

Though Tigre was interested in the man named Tallard, for the time being he pushed aside that matter in the corner of his brain and proceeded with his thoughts. Compared to what he heard from Ellen, it seemed to be not that much change.

By the time he would meet with Prince Germane, would this situation change?

Tigre was pausing with a disappointed face, Olga whom he did not know what she was thinking about, absent-minded and expressionless gazed at him.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

As the sun sank, the ship moored in a small island.

Tigre was in his room. Sitting on the bed, he was taking care of his bow. There was only a lamp with light that dangled down from the ceiling, swaying from side to side to match the ups and downs of the age. The door was knocked on from the outside. He put his bow on the bed, stood up and opened the door. He stood up before Olga with a absent-minded face who was holding a deep pot. White steam was rising from the deep pot. Before returning to the room, he bought hot water in the kitchen.

"how much was it? "

"It was two copper coins."

Only about half the hot water entered the deep pot. Though it seemed that it would not spill even if the ship more or less shook, Tigre thought that with this two copper coins were expensive.

As Olga put the deep pot on the floor, she removed her mantle. As for the clothes that she was wearing, a cuff was loose, and there was decorated with fine embroidery on neck and sleeves. Her waist was wrapped around the band, and it was something not seen much in Brune and Zchted.

However, what further attracted Tigre's attention was the ax which she hung on her waist. His gray edge with a pattern of very small strange components was short, and large enough so that even Olga with her small stature would not easily handle. What looked out, was its elaborate equipment forceps.

Topaz, which was also about the fist, was embedded at the junction of the handle and the blade, and a fine pattern was engraved on the blade as well. Seems, I guess, that most people would consent even if it said to have been built for affluent nobles to decorate their residence.

However, Tigre held a different impression. What he witnessed when he saw that ax, was...

There were the long sword that Ellen carried, Mira's spear, the bishop's staff of Sophie and Sasha's twin blades. Those that floated inside the dark and disappeared when shining like lightning. A weapon that had a paranormal power and that was allowed to enter the Battle of ownership to only the seven Vanadis.

"Are you interested in this?"

With the voice, Tigre was startled and pulled himself together. He was likely to stare very much, though he was staring at the dimly expressionless Olga, making it absent-minded., some cautions had blotted in her black eyes.

"Oh! That ax has a splendid structure."

Tigre answered so while rummaging his darkish red hair. He denied the question he wanted to ask in his innermost thoughts. Certainly it was an axe with a rarely remarkable structure, but there was no way that a Vanadis would be in such a place.

"Because it is a heirloom."

Olga leaned the ax against the wall answering in a monotonous voice. She untied her obi and take off her clothes. Her upper body that became bare was slim, and the flesh was thin, and the swelling of her chest was over modestly. And with a healthy body with flexibility, though it was beautiful, it was far to maturity.

In presence of a dumbfounded Tigre, Olga sat down on the floor, takes out her hemp cloth from the cargo bag, soaked in the hot water and squeezed it. She wiped herself her body gently.

"...As expected, I don't think it's a good idea to expose your body in front of a man."

Tigre gently reproves the girl with pink turtle's hair by an amazed face. Olga stopped her hand that wiped the dirt of her body and answered while attaching the flax sea to hot water once again, when she glanced at Tigre.

"It can't be helped. There is no other place. "

"Even so. You might have asked me to turn around..."

"Here is a room that you borrowed, and I am here because you have let me use it."

She was very a sincere child. Tigre spilt a sigh and turned his back to Olga.

He thought that it was good that she was young.

He would have been more confused if she was about the age of Ellen and Mira. Tigre waited for a little while even after finishing the maintenance of his bow. Before long the sound, in which the hot water was squeezed, was not heard, and the rustling of clothes reached the ear.

"It is already good."

Looking back to the voice, Olga who was wearing cloak dressed up was sitting on the floor. Pointing at the deep pot, she continues speaking.

"Though it is lukewarm, if it is good with you use it."

"It is so. Then, I appreciate."

Since he had stood for a long time on the deck, even Tigre's body had been sticky by the sea breeze. It was a troublesome thing to go to the kitchen from now and buy hot water.

Changing places, Tigre wiped his body quickly. And like that when putting on a mantle similar to Olga's, Tigre pushed aside the deep pot on the corner of the room.

"Well then, let's sleep? I will sleep on the floor, so you can use the bed."

"It's impossible for me to accept your kindness to that extent."

Tigre who was going to plop himself down on the floor looked embarrassing for the refusal of Olga and raised his body. Though the girl with pink color hair was still expressionless, there was a slight anger in her voice.

"I understand that you are behaving as an elder, since I'm younger. However, I...,I am independent in full-fledged."

Although she hesitated to say at first and turned down her eyes, Olga raised her face and asserted flatly. Guessing apparently that he seemed to have hurt her white esteem, Tigre scratched his head.

"I'm sorry. But, I did not intend to say with that alone. This room is considerably cold. Though you seem to be used to traveling, too..."

Probably because on top of the sea, the ship's air has become fairly cold at night. It was for that purpose that both Tigre and Olga put on a mantle.

"Let's sleep on the bed together"

Olga was said without even showing a gesture of shyness.

"There is only one blanket. As for sleeping on the floor, the shake of the ship in addition to the cold comes directly to your body. Then, it will be better to do so even if it is narrow. You look unexpectedly stubborn."

Though Tigre thought the two of them were of equal status regarding their stubbornness, he felt that talking about that would end up even worse and decided to keep that for himself. There was a request he might want further.

"I understand what you say. I understand that but... Have you no shame or perhaps should I say modesty?"

"If it seems to you like I invite you, then I put that in denial. If you do something rude, I will push you down."

"...Understood. Let's sleep together."

The reason Tigre compromised was because she was stubborn, and he thought that if that situation continued, she would not use the bed and lie down to the floor. When he saw her nude not long ago, though he thought that it was a healthy body, he did not hold further feeling bonds. Olga was still young to think so.

He lined up and lie down on the bed. Turning the light off, both of them moved restlessly and turned their back to each other.

Riding on a ship for the first time, he began progressively to feel sleepy since he was attacked by the excitement and the tension.

It was not from either and set up breathing of sleeper.

There was a Vanadis, in the port of Pushpus where Tigre was scheduled to go originally.

She stayed in that town for a few days and spent those days in one room of a hotel, dressed in the noble women who were in trip. It was a special shop with first-class dish for the meeting by carriage and a thick cliff face, the firm storekeeper of the mouth though is far expensive from other hotels.

Noble and affluent merchants, ambassadors in various foreign countries etc. use, the merchant ship of Brune and Asvarre continuously arrived in Pushpus and stores which prospered good for this reason.

That Vanadis Valentina Glinka Estes, just now received a disappointing report from her subordinate.

"...Is that so.Tigrevurmud Vorn did not head to this Pushpus port but to Libnah port."

In a room that existed in the deepest part of the hotel. Only the lamplight that hung from the ceiling shone on the room. With something that small, light did not reach the corners of the room, and the darkness was hovered in the background. One huge sickle was leant into that darkness.

Valentina sank her body on a soft chair that used cotton and the feather in abundance, and heard the words of her subordinate. Her long black hair that seemed to melt into the darkness. A lovely smile as I let you think that there would not be it came into the people who were not attracted by such beautiful face. Wearing a pure white dress decorated with roses, one book was open on her knees.

The subordinate was pounding his knees apart from her in front of a door and continued reporting plainly.

"Earl Vorn, who had entered without change Libnah, changed his plans, though it was thought that he had taken the wrong way because he is someone from Brune."

"Thank you very much for your efforts! I certainly already met Earl Vorn once. I wanted to greet him, but there's not help."

"Must I continue the pursuit?"

"That is not necessary. He must have already got into a boat for Asvarre at this time. After Earl Vorn came back, the greeting would seem to be emptied."

Valentina was staring at the dark and sighed small when they left from the bottom county.

''---He ran away, huh.''

It was Valentina that had made the proposal for King Viktor to choose Tigre as a secret messenger to Asvarre, but, not directly. About two elder statesmen are slipped in a word, and she made sure that they did not know themselves that that idea was not theirs. Though there were some reasons, this was because she wanted to meet him once at a place where there were no other Vanadis.

Regarding Tigre's treatment, he would move from LeitMeritz if there was not special thing happening.

Having said that, she must go through an official procedure if going to meet with him so that LeitMeritz and Ellen did not harbored doubt.

''---I wanted to avoid that. I wanted to speak with him about various things, and to know in detail his personality.''

If their interests matched, there would be a possibility for them to join hands, but in case that he would be an obstacle for her ambitions, she would need to find a way to eliminate (remove) him. If it was the former, she intended to support him so that he could achieve his duty as a secret messenger safely, but things did not go her way.

''---Was that Eleonora...? No it was not possible. It did not seem that she had a good knowledge of the geography of Legnica so. In that case, it would be Alexandra.''

She heard that he stopped by her Imperial Palace.

What to do now. Thought Valentina.

If Tigre were to die had he been involved in the civil war of Asvarre that did not matter. At the present time, after Ellen and Mira, he had built close relationship with Sasha. His death would be a shock to them as it was, and leaded to the deterioration of relationship between Zchted and Brune.

Even King Viktor would crack in the question as for the responsibility. Nevertheless, if he came back safely, he would come to the Royal Palace. It would be necessary to report the results, King Viktor will also thank Tigre for his services, and shall give award depending on those results.

''---At that time, if I visited the Royal Palace, I am likely able to meet him.''

Depending on his attitude and his personality, she would reveal that she was herself that made the proposal to send him as an emissary, and might conversely let him criticize King Viktor and make him believe that she is a friend.

She examined Tigre's schedule to know when he might come back and must think about a reason to visit the Royal Palace on that day. Since she was supposed to be sick and lacked physical strength.

''---For example, I cannot go frequently the royal palace like Sophia Obertas.''

Though it was troublesome, Valentina did not hate to think about such thing. Instead she was more of a character that seemed to enjoy that. Besides, it was convenient for her to pretend that she had a weak body.

''---for example, even if I am ordered the dispatch of troops, I would delay it by the reason of disease to the very limit and retreat as soon as I fought a little, and I can thoroughly control the damage of soldier. Also, I report that I am sick when I am called out the Royal Palace, collects information as much as possible so that I can be at the Palace at the time when he would be called out there.''

She came so far by doing so.

In order to let you think herself to be a human being without great thing, and all lets you despise it. When bringing some idea together in her head, Valentina clean off her glance to the 'police' thing that was expanded on her knees. On the front of the book "Record of the war of Zephyria", the title was carved in gold.

Queen Zephyria that expanded the territory of Asvarre greatly. In the record that spelled the fight, a high entrance feeling was provided in together with the biography of Arturius in the kingdom of Asvarre. After discovering it by chance in her residence and reading it when she was young, that became Valentina's favorite book.

However, she did not limited herself only at enjoying it, that book gave her the notion of no attachment in either dream or ambition.

''---Someday I will become a queen, too.''

That she would show that she would become an existence that reigned in Zchted kingdom. Her blood of her House seemed to stream down as far as she examined it.

However, it was slender so as to be able to hardly insist on succession to the throne called the minority of predecessors in the family line or future charges. Therefore, she did not intend to rely on such a thing.

With her owns wits, in addition to be born and raised in the Estes House, and by using the good luck to be chosen as a Vanadis, she intended to reign on the throne. Though she did not know when that will be, but she was convinced that day will come.

As she already read many times and knew the contents of the book, she would not stop once she turned a page.

The light of the room did not disappear till late.

<center><big>◎</big></center>

Tigre was exposed to a severe line of sight.

Five girls were standing before his eyes. There were Teita with Ellen, Lim, and Princess Regin of Brune with Mira. Ellen and Lim, and Mira were familiar with combat uniforms, and Teita did the usual maid figure. Regin's formal dress as a princess was based on white and decorated with gold and silver everywhere.

Somehow they were uniformly angry.

Ellen sharply glared here with her arms folded, applies, and Lim amazed seemed to heave a deep sigh even now, and Teita withhold her anger frowning. Mira seemed to measure the timing to put her hands on her waist, and to pour an angry voice.

Regin did not hide her dissatisfaction, but it looked like whether she was angry or was at loss.

"What's wrong?" Be driven by impatience and anxiety, Tigre asked so, and like vomiting Ellen answered.

"Try to ask it once more after looking at your chest."

Tigre, being upset to receive such verbatim, hurriedly looked at his chest. Olga was there. She stuck her body to Tigre, suddenly naked from the waist up. In a voice without the intonation, she said.

"Please take your responsibility..."

Thereupon, he woke up. There was a wall stained slightly spreading through his view.

His body felt a slight shake.

''---A dream, huh...''

With a small breath, he soliloquize "that's right, isn't?" in his innermost thoughts. It was only once that those 5 girls gathered in one place. It was only that day when Tigre defeated Duke Thenardier and returned in triumph to the Royal Palace of Brune. After that time, it never happened that those five lined up all together.

''---Fatigue might be accumulating. It was a trip that I hurried all the time until I got on the ship.''

"If you have already woken up, I want you to release me."

He heard a monotone voice in side right away. At that time he noticed, his right hand was touching something soft and there was also a feel like hair in his left hand. He felt a small amount of heat on his body above all.

When he moved his gaze, there were Olga's eyes. Tigre's left hand held her head, and his right hand gripped her ass. Before he became aware, he was embracing her while sleeping.

"And ...it is hitting me."

Tigre kept his hands away from her in a hurry, and jumped up vigorously. Everything seemed as if it was not a dream. Olga was wearing clothes unlike the dream though.

"No, that's what ..., I'm sorry."

While taking a rough breath, Tigre shamefully covered the face by hand and bowed his head. Speaking of Olga, she wake up her body and arch rise even without moving her expressionless face that was hazy. Lowering her gaze from Tigre's face, she looked at around her waist.

"I was told by my mother and my older sister that it can't be helped that a man is so in the morning."

That being said, it was a shameful even in this case. All Tigre could do was to nod without speaking. Olga indifferently continued.

"Because I understand that you did not hug me intentionally, since I confirmed that you were sleeping. Your body requested the heat by getting cold at night, right?"

Though Olga did not blame the young man at all, there was a reason. The girl with pink color hair was also clinging to him as she woke up.

What Olga was surprised at, that she was about to tear off Tigre, but her foot which protruded from a hair dealer streamed down indoor cold precisely on this occasion, and she felt the physical warmth of Tigre at the same time. That warm comfort would not be provided only with the blanket which she put on.

It was because of that, that Olga compromised quickly. Of course, she did not intend to say that to Tigre.

"I'm thankful that you said that, but...Be careful."

Tigre bowed once more with a guilty face. Nonetheless, he might be helpless only with sincerity.

After all until he arrived at Asvarre there was no more morning when Tigre was able to wake up without hugging her.

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| Back to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_3|Chapter 3]]
|-
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Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter7

2013-03-31T00:48:29Z

Shortykilz: /* Part 3 */

==Chapter 7 - Blade Dance of the Dragon Princess==

===Part 1===

Jumping down from the demon dragon's head was a female knight dressed in the military uniform of the country of dragons.

Black hair neatly trimmed to shoulder length. A white beret on her head.

The «Knights of the Dragon Emperor»'s strongest ace—Leonora Lancaster.

Gazing down at Lily collapsed on the ground, Leonora shrugged slightly.

"Amazing of you to fight me to this extent. Commendable."

"...!"

Despite receiving praise, Lily could only bite her lip in chagrin.

"...A thousand apologies... «Cardinal»..."

Leonora offered a knight's salute before taking away Lily's «Magic Stone».

Having lost her «Magic Stone», Lily's body disappeared as particles of light.

An imposed transfer to «Ragna Ys» through teleportation magic.

Without saying a word, Kamito could only watch silently.

Because tainting another elementalist's blade dance through interference was contrary to etiquette.

"Okay—"

Then Leonora turned towards Kamito.

Naturally, she noticed Kamito's group.

"Kamito, did you come here aiming for the same prey?"

"..."

Despite the familiarity in Leonora's opening remark—

Kamito understood very well.

Leonora Lancaster's true nature was like a ferocious dragon.

Noble-minded and elegant, fully of chivalry—and above all, loyal to her combat instincts.

Leonora's black eyes gleamed with delight.

She was like a dragon that had found its ideal prey.

(...However, she doesn't look like she's currently being controlled by «Dragon Blood».)

Kamito groaned to himself.

—Very likely, she was going to be even tougher to handle than during their last battle.

An elementalist's intuition told him.

"You have come here to defeat Ren Ashbell as well?"

"Yes, because she is the most powerful prey in the current «Blade Dance» festival."

Leonora nodded.

"Then I have a suggestion—"

Kamito decided to try his luck and request they work together, however:

"However, that prey is slightly less attractive than having a blade dance with you."

"...!"

Leonora released a battle aura that instantly caused shudders down Kamito's spine.

The demon dragon «Nidhogg» proceeded to moan softly, its ferocious eyes flashing brightly.

Then—

"—Divine soul of the jet black evil dragon, turn into the power in my hand!"

Heeding Leonora's call, the dragon spirit «Nidhogg» transformed into a massive sword whose length equaled her height—the «Dragon Slayer» elemental waffe.

(...Negotiations won't work, apparently.)

Left without a choice, Kamito readied the «Demon Slayer».

As much as he wanted to save Claire as quickly as possible—

Perhaps due to the battle against Lily, Leonora's fighting spirit was roused to a maximum.

This wild dragon probably could not be brought under control without a fight.

(...Besides, I already promised her.)

—The next time we speak, we will have a blade dance together.

Back then, Kamito had indeed agreed to her proposal.

The «Blade Dance» stage was where blade dances were performed as offerings by elementalists with their respective «Wishes» on the line. One was not supposed to evade battle when faced with direct challenges.

"Kamito-kun..."

Worried, Fianna grabbed Kamito's sleeve.

"Don't worry. It'll be over quickly."

Kamito stared at Leonora before him as he spoke.

Naturally, this did not imply that Leonora was easy to defeat. What Kamito meant was that this blade dance was a clash of strength rather than a contest of skill, hence it was going to be a quick decisive match—That was what he was trying to say.

(...In that sense, I must thank Leonora.)

If Kamito had to face Lily who was skilled in taking advantages of openings, surely he would be dragged into a rather lengthy and protracted battle.

"...I understand."

Fianna swiftly moved towards the wall.

Scarlet simply sat obediently in front of the door.

"—This is it, Leonora."

Facing Leonora, Kamito infused divine power into the «Demon Slayer».

"I have no intention of engaging in a graceful blade—Let's attack with full strength on the get go."

"—As you wish, Kamito."

The strongest ace of the «Knights of the Dragon Emperor» smiled happily.

===Part 2===

"Captain, are you still able to continue?"

"Of course. Do not underestimate a Fahrengart knight."

Rinslet's magic bow produced a rain of hailstones while Ellis' gales blew intensely. The blade dance performed at the entrance of the «Lost Cathedral» was intensifying.

"Dragon king of ice who sleeps in a prison of frost, release your breath—«Breath of Ice»!"

Yelling loudly, Rinslet released an arrow.

The magical ice arrow's payload of wide area spirit magic exploded in midair. All the demon spirits appearing in the air were frozen.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

At the same time, Ellis swung «Ray Hawk» as she flew in the air using wind magic.

The massive ice block shattered along with the demon spirits trapped within.

"Fahrengart style of the spear—«Flash Blossom»!"

As Ellis landed on the ground, only shattered fragments of ice remained fluttering in the air.

"Hmph, Laurenfrost snow never stops!"

Rinslet declared proudly as she tossed her platinum-blonde hair.

"Pay attention. Carelessness is your bad habit."

"S-Shut up!"

Ignoring Rinslet's raised eyebrows, Ellis turned to face Sjora.

Although the demon spirit swarm was not completely wiped out, its numbers had thinned greatly.

However, the witch continued to smile with composure.

"Do not look down on us, Sjora Kahn."

Ellis readied «Ray Hawk» and gathered wind around the spear tip.

Rinslet also nocked a new arrow of ice and aimed at the witch.

"We lost in the past, but given our current selves, keeping you occupied here is within our ability."

"...Hmph."

Sjora placed a fingertip on her lip and jeered.

"...!"

The repulsive smile sent chills down one's back.

"—Just so you know, it was intentional."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am saying that I intentionally allowed Kazehaya Kamito go first."

Snickering—the vivid red lips twisted into a crescent.

Her sheer silken garment fluttering lightly, Sjora walked amidst the demon spirit swarm.

"As for me, I'm completely uninterested in that woman's plan. ''A completely ignorant and tragic princess''—At the very most, she is going to simply die while cursing the world."

"...What are you talking about?"

"Me, I simply want Kazehaya Kamito—the «Demon King»'s body. That's all."

Sjora raised her arm in the air and began to chant to summon a contracted spirit.

"...Tsk, are you intending to transform into «Ren Ashbell» again?"

Ellis clicked her tongue disapprovingly. Sjora Kahn's contracted spirit, «Baldanders», possessed the power to copy a target's appearance and abilities. Once summoned, things would get quite challenging.

"You're not going to have your way!"

Rinslet instantly released a shower of ice arrows—

However, the descending ice arrows were successively blocked by the swarm of demon spirits.

"...Damn it!"

In that case—Thinking that, Ellis held «Ray Hawk» and charged.

—However, it was a step too late.

A massive magic circle appeared above Sjora's head.

A plain white hand appeared out from the air.

"...Not «Baldanders»!?"

Ellis' eyes of sienna were staring wide.

At the same time, her instincts could feel it. —''This was a dangerous spirit''.

"Fufu, once in the «Demon King»'s service in the past, one of the seventy-two spirits—"

Sjora's mouth lightly whispered its true name.

"The one who takes everything by force—«Bandersnatch»."

===Part 3===

The sound of ceiling fragmets falling down signaled the beginning of the blade dance.

(—Decide the match in the first stroke.)

Holding the shining «Demon Slayer» in one hand, Kamito took half a step sideways.

The fastest flash. Absolute Blade Arts, First Form—«Purple Lightning»'s form.

The wind from Leonora's sword swept up debris as she charged. Raising the «Dragon Slayer» overhead in preparation for a downward chop, she intended to decide the victor with a one-hit-kill just as she declared.

Leonora's elemental waffe was a massive sword, unsuited for turning back for defense.

Using it preemptively in a charging assault was the logical thing to do.

(If I get hit directly I'll probably get blown away in one hit.)

The pressure bursting from the sword made Leonora seem like a completely different person compared to before. Even back when she was rampaging from the «Dragon Blood»'s effects, Kamito did not feel such an intimidating presence from her.

Probably because she was no longer confused? Something had changed her sword.

Kamito could not be sure what the actual reason was.

(...However, I can't lose either!)

Just as the wind from the sword swept across the top of his hair, in that very instant—

Kamito took a step with explosive power from his legs.

"Absolute Blade Arts, First Form—«Purple Lightning»."

A flash of the blade akin to lightning.

Its true essence—nothing but a ''simple straight thrust''.

Even so, it was a technique that reached an entirely different dimension when taken to the limit.

In a battle against an elementalist, it could be described as a one-hit kill. In the first match during the «Blade Dance» three years ago, this was precisely the move that struck down Velsaria and the «Silent Fortress» with one strike of the sword.

(—Success!)

Evading the front tip of the massive sword by the slimmest of margins, Kamito followed his momentum to crash towards Leonora's chest.

As sparks flew from the friction between steel, then—

(—What!?)

An acute metallic noise rang out.

The trajectory of Kamito's sword was deflected slightly by an invisible obstacle.

(—Protective spirit magic!?)

Kamito clicked his tongue mentally.

Very likely, she had cast it when charging.

(...She swept up the debris cunningly to avoid her chanting from being detected?)

Although spirit magic with the dragon attribute was hard to control and not very versatile, it was the strongest class in terms of physical enhancement of the body. Also, rather than covering the entire body, it achieved its effects by shrinking the defensive area or raising its strength to the maximum limit.

For example, had Kamito aimed for her throat instead of her chest, the match would be over already. However, Leonora saw through his target most splendidly.

Instincts built from a solid foundation of experience—Indeed she was an elementalist among the best of the best.

Although the deflected slash swept over her shoulder, Leonora continued to charge and collided using her entire weight.

Crash—the blunt sound of violent impact between bones was heard.

Kamito's body was sent flying, crashing into the ground a distance away.

Leonora should have experienced the same impact but did not seem injured at all. This was because a contract with a dragon spirit conferred physical reinforcement upon her body.

(Hmm...)

Finding his vision shaking violently, Kamito had apparently suffered a concussion.

Even so, Kamito was still able to discern the approaching danger and swiftly jumped aside.

In that instant, the «Dragon Slayer» swung down. The instant the floor made of spirit crystal was struck by the tip of the sword, sparks flew and the floor shattered like glass.

«Terminus Est» was surely capable to enduring a blow from the «Dragon Slayer», but the wielder Kamito was a separate matter. He had no wish to engage in a battle of pure strength against a dragon elementalist whose body was physically strengthened.

"Kamito-kun!"

Fianna's scream was heard.

Following the momentum of his sideways leap, Kamito stepped on the wall, took a somersault and readjusted his stance.

Although Leonora's arm strength was immense, allowing her to swing the massive sword freely, the downside to these highly destructive single strikes was the great range of motion required for the swings.

—Taking advantage of the momentary opening, Kamito instantly charged.

(This will work...!)

His gaze met with Leonora who was about to swung her great sword.

Turning the hilt that was carved with a dragon towards him—

(...!)

A certain thought flashed through Kamito's mind.

The instant before he stepped into the opening, he shifted his center of gravity slightly.

Immediately, a crimson heat beam was fired from the dragon carving.

The heat beam flew over Kamito's neck, destroying the wall behind him completely.

"...So it's capable of a trick like that!"

Giving no time for a breather, the «Dragon Slayer» swept horizontally.

The intense wind from the sword caused Kamito to lose balance.

Leonora did not miss the excellent opportunity. Instantly, she shifted her grip on the sword's hilt and swung it up high.

"Yes...!"

"...!"

At this distance, even if Kamito could dodge the sword itself, he would still be smashed by the shockwave—

(...Please endure this for a while, Est!)

Kamito infused maximum divine power into the «Demon Slayer» and blocked the hit.

Light flashed past. The impact sounded as if the noise would rupture eardrums.

"Gah... Ohhhh...."

Kamito barely managed to block the sword.

"It's not... Over...!"

However, Kamito was pushed down by the momentum.

"...This, monstrous strength...!"

"Hoho, I'll take that as a compliment."

Amidst the crossed swords, Leonora's bright red face pressed near before Kamito's eyes.

It was an expression filled with utter enjoyment of this blade dance.

Watching her pure and innocent expression, Kamito felt as though he would be mesmerized in an instant.

"I have never had such a rousing and exhilarating blade dance before, Kazehaya Kamito."

"I am honored to hear that."

Kamito relaxed the tension in his face and smiled wryly.

"You're rather composed here. But even for you, reversing this unfavorable posture would be—"

Halfway through her sentence, Leonora's face froze.

An intense flash of light was being generated from Kamito's leather-gloved left hand.

A short sword of steel manifested in that hand.

This was the only spirit magic that Kamito knew, «Weapon Forging».

With a flash of the short sword's blade, Kamito slashed lightly through Leonora's fingers which she was using to grip her weapon.

There was no bleeding because physical damage was instantly converted into psychological damage. However, the pain caused Leonora to frown and weakened the sword's force slightly.

Instantly, Kamito parried the sword to the side and escaped from his position of being pressed down. Then—

"Because this does not belong to orthodox swordsmanship, Greyworth used to correct me—"

Holding the short sword and the «Demon Slayer» in his left and right hands respectively, Kamito explained.

"I actually started out as a dual wielder!"

"Hmm..."
[[image:STnBD V10 181.jpg|thumb]]

Crashing towards Leonora's chest while she was still off-balance, Kamito made sharp slices with the short sword. As soon as Leonora switched to defense, he immediately attacked using the «Demon Slayer».

As sparks flew and scattered from the exchange of offense and defense, it looked like a magnificent dance to an observer—hence that was why duels between elementalists were known as blade dances.

Then the brief dance finally approached its conclusion.

"—O demon dragon «Nidhogg», unleash your wrath in my sword!"

Heeding Leonora's call, the «Dragon Slayer»'s blade shone brightly.

"Magical equipment release—«Balmung» is its name!"

"Unbelievable, magical equipment release...!?"

Kamito's eyes widened.

Magical equipment release—In other words, an elemental waffe's release of its true name. Depending on the type of the spirit being used, a contracted spirit's normally restrained power could be unleashed all at once.

The howling winds of the sword instantly vaporized the short sword created by «Weapon Forging» and even pushed «Terminus Est» back.

Leonora was surrounded by a golden-colored tornado.

—No, that was not wind. Rather, the burgeoning divine power was being released from all over her body to an extent that was visible to the naked eye.

(She's gambling everything on this move to decide the battle huh—!)

The initial exchanges were all undertaken in preparation for this move, because activating the magical equipment release required rousing the elemental waffe through a blade dance.

(...However, magical equipment releases are extremely dangerous.)

Releasing restraints was synonymous to letting a spirit go into a berserk state temporarily.

Expanding divine power gushed from Leonora's surroundings. This was proof that her demon spirit was forcibly releasing divine power.

In this kind of situation, even someone of Leonora's caliber could not sustain this for long.

"You said you hoped for a swift duel, Kazehaya Kamito!"

Leonora lifted the «Dragon Slayer» above her head. Its rumbling howls became even louder.

"This is my strongest sword—"

"Fianna, protect yourself well!"

Kamito shouted out hastily.

Even though Leonora had no such intentions, it was currently very easy for Fianna to get caught up into things.

(If possible, I want to save ''that move'' for the last, but...)

Kamito knew he would be defeated unless he went all out. In that case—

(Est, I'm relying on you!)

—Yes, Kamito. I am your sword, your wish is my command!

Kamito heard Est's voice in his mind.

At the same time, the «Demon Slayer»'s blade gave off light several times brighter than usual.

Kamito took half a step to the side and quietly stayed still as he waited for Leonora's next move.

The posture he took was that of a counterattack, the strongest anti-elementalist form.

In her current state, Leonora was fully adequate as an opponent. This was an excellent opportunity for Kamito to test if he had truly mastered his understanding of Greyworth's secret technique.

To take on the strongest sword head on.

Were he to lose here, it implied that Kamito could not hope to defeat Rubia Elstein.

"—O dragon, devour my body and unleash your wrath!"

Leonora roared.

«Balmung» shone with golden splendor as it chopped right down at Kamito—

In that instant, Kamito took action.

The secret technique of the Absolute Blade was no ordinary sword counter. One needed to sense the flow of divine power in the incoming attack and synchronize with the flow while engaging in the blade dance—Its true essence could be described as closer to a princess maiden's ritual dance performance in comparison to a blade dance.

Then—

(In the instant the blades clash, cut the ''root'' of the flow—)

Rather than relying on vision, one had to see through by feeling.

A failed activation of the technique would lead to nothing but defeat.

The «Demon Slayer» and the «Dragon Slayer». The two swords collided with each other.

A flash of light erupted—Kamito was able to see within it.

The root where the flow of divine power was concentrated.

"Absolute Blade Arts, Final Form—«Last Strike»!"

An instantaneous flash of the sword shattered the «Dragon Slayer» and skewered Leonora.

===Part 4===

A blade dance between elementalists of the highest class.

In terms of time, it was so brief that it did not even last a minute.

However, Leonora's face displayed satisfaction as she lay collapsed on the floor.

"Kamito, thank you..."

Panting, her chest heaving up and down, Leonora still smiled.

"...For a most splendid blade dance performed together with you."

Caught unaware by her sincere smile, Kamito felt his heart racing.

Apparently, Leonora no longer had the strength to stand up. Nevertheless, for her to maintain her consciousness after being struck by the Absolute Blade's secret technique, she truly lived up to her reputation.

(...Oh well, it can't really be considered complete.)

While his gaze was drawn to his numb right hand, he breathed a sigh of relief for her safety.

Indeed, the very instant before he unleashed the secret technique, Kamito had slightly loosened the strength of his fingers' grip.

As a result, the secret technique was not performed in a complete manner.

He did not inflict a critical wound on Leonora because—

"Kamito..."

Leonora spoke up at this time.

"My «Magic Stone» is kept in my bosom. As the winner, please take it."

"In your bosom!?"

Kamito could not help but find his gaze drawn to Leonora's two massive bulges.

At the same time, he recalled something else.

During the «Water Elemental Festival» before the finals, Kamito had stared directly at her naked chest due to unavoidable circumstances.

"D-Don't be an idiot, how could I take it out like that!?"

Frantically, Kamito shifted his gaze away.

"Last time, weren't you searching my chest once?"

Leonora pouted angrily.

"Ah, that time, yeah, uh..."

Just as Kamito stammered...

"Hey Kamito-kun, what is the meaning of this chest searching?"

"Meow—?"

"...!"

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble...!

Kamito looked back apprehensively to find the imperial princess bearing a lovely smile.

...For some unknown reason, Scarlet also seemed to be getting angry.

"No, that... A-Anyway, putting that aside, could you get out a «Healing Stone» instead?"

Kamito frantically changed the subject.

"..."

Fianna continued to glare at Kamito with an icy-cold gaze.

"Geez, you're hopeless."

Nevertheless, she took out a «Healing Stone» from her bosom and handed it to Kamito with a sigh.

But rather than using it on himself, Kamito gripped Leonora's hand around it.

"W-Wait a minute, Kamito-kun?"

Fianna jumped in fright.

Given the weight restrictions of the blade dance festival, the «Healing Stone» was a precious recovery tool. Handing it over for an enemy team's ace to use was outrageously unwise.

"Kamito, what is the meaning of this?"

The one most confused was Leonora herself.

"Are you pitying me?"

She stared sharply at Kamito.

"No, that's not the idea."

Kamito shook his head and refuted.

"Sorry, Leonora, but I have a request for you."

This was precisely the reason why Kamito had held back the instant when he unleashed the secret technique.

Bending over, Kamito whispered by Leonora's ear.

...After listening, Leonora:

"...Don't worry about it. Consider it my return gift for your blade dancing together with me."

She nodded, still lying on the ground.

"Much appreciated."

Kamito stood up and faced Fianna.

"—Thank you for your patience. Let's go now."

===Part 5===

"...Guh... Oooh, ooh..."

Imprisoned, Claire's body was being devoured by darkness as she struggled stubbornly.

Very soon, the cries of the newborn «Darkness Queen» shall be heard.

"...Amazing. To think you still have the willpower to resist."

Dressed in a pure white ritual outfit, Rubia Elstein exclaimed in admiration.

A specially trained princess maiden might fare differently, but one would expect a rapid fall when corroded by this large amount of darkness.

"—As expected of the Elstein's bloodline."

"...Who are you? Why are you doing this, doing something so cruel!?"

Claire cried out persistently as if in a dream. Apparently, her memories were already mixed up or eliminated. Even when she saw Rubia's face, Claire no longer recognized her elder sister.

Unfazed, Rubia continued chanting a spirit language prayer.

This was a blessing for princess maidens who were chosen as «Queens».

However, instead of using one of the «Five Great Elemental Lords», the name woven into the blessing was of the Darkness Elemental Lord «Ren Ashdoll» whose existence had been purged.

"I hate this... No... Don't want..."

"Rest assured. You'll feel a lot better once you fall."

Whispering gently, Rubia stroked her younger sister's red hair.

Back when Claire was young, this was how Rubia lulled her to sleep whenever she was crying.

The darkness continued to devour Claire's memories—whether memories of pain or happiness, all were treated equally.

Rubia did not think this could make up for what she had done to Claire.

Even so, she wished to grant her younger sister some sense of solace.

"—Will come, that person will come."

"...?"

"—That person, surely... Will come to rescue me."

Claire's soul-less eyes once again lit up with brightness.

Rubia was taken slightly aback.

(...''Who is she talking about''?)

Her memories related to Kazehaya Kamito should have been erased already.

Claire and Kamito encountered each other at the Academy a mere two months ago.

Let alone his name, even his face should no longer be possible to recall.

"Ren Ashbell-sama will surely..."

"..."

Hearing the words escaping from Claire's lips, Rubia sighed lightly.

Claire probably had not realized that the true identity of the past «Strongest Blade Dancer», Ren Ashbell, was Kamito. She was simply making dream talk because her memories were confused, probably.

"Claire, the one to receive you will not be the «Strongest Blade Dancer» but the «Demon King»."

As she murmured, Rubia felt faint vibrations beneath her feet.

(Dracunia's princess? No—)

—Bathump. Her heart stung with pain.

Rubia's body sensed the presence of the awakening «Demon King».

"Apparently, Sjora Kahn's delaying failed."

Or rather, it was the witch's doing. The possibility existed for her to let him through intentionally—

"—Very well. I shall personally give you the final push to awaken."

Rubia lifted up her pure white ritual outfit and stood up lightly.

"...I'm sorry, Claire."

Before walking out the door, she shifted her gaze away from her younger sister and whispered.

"When everything is all finished, I shall be incinerated by the flames of conflagration to atone for my sins."

This was the fate of the «Sacred Maiden» who brings salvation to the world.

With a snap and rustling—the heavy ritual attire was shed off.

Illuminated by the flickering flames, the graceful curves of a beautiful nude body was revealed.

The pale white skin was covered entirely by black patterns.

Carved on her body were countless «Cursed Armament Seals».

<noinclude>{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter6|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter8}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter7

2013-03-31T00:45:17Z

Shortykilz: /* Part 3 */

==Chapter 7 - Blade Dance of the Dragon Princess==

===Part 1===

Jumping down from the demon dragon's head was a female knight dressed in the military uniform of the country of dragons.

Black hair neatly trimmed to shoulder length. A white beret on her head.

The «Knights of the Dragon Emperor»'s strongest ace—Leonora Lancaster.

Gazing down at Lily collapsed on the ground, Leonora shrugged slightly.

"Amazing of you to fight me to this extent. Commendable."

"...!"

Despite receiving praise, Lily could only bite her lip in chagrin.

"...A thousand apologies... «Cardinal»..."

Leonora offered a knight's salute before taking away Lily's «Magic Stone».

Having lost her «Magic Stone», Lily's body disappeared as particles of light.

An imposed transfer to «Ragna Ys» through teleportation magic.

Without saying a word, Kamito could only watch silently.

Because tainting another elementalist's blade dance through interference was contrary to etiquette.

"Okay—"

Then Leonora turned towards Kamito.

Naturally, she noticed Kamito's group.

"Kamito, did you come here aiming for the same prey?"

"..."

Despite the familiarity in Leonora's opening remark—

Kamito understood very well.

Leonora Lancaster's true nature was like a ferocious dragon.

Noble-minded and elegant, fully of chivalry—and above all, loyal to her combat instincts.

Leonora's black eyes gleamed with delight.

She was like a dragon that had found its ideal prey.

(...However, she doesn't look like she's currently being controlled by «Dragon Blood».)

Kamito groaned to himself.

—Very likely, she was going to be even tougher to handle than during their last battle.

An elementalist's intuition told him.

"You have come here to defeat Ren Ashbell as well?"

"Yes, because she is the most powerful prey in the current «Blade Dance» festival."

Leonora nodded.

"Then I have a suggestion—"

Kamito decided to try his luck and request they work together, however:

"However, that prey is slightly less attractive than having a blade dance with you."

"...!"

Leonora released a battle aura that instantly caused shudders down Kamito's spine.

The demon dragon «Nidhogg» proceeded to moan softly, its ferocious eyes flashing brightly.

Then—

"—Divine soul of the jet black evil dragon, turn into the power in my hand!"

Heeding Leonora's call, the dragon spirit «Nidhogg» transformed into a massive sword whose length equaled her height—the «Dragon Slayer» elemental waffe.

(...Negotiations won't work, apparently.)

Left without a choice, Kamito readied the «Demon Slayer».

As much as he wanted to save Claire as quickly as possible—

Perhaps due to the battle against Lily, Leonora's fighting spirit was roused to a maximum.

This wild dragon probably could not be brought under control without a fight.

(...Besides, I already promised her.)

—The next time we speak, we will have a blade dance together.

Back then, Kamito had indeed agreed to her proposal.

The «Blade Dance» stage was where blade dances were performed as offerings by elementalists with their respective «Wishes» on the line. One was not supposed to evade battle when faced with direct challenges.

"Kamito-kun..."

Worried, Fianna grabbed Kamito's sleeve.

"Don't worry. It'll be over quickly."

Kamito stared at Leonora before him as he spoke.

Naturally, this did not imply that Leonora was easy to defeat. What Kamito meant was that this blade dance was a clash of strength rather than a contest of skill, hence it was going to be a quick decisive match—That was what he was trying to say.

(...In that sense, I must thank Leonora.)

If Kamito had to face Lily who was skilled in taking advantages of openings, surely he would be dragged into a rather lengthy and protracted battle.

"...I understand."

Fianna swiftly moved towards the wall.

Scarlet simply sat obediently in front of the door.

"—This is it, Leonora."

Facing Leonora, Kamito infused divine power into the «Demon Slayer».

"I have no intention of engaging in a graceful blade—Let's attack with full strength on the get go."

"—As you wish, Kamito."

The strongest ace of the «Knights of the Dragon Emperor» smiled happily.

===Part 2===

"Captain, are you still able to continue?"

"Of course. Do not underestimate a Fahrengart knight."

Rinslet's magic bow produced a rain of hailstones while Ellis' gales blew intensely. The blade dance performed at the entrance of the «Lost Cathedral» was intensifying.

"Dragon king of ice who sleeps in a prison of frost, release your breath—«Breath of Ice»!"

Yelling loudly, Rinslet released an arrow.

The magical ice arrow's payload of wide area spirit magic exploded in midair. All the demon spirits appearing in the air were frozen.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

At the same time, Ellis swung «Ray Hawk» as she flew in the air using wind magic.

The massive ice block shattered along with the demon spirits trapped within.

"Fahrengart style of the spear—«Flash Blossom»!"

As Ellis landed on the ground, only shattered fragments of ice remained fluttering in the air.

"Hmph, Laurenfrost snow never stops!"

Rinslet declared proudly as she tossed her platinum-blonde hair.

"Pay attention. Carelessness is your bad habit."

"S-Shut up!"

Ignoring Rinslet's raised eyebrows, Ellis turned to face Sjora.

Although the demon spirit swarm was not completely wiped out, its numbers had thinned greatly.

However, the witch continued to smile with composure.

"Do not look down on us, Sjora Kahn."

Ellis readied «Ray Hawk» and gathered wind around the spear tip.

Rinslet also nocked a new arrow of ice and aimed at the witch.

"We lost in the past, but given our current selves, keeping you occupied here is within our ability."

"...Hmph."

Sjora placed a fingertip on her lip and jeered.

"...!"

The repulsive smile sent chills down one's back.

"—Just so you know, it was intentional."

"What are you talking about?"

"I am saying that I intentionally allowed Kazehaya Kamito go first."

Snickering—the vivid red lips twisted into a crescent.

Her sheer silken garment fluttering lightly, Sjora walked amidst the demon spirit swarm.

"As for me, I'm completely uninterested in that woman's plan. ''A completely ignorant and tragic princess''—At the very most, she is going to simply die while cursing the world."

"...What are you talking about?"

"Me, I simply want Kazehaya Kamito—the «Demon King»'s body. That's all."

Sjora raised her arm in the air and began to chant to summon a contracted spirit.

"...Tsk, are you intending to transform into «Ren Ashbell» again?"

Ellis clicked her tongue disapprovingly. Sjora Kahn's contracted spirit, «Baldanders», possessed the power to copy a target's appearance and abilities. Once summoned, things would get quite challenging.

"You're not going to have your way!"

Rinslet instantly released a shower of ice arrows—

However, the descending ice arrows were successively blocked by the swarm of demon spirits.

"...Damn it!"

In that case—Thinking that, Ellis held «Ray Hawk» and charged.

—However, it was a step too late.

A massive magic circle appeared above Sjora's head.

A plain white hand appeared out from the air.

"...Not «Baldanders»!?"

Ellis' eyes of sienna were staring wide.

At the same time, her instincts could feel it. —''This was a dangerous spirit''.

"Fufu, once in the «Demon King»'s service in the past, one of the seventy-two spirits—"

Sjora's mouth lightly whispered its true name.

"The one who takes everything by force—«Bandersnatch»."

===Part 3===

The sound of ceiling fragmets falling down signaled the beginning of the blade dance.

(—Decide the match in the first stroke.)

Holding the shining «Demon Slayer» in one hand, Kamito took half a step sideways.

The fastest flash. Absolute Blade Arts, First Form—«Purple Lightning»'s form.

The wind from Leonora's sword swept up debris as she charged. Raising the «Dragon Slayer» overhead in preparation for a downward chop, she intended to decide the victor with a one-hit-kill just as she declared.

Leonora's elemental waffe was a massive sword, unsuited for turning back for defense.

Using it preemptively in a charging assault was the logical thing to do.

(If I get hit directly I'll probably get blown away in one hit.)

The pressure bursting from the sword made Leonora seem like a completely different person compared to before. Even back when she was rampaging from the «Dragon Blood»'s effects, Kamito did not feel such an intimidating presence from her.

Probably because she was no longer confused? Something had changed her sword.

Kamito could not be sure what the actual reason was.

(...However, I can't lose either!)

Just as the wind from the sword swept across the top of his hair, in that very instant—

Kamito took a step with explosive power from his legs.

"Absolute Blade Arts, First Form—«Purple Lightning»."

A flash of the blade akin to lightning.

Its true essence—nothing but a ''simple straight thrust''.

Even so, it was a technique that reached an entirely different dimension when taken to the limit.

In a battle against an elementalist, it could be described as a one-hit kill. In the first match during the «Blade Dance» three years ago, this was precisely the move that struck down Velsaria and the «Silent Fortress» with one strike of the sword.

(—Success!)

Evading the front tip of the massive sword by the slimmest of margins, Kamito followed his momentum to crash towards Leonora's chest.

As sparks flew from the friction between steel, then—

(—What!?)

An acute metallic noise rang out.

The trajectory of Kamito's sword was deflected slightly by an invisible obstacle.

(—Protective spirit magic!?)

Kamito clicked his tongue mentally.

Very likely, she had cast it when charging.

(...She swept up the debris cunningly to avoid her chanting from being detected?)

Although spirit magic with the dragon attribute was hard to control and not very versatile, it was the strongest class in terms of physical enhancement of the body. Also, rather than covering the entire body, it achieved its effects by shrinking the defensive area or raising its strength to the maximum limit.

For example, had Kamito aimed for her throat instead of her chest, the match would be over already. However, Leonora saw through his target most splendidly.

Instincts built from a solid foundation of experience—Indeed she was an elementalist among the best of the best.

Although the deflected slash swept over her shoulder, Leonora continued to charge and collided using her entire weight.

Crash—the blunt sound of violent impact between bones was heard.

Kamito's body was sent flying, crashing into the ground a distance away.

Leonora should have experienced the same impact but did not seem injured at all. This was because a contract with a dragon spirit conferred physical reinforcement upon her body.

(Hmm...)

Finding his vision shaking violently, Kamito had apparently suffered a concussion.

Even so, Kamito was still able to discern the approaching danger and swiftly jumped aside.

In that instant, the «Dragon Slayer» swung down. The instant the floor made of spirit crystal was struck by the tip of the sword, sparks flew and the floor shattered like glass.

«Terminus Est» was surely capable to enduring a blow from the «Dragon Slayer», but the wielder Kamito was a separate matter. He had no wish to engage in a battle of pure strength against a dragon elementalist whose body was physically strengthened.

"Kamito-kun!"

Fianna's scream was heard.

Following the momentum of his sideways leap, Kamito stepped on the wall, took a somersault and readjusted his stance.

Although Leonora's arm strength was immense, allowing her to swing the massive sword freely, the downside to these highly destructive single strikes was the great range of motion required for the swings.

—Taking advantage of the momentary opening, Kamito instantly charged.

(This will work...!)

His gaze met with Leonora who was about to swung her great sword.

Turning the hilt that was carved with a dragon towards him—

(...!)

A certain thought flashed through Kamito's mind.

The instant before he stepped into the opening, he shifted his center of gravity slightly.

Immediately, a crimson heat beam was fired from the dragon carving.

The heat beam flew over Kamito's neck, destroying the wall behind him completely.

"...So it's capable of a trick like that!"

Giving no time for a breather, the «Dragon Slayer» swept horizontally.

The intense wind from the sword caused Kamito to lose balance.

Leonora did not miss the excellent opportunity. Instantly, she shifted her grip on the sword's hilt and swung it up high.

"Yes...!"

"...!"

At this distance, even if Kamito could dodge the sword itself, he would still be smashed by the shockwave—

(...Please endure this for a while, Est!)

Kamito infused maximum divine power into the «Demon Slayer» and blocked the hit.

Light flashed past. The impact sounded as if the noise would rupture eardrums.

"Gah... Ohhhh...."

Kamito barely managed to block the sword.

"It's not... Over...!"

However, Kamito was pushed down by the momentum.

"...This, monstrous strength...!"

"Hoho, I'll take that as a compliment."

Amidst the crossed swords, Leonora's bright red face pressed near before Kamito's eyes.

It was an expression filled with utter enjoyment of this blade dance.

Watching her pure and innocent expression, Kamito felt as though he would be mesmerized in an instant.

"I have never had such a rousing and exhilarating blade dance before, Kazehaya Kamito."

"I am honored to hear that."

Kamito relaxed the tension in his face and smiled wryly.

"You're rather composed here. But even for you, reversing this unfavorable posture would be—"

Halfway through her sentence, Leonora's face froze.

An intense flash of light was being generated from Kamito's leather-gloved left hand.

A short sword of steel manifested in that hand.

This was the only spirit magic that Kamito knew, «Weapon Forging».

With a flash of the short sword's blade, Kamito slashed lightly through Leonora's fingers which she was using to grip her weapon.

There was no bleeding because physical damage was instantly converted into psychological damage. However, the pain caused Leonora to frown and weakened the sword's force slightly.

Instantly, Kamito parried the sword to the side and escaped from his position of being pressed down. Then—

"Because this does not belong to orthodox swordsmanship, Greyworth used to correct me—"

Holding the short sword and the «Demon Slayer» in his left and right hands respectively, Kamito explained.

"I actually started out as a dual wielder!"

"Hmm..."
[[image:STnBD V10 181.jpg|thumb]]

Crashing towards Leonora's chest while she was still off-balance, Kamito made sharp slices with the short sword. As soon as Leonora switched to defense, he immediately attacked using the «Demon Slayer».

As sparks flew and scattered from the exchange of offense and defense, it looked like a magnificent dance to an observer—hence that was why duels between elementalists were known as blade dances.

Then the brief dance finally approached its conclusion.

"—O demon dragon «Nidhogg», unleash your wrath in my sword!"

Heeding Leonora's call, the «Dragon Slayer»'s blade shone brightly.

"Magical equipment release—«Balmung» is its name!"

"Unbelievable, magical equipment release...!?"

Kamito's eyes widened.

Magical equipment release—In other words, an elemental waffe's release of its true name. Depending on the type of the spirit being used, a contracted spirit's normally restrained power could be unleashed all at once.

The howling winds of the sword instantly vaporized the short sword created by «Weapon Forging» and even pushed «Terminus Est» back.

Leonora was surrounded by a golden-colored tornado.

—No, that was not wind. Rather, the burgeoning divine power was being released from all over her body to an extent that was visible to the naked eye.

(She's gambling everything on this move to decide the battle huh—!"

The initial exchanges were all undertaken in preparation for this move, because activating the magical equipment release required rousing the elemental waffe through a blade dance.

(...However, magical equipment releases are extremely dangerous.)

Releasing restraints was synonymous to letting a spirit go into a berserk state temporarily.

Expanding divine power gushed from Leonora's surroundings. This was proof that her demon spirit was forcibly releasing divine power.

In this kind of situation, even someone of Leonora's caliber could not sustain this for long.

"You said you hoped for a swift duel, Kazehaya Kamito!"

Leonora lifted the «Dragon Slayer» above her head. Its rumbling howls became even louder.

"This is my strongest sword—"

"Fianna, protect yourself well!"

Kamito shouted out hastily.

Even though Leonora had no such intentions, it was currently very easy for Fianna to get caught up into things.

(If possible, I want to save ''that move'' for the last, but...)

Kamito knew he would be defeated unless he went all out. In that case—

(Est, I'm relying on you!)

—Yes, Kamito. I am your sword, your wish is my command!

Kamito heard Est's voice in his mind.

At the same time, the «Demon Slayer»'s blade gave off light several times brighter than usual.

Kamito took half a step to the side and quietly stayed still as he waited for Leonora's next move.

The posture he took was that of a counterattack, the strongest anti-elementalist form.

In her current state, Leonora was fully adequate as an opponent. This was an excellent opportunity for Kamito to test if he had truly mastered his understanding of Greyworth's secret technique.

To take on the strongest sword head on.

Were he to lose here, it implied that Kamito could not hope to defeat Rubia Elstein.

"—O dragon, devour my body and unleash your wrath!"

Leonora roared.

«Balmung» shone with golden splendor as it chopped right down at Kamito—

In that instant, Kamito took action.

The secret technique of the Absolute Blade was no ordinary sword counter. One needed to sense the flow of divine power in the incoming attack and synchronize with the flow while engaging in the blade dance—Its true essence could be described as closer to a princess maiden's ritual dance performance in comparison to a blade dance.

Then—

(In the instant the blades clash, cut the ''root'' of the flow—)

Rather than relying on vision, one had to see through by feeling.

A failed activation of the technique would lead to nothing but defeat.

The «Demon Slayer» and the «Dragon Slayer». The two swords collided with each other.

A flash of light erupted—Kamito was able to see within it.

The root where the flow of divine power was concentrated.

"Absolute Blade Arts, Final Form—«Last Strike»!"

An instantaneous flash of the sword shattered the «Dragon Slayer» and skewered Leonora.

===Part 4===

A blade dance between elementalists of the highest class.

In terms of time, it was so brief that it did not even last a minute.

However, Leonora's face displayed satisfaction as she lay collapsed on the floor.

"Kamito, thank you..."

Panting, her chest heaving up and down, Leonora still smiled.

"...For a most splendid blade dance performed together with you."

Caught unaware by her sincere smile, Kamito felt his heart racing.

Apparently, Leonora no longer had the strength to stand up. Nevertheless, for her to maintain her consciousness after being struck by the Absolute Blade's secret technique, she truly lived up to her reputation.

(...Oh well, it can't really be considered complete.)

While his gaze was drawn to his numb right hand, he breathed a sigh of relief for her safety.

Indeed, the very instant before he unleashed the secret technique, Kamito had slightly loosened the strength of his fingers' grip.

As a result, the secret technique was not performed in a complete manner.

He did not inflict a critical wound on Leonora because—

"Kamito..."

Leonora spoke up at this time.

"My «Magic Stone» is kept in my bosom. As the winner, please take it."

"In your bosom!?"

Kamito could not help but find his gaze drawn to Leonora's two massive bulges.

At the same time, he recalled something else.

During the «Water Elemental Festival» before the finals, Kamito had stared directly at her naked chest due to unavoidable circumstances.

"D-Don't be an idiot, how could I take it out like that!?"

Frantically, Kamito shifted his gaze away.

"Last time, weren't you searching my chest once?"

Leonora pouted angrily.

"Ah, that time, yeah, uh..."

Just as Kamito stammered...

"Hey Kamito-kun, what is the meaning of this chest searching?"

"Meow—?"

"...!"

Rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble rumble...!

Kamito looked back apprehensively to find the imperial princess bearing a lovely smile.

...For some unknown reason, Scarlet also seemed to be getting angry.

"No, that... A-Anyway, putting that aside, could you get out a «Healing Stone» instead?"

Kamito frantically changed the subject.

"..."

Fianna continued to glare at Kamito with an icy-cold gaze.

"Geez, you're hopeless."

Nevertheless, she took out a «Healing Stone» from her bosom and handed it to Kamito with a sigh.

But rather than using it on himself, Kamito gripped Leonora's hand around it.

"W-Wait a minute, Kamito-kun?"

Fianna jumped in fright.

Given the weight restrictions of the blade dance festival, the «Healing Stone» was a precious recovery tool. Handing it over for an enemy team's ace to use was outrageously unwise.

"Kamito, what is the meaning of this?"

The one most confused was Leonora herself.

"Are you pitying me?"

She stared sharply at Kamito.

"No, that's not the idea."

Kamito shook his head and refuted.

"Sorry, Leonora, but I have a request for you."

This was precisely the reason why Kamito had held back the instant when he unleashed the secret technique.

Bending over, Kamito whispered by Leonora's ear.

...After listening, Leonora:

"...Don't worry about it. Consider it my return gift for your blade dancing together with me."

She nodded, still lying on the ground.

"Much appreciated."

Kamito stood up and faced Fianna.

"—Thank you for your patience. Let's go now."

===Part 5===

"...Guh... Oooh, ooh..."

Imprisoned, Claire's body was being devoured by darkness as she struggled stubbornly.

Very soon, the cries of the newborn «Darkness Queen» shall be heard.

"...Amazing. To think you still have the willpower to resist."

Dressed in a pure white ritual outfit, Rubia Elstein exclaimed in admiration.

A specially trained princess maiden might fare differently, but one would expect a rapid fall when corroded by this large amount of darkness.

"—As expected of the Elstein's bloodline."

"...Who are you? Why are you doing this, doing something so cruel!?"

Claire cried out persistently as if in a dream. Apparently, her memories were already mixed up or eliminated. Even when she saw Rubia's face, Claire no longer recognized her elder sister.

Unfazed, Rubia continued chanting a spirit language prayer.

This was a blessing for princess maidens who were chosen as «Queens».

However, instead of using one of the «Five Great Elemental Lords», the name woven into the blessing was of the Darkness Elemental Lord «Ren Ashdoll» whose existence had been purged.

"I hate this... No... Don't want..."

"Rest assured. You'll feel a lot better once you fall."

Whispering gently, Rubia stroked her younger sister's red hair.

Back when Claire was young, this was how Rubia lulled her to sleep whenever she was crying.

The darkness continued to devour Claire's memories—whether memories of pain or happiness, all were treated equally.

Rubia did not think this could make up for what she had done to Claire.

Even so, she wished to grant her younger sister some sense of solace.

"—Will come, that person will come."

"...?"

"—That person, surely... Will come to rescue me."

Claire's soul-less eyes once again lit up with brightness.

Rubia was taken slightly aback.

(...''Who is she talking about''?)

Her memories related to Kazehaya Kamito should have been erased already.

Claire and Kamito encountered each other at the Academy a mere two months ago.

Let alone his name, even his face should no longer be possible to recall.

"Ren Ashbell-sama will surely..."

"..."

Hearing the words escaping from Claire's lips, Rubia sighed lightly.

Claire probably had not realized that the true identity of the past «Strongest Blade Dancer», Ren Ashbell, was Kamito. She was simply making dream talk because her memories were confused, probably.

"Claire, the one to receive you will not be the «Strongest Blade Dancer» but the «Demon King»."

As she murmured, Rubia felt faint vibrations beneath her feet.

(Dracunia's princess? No—)

—Bathump. Her heart stung with pain.

Rubia's body sensed the presence of the awakening «Demon King».

"Apparently, Sjora Kahn's delaying failed."

Or rather, it was the witch's doing. The possibility existed for her to let him through intentionally—

"—Very well. I shall personally give you the final push to awaken."

Rubia lifted up her pure white ritual outfit and stood up lightly.

"...I'm sorry, Claire."

Before walking out the door, she shifted her gaze away from her younger sister and whispered.

"When everything is all finished, I shall be incinerated by the flames of conflagration to atone for my sins."

This was the fate of the «Sacred Maiden» who brings salvation to the world.

With a snap and rustling—the heavy ritual attire was shed off.

Illuminated by the flickering flames, the graceful curves of a beautiful nude body was revealed.

The pale white skin was covered entirely by black patterns.

Carved on her body were countless «Cursed Armament Seals».

<noinclude>{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter6|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter8}}</noinclude>

Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume06 Illustrations

2013-03-27T22:25:15Z

Shortykilz:

These are the novel illustrations that were included in volume 6

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| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_1|Chapter 1]]
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</noinclude>

Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 1

2013-03-27T22:23:27Z

Shortykilz: /* Emissary */

=== Emissary ===
A buck was walking casually atop a mountain ridge, the arid wind whistling about it.

The creature stood head and shoulders above its brethren, and with its right horn growing out in a bizarre shape it looked repulsive, monstrous.

To the villagers living at the foothills it was a beast to be feared. It was trampling their fields as it pleased in broad daylight, eating its fill of the crops before disappearing into the mountains.

They could not stop it. Those who dared give chase, hoes at the ready, were gored by its horns, suffering grievous wounds. Teams of seasoned hunters were sent in to hunt it down. But this buck had a prodigious sense of smell, and leg strength which was beyond the norm. It saw through every trap, and when they drew close it would leap across cliffs, jump atop the rocky crags, or simply slide down steep slopes to elude them. As a result, even after three days and nights they had not been able to take it down.

And yet one young man was now bringing his bow to bear on this creature.

He could not have seen more than twenty winters, and was of average build. But if one espied the arm that peeked out from his sleeves one could see that he did not lack for training. There was vigor under his dark red locks, and his gaze was keen as he bent his gaze to that buck.

From his hiding place in the crags below to the stag’s ridge there was a distance of about 300 alsin. No distance for a mere bow. If one asked any seasoned hunter he would shake his head and advise that one closed sixty, even seventy paces. What more then for this boy, who was aiming against the grain of gravity, shooting from a low position to a higher one. A light breeze blew downhill from ridge to crag. By this his approach and attack was be masked against his prey. Yet if he missed, this good fortune would have been in vain.

All this, the young man knew well. But he did not waver. He kept his cool, notching a single arrow with an ease born of unceasing practice, following through till he had drawn the bow taut.

The wind ceased for but an instant. The young man, as though foreseeing this pass, let loose that arrow. It traced an arc through the sky, and struck the stag in the neck.

It was an unerring blow, almost as if it was sucked in by some unknown force. And yet the beast did not cry out. Rather, it turned and fled in the direction opposite to the young man.

At this, he at last showed consternation. “Looks like that huge frame wasn’t just for show...”

Leaving his hiding spot, he knoced up another arrow as he made his way up the slope. It was not meant for the buck - in his mind the hunt had been nigh unto ended by his first strike. This arrow was meant for any surprises that might crop up along the way.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Patata* The sound of flapping wings entered his ears, as a creature the size of a large cat passed by his side.

But it was no cat. It was a dragon - its reptilian form scaled bronze with a greenish hue from head to tail, with horns, coarse sharp teeth, and wings that reminded one of a bat. Flitting about freely, as though disregarding the young man that was its companion.

And if they were on ground level he might have traveled on equal pace with it. But as it was he stood in the rough of the rocks, only able to smile bitterly at the departing form of the dragon.

Regulating his breathing carefully, he scaled the ridge-

-and was dumbfounded by what he saw.

Where he had hidden, there was naught but a barren rocky wasteland, and yet beyond the ridge there sprawled a large forest, all trees and bark and dense greenery.

“Well. It’s not that I can’t find it...but this is going to be a chore.”

He was loth to go down. But he could not simply leave the mountain. The villagers would remain uneasy if he merely told them ‘the beast has been taken care of’. He needed proof of his hunt.

“And I still need to find Lunie...”

Lunie, of course, was the dragon who had just ditched him. Thankfully, he knew that he needn’t worry. It was small, but it was a dragon nonetheless. No creature in the wood would dare attack it. And though it was now nowhere to be seen, it was most likely that it had gone after the wounded buck.

Making his way down the slope, the young man took great care as he stepped into the thicket. There could be snakes about, and he didn’t want to risk snagging his clothes on the branches. Once past the thicket, the cold air wrapped around him as he stepped into the verdant woods. The sunlight was greatly dimmed by the undergrowth, and some trees even snaked along slope’s surface.

Indeed, there were few things worse than traversing a forest infested by overgrown weeds and roots.

As he approached cautiously, another *patata* of flapping wings could be heard. He stopped, and sure enough out from deep within the forest’s gloom came Lunie. Recognizing him, the dragon whelp did an artful about-turn in mid-air and went back the way it came.

The young man gave chase, and not ten paces hence he found himself standing before the fallen buck. It had long breathed its last, having bled enough from the wound on its neck staining its fur-coat a deep crimson. Even so he did not relax - many were the tales of beasts seemingly dead using their last ounce of strength to rise up and bring their killers down with them in a rage. And judging from the distance between the ridge and the forest there was still a possibility that more wild beasts could come, having caught the scent of blood.

But Lunie seemed unwilling to humor his cautiousness, plonking itself unceremoniously onto the carcass and spitting him with an look of impatience. ‘Hurry up’, it seemed to say.

The young man grimaced, but made no hurried move nonetheless. Slowly he crept up to the buck, making sure that there were no other creatures about. Only when he had been absolutely certain did he return the arrow to its quiver, before taking a knee in front of the creature.

“Well done, Lunie,” he said, and at last flashed a genuine smile.

The young man’s name was Tigrevurmund Vorn.

Those close to him called him Tigre.

This year, he would be 17. Half a year had gone by since the day he left the land of his birth in Alsace to live in Leitmeritz, in the neighbouring country of Zhcted.

Tigre had initially thought to bring the buck down the mountain with him, but he’d happily quickly given up upon realizing that the creature was heavy. Extraordinarily so at that.

So he hung the creature by its legs to a tree using a rope he’d prepared beforehand, and prepared to dissect it.

Uncharacteristically, Lunie was curled up at his feet, but Tigre was not fooled. It was there only so it could get at the entrails that fell from the carcass at its convenience. It seemed rather eager to do so too, at that.

“Well, I guess I can only take the pelt back with me.” He definitely needed to bring the oddly-shaped horn back as proof of his success, and that was no small amount of baggage to carry by itself. So, unfortunate though that was, he knew apart from that which he would eat he had to leave the rest of it behind. Bones -those would work for proof too, but no, too heavy- meat, it seems like I have to discard them all...

Suddenly he became aware of something rubbing against his trousers. As he looked down, he was chagrined to see Lunie stuffing a face full of blood and entrails into the bottom of his pants - its unique way of saying ‘More, please’. Well, nothing to be done about that. With a sigh, Tigre hefted his dagger, slicing off a few more pieces of meat for the hungry whelp.

By the time he actually finished the whole process, the sun had already reached its zenith. The removal of the horn had taken a large amount of time due to their size. He tied the pelt, still ringed with residual flesh and fats, with a rope of hemp, and put it into a backpack. Afterward he washed his hands using the water in his canteen and got to starting a campfire. That done, he dug a trench, into which he dumped and buried the arbitrarily sized remains of the carcass.

While he was doing all this, Lunie, having eaten its fill, was lying asleep beside the campfire.

Half a year ago, when the breath of spring had only just begun its reign, Tigre had come to Leitmeritz. There a chill wind still blew upon the plains, as a sign of Zhcted’s late-come springtime when compared to his homeland Brune.

He had waited for the mountains of Leitmeritz to thaw before trekking across them, hoping to see with his own eyes the land he now lived in, to feel with his hands and feet its depths and heights- or so he claimed; in actuality all he simply wanted to experience to the fullest the thrills of hunting in unknown terrain.

Interestingly, for all they had interacted during his time as a captive in the court, or even later as a guest commander, he had never once enjoyed Lunie’s favor. Rather, that honor was given by the dragon to his servant-girl, Teita. Yet it insisted on being by his side when he went hunting. It would even sit on the horse that Tigre rode on when he went hunting, insisting that it be brought along regardless.

And how did the silver-haired Vanadis who was the whelp’s master reply when asked for her opinion on this strange turn of affairs?

“This fellow is probably bored to tears from being cooped up in a world of stone walls, so if you would be willing to bring him along...”

She even tacked a joke onto the request. “Don’t go returning to the wild now...”

Though he was unwilling, it was impossible to refuse her. Not when she looked upon the dragon she petted with an expression of both affection, and regret at her inability to satisfy its desire to fly freely in the skies. She wasn’t all that different from the dragon, Tigre realized. She too was a person who could not live and do as she pleased.

In any case, he had the excuse of studying the geography of of Leitmeritz. Of course he wasn’t just there to hunt. So he had ended up bringing Lunie along anyway. And it had exceeded all his expectations - well, at least his expectations for a companion in battle anyway, like during this buck hunt. The rest of the time it did not display any such attitude. In fact, Tigre fully expected that it would start treating him akin to a roadside pebble once they got off this mountain.

A regrettable situation. But despite his disappointment Tigre made no move to improve their working relationship. After all, this wasn’t a human he was dealing with. Lunie may still be but a stripling, but it was still a dragon.

I can’t even understand for the life of him why it follows me at all. Maybe for now I should keep my distance, thought Tigre as he watched the dragon snoozing by the fireside.

And as he continued to keep watch, well fed on a meal of venison, his thoughts turned to the events that led up to the present day.

He was born as the heir to Earl Vorn of Alsace in the northwest of Brune. He had inherited the title at the tender age of 14 when his father succumbed to illness, and with it the stigma of being of the lowest rank of nobles in the land.

But his life would a turn, on a battlefield at summer’s end .

At Dinant the nations of Zhcted and Brune had clashed over the right to control the stream along the borders, and Brune had been defeated. Tigre had led a hundred men in that battle, and there he had encountered the commander-in-chief of Zhcted’s forces - silver haired Eleanora Viltaria, whom they called Meltis and Silvfrahl, one of the Seven Vanadis.

His attempt to assassinate her did not avail him, but Ellen was taken by his skill with the bow and took him as a captive.

In the aftermath of the battle, the rivalry between Dukes Ganelon and Thenardier -the two foremost nobles of Brune- came to a head, and Alsace was swept up in by the wave of turmoil into the fires of war. Upon hearing this news from his father’s loyal servant Batran, Tigre borrowed soldiers from Ellen to save the place of his birth, eventually avenging himself upon Thenardier after a great many battles to the death.

And yet even after all this, there was no happy conclusion. He had only achieved a brief time of peace, and he would have remained Ellen’s captive if not for the new ruler of Brune, the king’s daughter Regin, having helped to intercede on his behalf. Under the terms negotiated, he was to be returned to his homeland after spending three years as a guest commandant in Zhcted. That was the best that could be done for now. And so with the promise that he would return to them in three year’s time, Tigre bid farewell to the people of Brune and crossed the border into Zhcted, with his only companion being his maid Teita.

Half a year had passed since that day. The tardy spring had gone swiftly by, and now even the summer would soon pass. Indeed the brief nature of Zhcted’s summer as compared to Brune’s was enough to leave an impression in and of itself.

His life in Leitmeritz so far had not been easy - one half of that he’d expected, and the other of it he’d experienced. He had to learn how to speak, write, and to immerse himself in the local culture.

There was also no shortage of important personages from Zhcted who wished to meet with him, and though most of these chose to send emissaries rather than come in person, Tigre knew that establishing good relations with them was a necessity.In any case failure was not an option; any failing on his part would smear the name of Ellen, who had given him a place to stay, and he couldn’t rightly allow that to happen.

Adding to his litany of woes were the almost daily assignments left to him by Ellen’s second-in-command Limlishia. The topics were of a grand scale, ranging from governance to military affairs - indeed, under governance the subject could be anything between internal governance and multilateral relations.

She would also enlist his aid in her work often. This was cause for some complaint on his part. But he went along with it anyway. For one thing, the knowledge he gained while accompanying her would be useful in developing Alsace upon his return.

And for another, she wasn’t all work and no play. Under the guise of ‘inspections’ or ‘reviews’, she would sometimes allow him some free time to roam.

At last, dawn broke.

Smothering the fire with mud, Tigre shouldered his backpack and set out. Antlers in his right hand, bow in his left, and Lunie tagging alongside him, trademark *Patata* resounding as it flew. They reached the village in the foothills by the afternoon. There they presented the antler and pelt to much rejoicing and many eased minds among the villagers. However, among those who had been counted with the hunters there were many wide eyes.

“So he really managed to bring it down, eh...” The village chief, who had been responsible for leading the hunters, had only this to say.

He had gone into the mountains three mornings ago. Alone, having turned down the offer that the villagers had made to have their hunters serve as his guides.

“For a hunt like this, I alone will be enough.” He’d said that even as he gazed up at the foothills from the village. “And with more people we run a greater risk of the buck getting wind of us, whether it be by sight or sound.”

It wasn’t arrogance, of course. And besides, he had subsequently grilled both the chief and the hunters for detailed information concerning the mountain.

Seeing this, the village chief had mixed feelings. On one hand he thought: “As expected of a knight of the court.” And yet on the other he felt that the boy was only 17. Could he really be relied upon?

But Tigre had surpassed all their expectations, setting out alone and returning triumphant, having shot the beast down brilliantly.

He had succeeded where a group of six -including the chief himself- had failed to do throughout their five day long hunt. And he did not waste his breath on swaggering or on boasts of his ability.

Rather, Tigre just asked for a bed he could borrow for the night, which the chief obliged. He turned in rather early too.

When Tigre rose the next morning, the sky was still dark. It was a tad early for ‘morning’ - even those whose farms were their livelihood had barely gotten out their beds.

“I’m sorry to wake you at this hour,” he said as he called the village chief forth from dreamland before informing him of his decision to leave.

The chief seemed shocked, and even a little disappointed. “If it is convenient for you, sir knight, please do tarry another day in our good village. We will prepare a feast for you as much as we may with our meager means.”

He asked once again. However, soon after expressing both gratitude and pushing a gentle refusal, Tigre quietly left on the village and went on his way. The horse galloped along the path under a brightening sky, though it wasn’t very fast - it couldn’t, what with both Tigre and Lunie sitting on it and all.

“What a waste...” Tigre mumbled to himself as he gazed heavenward. “...It’s not like I had anything urgent to do anyway.”

He was, of course, bemoaning the missed opportunity in the village chief’s offer. If this was Alsace, he might just have taken the proffered boon, but here he had Ellen to consider. She might have been alright with it, but she did not speak for all her subordinates. Particularly for those who already held a certain dislike for Tigre himself.

He couldn’t care less if they criticized him, but he would not allow them to do the same to Ellen.

The sun was already falling into the west when they arrived at the capitol. They rode in via a side road constructed for the exclusive use of those in official service - with Lunie around the two of them would have made a sight for sore eyes in the crowded main streets of the city.

“Master Tigre!” Just as they passed the gates, a familiar voice reached their ears, calling the youth’s name. It was Teita, chestnut hair tied behind her head, running towards them. She dressed after her usual fashion, long-sleeved one-piece dress falling into black folds below her legs and a clean white apron over it. Notably she had discarded her old twin-tailed hairstyle for a single ponytail, which Tigre believed looked well on her too.

Of their immediate reactions Lunie’s was the greater. It took to the air with a *Patata* and flew into her arms. Tigre merely exchanged smiles with her.

“I’m home, Teita.”

Upon catching Lunie, she held it close and it snuggled in her embrace. While doing so, she walked over to the youth.

“Welcome home, Master Tigre.”

“Are you alright? You don’t have to carry it like that if it’s too heavy, you know?”

“Thank you. But Lunie’s not as heavy as it appears. I might get my clothes dirty though.” So she said, but if she was distressed it did not show. Instead, like a mother beguiling a child she petted the little dragon whelp.

This sixteen-year old girl, who like him was born in Alsace, had served him in the capacity of a maidservant since she was till today, and even when he was set to live in Leitmeritz, she had insisted on following him.

This had been his wish as well, and Ellen had acquiesced. Nonetheless, he had worried at first that she, whom he treated like a sister, might not be able to adapt to the new environment. She had rendered his concerns moot, however, breaking the ice easily with the ladies of the court and their maids. Indeed, naught but a few days had passed before they all loved her.

Upon hearing this, Ellen had grimaced before saying thus.

“You’re quite something yourself, but it seems Teita hasn’t fallen behind. Quite the unexpected catch, isn’t she?” These words relieved Tigre greatly.

“Oh, yes. Master Tigre, the Lady Eleanora and Miss Limlishia have important matters to discuss with you.”

“Important matters? With me?”

“Indeed. Lady Ellen instructed me to inform you of this upon your return.”

Upon hearing Teita recall her previous conversation with the Vanadis and her second, Tigre set his head askew in thought as he dismounted. It was all very odd. He had just returned, and had yet to greet anyone yet. Moreover, he was required to report to Ellen anyway.

Therefore it must have been something of extraordinary importance, for her to have left him such specific instructions.

“Are they going to remind you not to take so many detours?” Teita asked.

Naturally, she did not say this in earnest. Those mischievous words were only meant to lighten his mood, Tigre guessed as he patted the younger girl on the head.

“Hmmm. That’s possible...” He did after all have a history of chatting Rurick up in the halls for too long while en route to the administration office. This habit which had earned him many a stern earful from Lim, and at times some nattering from the officials who disliked him whenever they could catch him. “In any case I’ll head up there. Thank you, Teita.”

After handing both horse and dragon over to her, he headed up to the administration office. In the dying light of day, the corridors were dim, lit only by the flames of pinewood torches. But Ellen would be in there at this hour, he knew. He walked up to the door and knocked lightly, calling out as he did so. Sure enough, a moment later a ‘come in’ could be heard.

Opening the door, Tigre’s eyes were met by a familiar scenery. A modestly-sized room, a table of black sandalwood piled high with a veritable mountain of books, and two ladies attending to the paperwork.

The first of them sported waist-length silver hair and a blue-based silk dress. Her crimson eyes burned with vigor, and against a wall close within reach she laid a longsword by. She was so fair of face, it was hard to imagine her as a skilled sword maiden capable of holding any man at bay. Yet she was and more. She was the administrator of this capitol, ruler of Leitmeritz and one of the seven Vanadis of Zhcted, seventeen year-old Eleanora Viltaria.

The other was golden-haired Limlishia -Lim, as both he and Ellen would normally address her-, Ellen’s second-in-command and confidante. Tall, twenty and well-endowed, her look of detached stoicism as she silently perused the documents before her was quite the opposite of Ellen’s.

“Looks like you made it back safely.”

After looking him up and down for a moment, Ellen’s expression relaxed visibly, and Lim greeted him with an upward quirk of her lips.

“I’m back indeed,” Tigre noted, before closing the door and pulling a chair over to sit on.

Ellen’s eyes glittered. “And how did the deal with the buck go?”

He gave a simple explanation of what had transpired in the village and on the mountain, while Lim prepared wine for three. Naturally, the whole request had been their doing; Ellen had dispatched him to deal with the problem after the village had informed them of its plight.

Stopping the work in their hands, the three offered up a small toast in celebration of this success, and after having finished his explanation, Tigre switched topics.

“So I hear from Teita that you have important affairs to discuss with me.” At this, the two ladies exchanged glances, and Ellen dipped her gaze to the cup in her hands, as though considering her reply. A moment later, she lifted her eyes once again.

“Tigre. Have you heard of Asvarre?”

The sudden question came as a surprise, but Tigre recovered quickly. “It’s situated northwest of Brune, across the western sea of Zhcted, I think. It’s best known for its agriculture-based economy, but a few generations ago they had a queen who led many campaigns of expansion into the continent.”

In actuality, the number of things he knew for sure about Asvarre could be counted off on one hand, and all that he had learnt from Masas. But being in the northeast, Alsace had no stake in that country. So for all he knew of Asvarre it could be a fairy tale land - only the story of the conquering queen had made any lasting impression on him.

Once again, the two women exchanged looks. But these were looks of unease.

Draining her cup, Ellen spoke. “A certain someone has requested your presence in Asvarre.”

At this Tigre furrowed his brow. He did so not so much in surprise as he had in consternation. Judging from her tone, this request must be awfully hard to refuse. And there were only so many people in this world who could cause a Vanadis apprehension of this level. “And who might that be?”

“His majesty the King,” Lim replied coolly.

Tigre’s eyes widened.

Victor, King of Zhcted. He had met the man once, when he was living in Zhcted following the conclusion of Brune’s civil strife. It was a formality that no official guest could avoid, especially not one staying for 3 years in the country, and in any case he had heard from Ellen that the king desired to see him.

But for all that was worth the audience itself was frightfully short. The king had merely saw fit to praise his talents, and assure him that he would be given full freedom in Zhcted - with that their meeting had come to an abrupt end.

Within that brief time, he had indeed felt the oppressive stateliness and authority emanating from the man on the throne. But what had struck him most profoundly had been the man’s eyes. Victor’s eyes were tranquil, yet cold and subdued. It made one think of the inmost depths of a dark forest, bereft of sunlight for a hundred years; like a deep bog without breath or sound of life.

But such thoughts about the monarch of a nation could not be shared with anyone, and so Tigre hid them, buried them deep in his heart.

Honestly, he didn’t make a good impression, Tigre thought. ‘An enigmatic old man’ was the most honest summary he could give on his thoughts concerning that man.

And now this person was ordering him to go to Asvarre.

“So what does he want me to do there?”

“Essentially, he wants you to serve as a secret envoy.”

At this point, Ellen put her cup down and folded her arms, a distressed look on her face.

“Tigre. What do you know about Asvarre’s situation, really?”

“Well, that there’s people in it, and they sing, dance and hunt all day long?”

“Indeed, and they slaughter their own people with axe and sword while they’re at it too.” He’d actually expected this, but still it seemed there was no chance that this would be a comfortable topic.

Lim put her still unfinished cup on the table, and then proceeded to retrieve a piece of parchment from a drawer beneath the table.

“...I suppose I’ve never really told you about Asvarre either, Tigre. I’ll try to make this brief.”

“Please do, teacher.” Tigre said mischievously.

Ellen laughed. “Yes, please do, sensei.”

With a sigh, Lim turned to the parchment and began to draw a simple map. “Now, until half a year ago, King Zechariah was still on the throne of Asvarre. At that time there was intelligence to suggest that he planned to invade Brune, but due to his own poor health he ultimately decided to sit back for a while and observe the situation.”

Tigre’s breath caught in his throat. He had underestimated till now just how much Brune had been like a sheep thrown among wolves during those times of turmoil half a year ago. True, Sachstein was repulsed by Roland, and he himself had driven Muozinel back. But if Asvarre had invaded from the west at that time...heaven only knew what would have happened then.

“A short time after the civil war in Brune ended,” Lim continued, “King Zechariah breathed his last. I can’t really say how exactly he died. Some say he died in an accident, others say he died of food poisoning.”

Now, the King of Asvarre had six children. His eldest, Jermaine, was to ascend the throne.
And that was where the madness began.

“A few days before the coronation ceremony, Jermaine called his siblings together and had them executed on counts of treason.”

“Heh, or so we heard afterward,” Ellen added drily, supplementing Lim’s lecture with her own comments. “It seems Jermaine is quite the arrogant character, and paranoid as well. I guess he hid his true colors while his father still lived, but with the throne in sight he must have decided to take action.”

This subject was repugnant to Tigre, but he nodded for Lim to continue anyway.

“However, two of the king’s children escaped Jermaine’s grasp - the second prince, Elliot, and the first princess, Guinevere.”

The larger part of the details that Lim mentioned afterward could be summarized as such: After making his way to safety, Elliot had begun a revolt against his brother. Despite the succession having been the king’s will, there were many among the nobility who had opposed Jermaine’s kin-slaying, and the revolt had been a success. Jermaine was forced to abandon the palace and flee.

“So now Asvarre is split into two-” Lim broke off as she concluded, “no, perhaps you could say three parts. Jermaine has hired mercenaries from Sachstein to bolster his own forces, while Elliot has done much the same by bringing the pirates of the coast into his ranks. Asvarre is in a state of chaos.”

“What about the princess Guinevere?” It was strange that she was not mentioned, so he asked.

“Rumors say that she is indifferent to either side, and has retired to a more quiet life. Most likely, she will not make any moves until the conflict between her brothers has been settled,” Lim said.

“And till now Zhcted has been supporting Elliot,” Ellen added.

“Oh yes. There’s that,” Lim said. “Okay, let’s stop talking about Asvarre for now.” With that, she produced another parchment, and began drawing up a map of the continent. Zhcted in the center, Asvarre west of the sea, Muozinel to the south on land and Brune to the southwest.

“Tigrevurmund.” Lim’s voice was scholarly and stern, like a teacher asking a question of her pupil. That meant that if he answered wrong, he was sure to be reprimanded. “Who, in your opinion, is the greatest threat to Zhcted at this time?”

“Muozinel, I suppose.”

“Correct.” Lim confirmed, unsmiling, as though this answer was a given.

“So you see, the situation in Asvarre is as we stated before. And in Brune, the scars left by the civil war have yet to heal. At best, it would take two or three years for it to make a full comeback.”

Needless to say, the next major factor was Muozinel. Even though they had been beaten back during their assault on Brune six months ago, in reality only their navy had been dealt any significant casualties. Their land army -footsoldiers and cavalry both- had withdrawn before a decisive battle could be fought, as such minimizing their losses.

Muozinel now had an axe to grind against Zhcted as well - Tigre had the help of Zhcted troops in his rout of their advance army. Moreover, currently, Zhcted held Agnes, originally part of Brune, as their own territory, thus forming a strip of land belonging to Zhcted that Muozinel had to pass through first before it could attack. As such, Muozinel could only attack via sea, and that was impossible with their damaged navy: it could hardly even defend against an enemy attack as it was, let alone launch an invasion. So they could only sit on their hands and watch Brune recover.

“Sooner or later, we and Muozinel will surely clash. But when that will happen, no one knows. It could be three, even ten years from now.”

So saying, Ellen gazed at the wall behind her and the two flags that adorned it.

A silver sword upon black, for Leitmeritz, and for Zhcted the black dragon.

“The balance of power hangs on Asvarre’s decision - whether to join hands with Muozinel, or with us.”

Upon hearing Ellen’s words, Tigre at last understood. If Asvarre were to align itself with Zhcted, then the latter could concentrate all its energy on Muozinel. But if Asvarre were to make Muozinel its ally instead, then Zhcted would be beleaguered from both the south and the west, and it would have to divide its forces to tackle such a dire situation.

“As we were saying before, we would have preferred Elliot, but it seems he personally leans towards Muozinel. As such we shall have to support Jermaine instead.”

“So, this secret envoy you speak of...” Tigre trailed off.

Ellen looked distinctly apologetic. Seeing her struggle to reply, Lim stood in for the silver-haired Vanadis. “Tigrevurmund. I believe we had said before that this is the King’s request, not that of Lady Eleanora.”

“I know. There is no way Ellen would ask something like this of me.” He answered decisively to reassure them. It worked. Almost immediately the tension in the room decreased several fold. Both women loosed smiles, and Ellen heaved a sigh of relief while still hanging her head in apology.

“I’m sorry, Tigre.”

“You needn’t be, Ellen,” Tigre said. “More importantly, what does King Victor hope to achieve by sending me?” He didn’t know the foggiest about Asvarre. He hadn’t even been there. Ever. The king’s intentions were unfathomable in this regard.

“From a certain point of view you could say he wants to recruit you,” Ellen noted while passing her now empty cup back to Lim. “It’s basically selling favors, giving you honor and glory in exchange for your services. Isn’t that practice quite common in Brune as well?”

Tigre set his head askew - he still could not accept this. “But I am not King Victor’s subject, I am a citizen of Brune, a guest who will return to Brune in 3 years time, no?”

“And that’s precisely why he wants you. Think about it - do you really expect to live off the fat of the land once you get back after 3 years? If it were up to me I’d make you a military advisor. That way you wouldn’t ever leave the palace even after a few years.”

Upon hearing Ellen speak so solemnly, Tigre could only contemplate in silence. It was true, for he was undeniably a person of meritorious deeds.

“Having received the title of ‘Star Shooter’ and ‘Moonlight Knight’ from an enemy general and your own king respectively, you are someone who will definitely be in an important position once you get home. So as far as the King of Zhcted is concerned selling you favors is the right thing to do.” Lim added coolly after pouring Ellen some more wine.

For her part the Vanadis pulled open a drawer on her own desk, and from there retrieved a letter, two rings and a sleek tube.

The tube was half an arm long, and covered by a dark black cloth. On its cap the seal of the King of Zhcted was engraved and inlaid in gold.

“This contains a secret message to Prince Jermaine, and the rings will be proof of your identity as the King’s envoy. But what I really want to show you is this - the king’s letter.” Taking the letter, Tigre read it carefully. The words of a king could not be ignored, not a single one.

It started with the normal salutations, with the King giving some praise for his gallantry in Brune and celebrating the newly forged peace between Brune and Zhcted before diving straight into the main topic.

-You are proof of the strong ties between Zhcted and Brune, and thus able to represent both nations before the Prince Jermaine. No one is more suited than you are to accomplish this task.

Written below are instructions as to how far we are willing support the prince in terms of finances and in the sending of troops, as well as the duration for which we shall do so. There are contingencies should extenuating circumstances force you to deviate from the initial plan, but you should return immediately should the situation go too far out of hand.-

So, Tigre mused. He wants to use me as a bargaining chip then.

At the end of the letter there were instructions as to how he should enter Asvarre. He would travel from Leitmeritz to Regnis, and then from there he would rendezvous with some men the King sent before setting out together for Asvarre. He was flabbergasted at the sheer amount of detail the letter went into. It even mentioned what street he should be travelling by.

Suggesting that both Zhcted and Brune were in support of Prince Jermaine - quite clever of the King, really, Tigre thought.

Still. He glanced up from the letter and gave Ellen a look of unease. “Was Brune told of this?”

Ellen shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Lim nodded in agreement. “If it were so, Queen Regin would have passed the orders down to you herself, Tigrevurmund.”

She was right. In the end he was still a guest commandant, and not under any obligation to obey King Victor. Even the letter itself closed with these words-

“I, the King of Zhcted, earnestly ask of you-”

-meaning that this was no order, but a request.

And yet he could no so flippantly refuse. It was a request from a king, after all.

“...Aside from me, is there no one else who can take on this task?”

“Zhcted doesn’t lack for such people. But to the king, he couldn’t claim to be doing you a favor without at least asking you to do this much.”

Tigre tried to contemplate this for a few seconds, and then gave up, shrugging. Immediately, Lim scolded him in a low voice, and then proceeded to explain.

“You see, something like rooting out mountain bandits wouldn’t be adding any additional feathers to your cap. Your role in the Brune civil has already demonstrated your bravery, and therefore your worth, enough.”

“There are other ways of winning honor, yes, but these would mostly involve you becoming a counsellor to the king. And that would put you in a precarious position - most of our nobles would oppose the idea of Brune interfering in affairs of governance, and it would undermine the king’s authority. So a diplomatic assignment would be the best option.” Ellen sighed.

It was true, Tigre knew. The advantages of sending him were exactly as King Victor had stated - and in those regards no one in Zhcted could compete with him.

“...And that’s how it is. Assuming that the King bears you no ill-will in the first place.” Ellen griped, leaning back in her chair.

Her casual posture relieved the young archer greatly, and he smiled. “I don’t remember ever doing anything to incur his ill-will.”

“If a country has a skilled general, do you not think that his very presence will cause the surrounding nations to be on their guard?” Lim noted coolly, remaining upright and altogether serious despite them. “In our country there are many people who are displeased by your presence, Tigrevurmund...although I am not saying the king is one of these.”

“But the negotiations are important to Zhcted. Failure would be disastrous - so why would he give the task to me if he has enmity towards me?”

Ellen furrowed her brows as she spoke, her displeasure plain to see.“Well, since there is a contingency in place you will most likely be held responsible for any failure.”

“Of course, success would be still be best, but if you were to fail, getting rid of you would eliminate some future concerns. Depending on the situation, the blame could also be shifted onto Brune.” At this Ellen swung back upright with a *BANG*, ignoring Lim, who cocked an eyebrow at her. “Actually, don’t you find it all very strange? If I were in the king’s place, I would throw you a banquet with someone else as the host, and make my request while the host distracts the rest of the guests.”

That was true. Tigre thought. He and the King had only met once - they weren’t friends by any means. There should have at least been some sort of party thrown to improve their relationship.

“It would only take a simple check to know that you’ve never been to Asvarre. Sending you there is like asking a child who doesn’t know left from right to go to a neighbouring village to buy something. And then there’s the men the king sent. We have no details on them. The whole thing practically screams ‘this is suspicious’!”

Indeed, it was getting quite hard to think that the king had given him this job for his ability.

“But King Victor has yet to reveal what he thinks of me, correct?” Tigre asked cautiously.

Both Lim and Ellen nodded.

“I can only think of 3 reasons why this was assigned to you. One would be to do you a favor by letting you take the honor of being a diplomat. The other might be to destroy you by putting you in a situation where you would be helpless. And the last would be to gauge your abilities.”

“Gauging my abilities?”

Ellen held up a hand. “In short, he wants to know if you are merely a person who is skilled in warfare, or if you have other skills besides. I still can’t tell if he wants you on his side, or if he wants to destroy you. But whatever it is, he definitely wants to use you.”

The silver-haired young woman chuckled a little, causing Tigre to grouse silently. None of the three options was anything to be glad about.

“And if he has any other design,” Ellen noted in a low, more serious tone, “it’s most likely to use your actions to see how the Vanadis -myself included- and the Queen of Brune will act.”

“Ellen, what should I-”

“Tigrevurmund,” Lim said in a stern voice, cutting him off. “Do not ask that of us.”

Ellen shook her head bitterly. “No matter what your decision is, I will respect it and do my utmost to help you. But it is you who must make the decision, Tigre.”

“I’m sorry.”

He could refuse. But that would lower the king’s opinion of him, and it would also affect Ellen and Brune. Turning to the map, Tigre thought about what was just said. He did not like Prince Jermaine, whom Zhcted was planning to support. And yet if his rival Elliot were to ascend to the throne, his alliance with Muozinel would threaten both Zhcted and Brune, for Brune and Asvarre shared a border.

And then there was the alliance with Zhcted to think about.

For the sake of our countries, must I support a foreign tyrant?

By virtue of lending support to Jermaine, it might be possible to request that he mend his ways. But he was not the King of Zhcted, Tigre knew. His words would most likely have no significant impact.

But he had to move past that. Sighing, he asked another question. “What sort of person is Prince Elliot, then?”

“Rumor has it that he’s not all that different from his brother. But at least he didn’t kill his whole family.”

“But previously you said that he roped pirates into his army to make up for his lack of numbers. Doesn’t that mean the army is no more than a band of thieves?”

King Victor must really want me to disappear, asking me to go into such a place alone.

“Will you refuse, then?”

“Might as well go. It might be a good opportunity to visit Asvarre anyway.” He meant this in earnest, but more because he did not wish to further burden the similarly-aged Vanadis. “But isn’t this a rather roundabout method? Asking me to be a secret envoy, and yet openly supporting Prince Elliot at the same time?”

“Playing both sides isn’t an uncommon tactic. Lyudmila was like that that during the last war.” Ellen said.

“What?” Tigre asked, not comprehending her intent. “I thought Mila was a more straightforward person than that.”

Mila of course referred to Lyudimila Lorie, Michelia of the seven Vanadis and the governor of Olmutz, a province to the south of Leitmeritz.

“You forget that she was Duke Thenardier’s ally at first, which was why she led troops to constrain us. In addition, she continued her pursuit even when we offered to retreat. In order to fulfill her obligations to the duke, she even fought a duel with me.” Ellen’s eyebrows arched in annoyance as she said this, but Tigre could not tell if it was his casual mention of Lyudmila’s nickname, or general displeasure at his reply that caused her to act this way.

“But she protected Lady Eleanora from the assassin’s blade that time, even going so far as to risk her own life.” Lim pointed out stoically.

“W-Well, that was just her trying to make me owe her a favor!” Ellen blustered, her expression that of one caught off-guard. “Even if she didn’t think about it that way at the time, when the need arises she will definitely find an excuse to bring it up!”

“It’s only natural to do that in negotiations,” Lim reminded.

Ellen ignored her, instead turning to Tigre. “And there was that battle against Muozinel. She didn’t come to help you right away, did she? She held off to observe, right? That’s not helping you, that was just her waiting for the moment where she could make you most indebted to her. And she only severed ties with Thenardier after that incident, don’t you forget!”

With that she downed her cup of wine with much gusto.

Tigre for his part understood. This Machiavellian aspect to Lyudmila’s character was probably so deeply ingrained that she did not think any worse of herself despite it. Still, given that she had been forced into a conflict due to her rival’s character, it was not surprising that Ellen would be so angry.

If it was Mila, how would she respond to this request?

During his time at Leitmeritz, Lyudmila Lurie had paid three visits to the capitol, and she came for three reasons. Firstly, to inquire about the state of the mountain road in Vosyes and Brune in general; secondly, to make a show of being on excellent terms with Ellen. Lastly, she came to prevail upon Tigre to join her.

Every time Ellen received a report of her arrival, she would say ‘tell her not to come again’. But who would dare say that to a Vanadis? And in any case she was half joking. They needed the information that Lyudmila regularly brought them concerning Muozinel, and a petty rivalry was no reason to hinder important exchanges of intelligence.

Following her meetings with Ellen she would go looking for Tigre. The first time, she attempted to use the promise of money to win him over, and failed. From then on, she would simply come to make small talk. She did try to invite him on a hunt, but Ellen had turned her down.

If it were her, she would hint at agreeing while avoiding giving a direct answer, all the while gathering intelligence as best she could in the background. And when the critical moment came she would refuse decisively.

Perhaps this is only the first of more difficult requests to come.

He still didn’t like the given task, but he could see it for its uses. And in any case, his complaints were best kept to himself.

After staring at the door Tigre had closed in his exit for a while, Ellen let out a sigh.

“Is this really alright?” Lim asked.

“We don’t have a choice, do we?” Ellen replied brusquely.

She’d agreed to let him go to Asvarre after their meeting. It was an odd thing - actually, she had been prepared to give way should he refuse adamantly, but as it turned out he gave an unexpectedly decisive answer. She should have been glad about that, but her heart still felt heavy. Unwilling.

“I’m sorry about just now, Lim,” Ellen said with an apologetic smile. ‘Just now’ naturally referred to the point when Lim had butted in to stop Tigre from asking for her help in deciding. “I...probably wouldn’t have been able to answer him.”

In her heart of hearts she wanted to say ‘don’t go’. But to deny the king’s request, they needed a viable alternative. Another way to foster closer ties between Zhcted and Asvarre. Or even someone to replace Tigre. But there was no such option. With regards to the king’s requirements there was none better than him, and she would be hard pressed to find such a substitute.

During Brune’s civil war she was able to mollify the king by claiming that she had no choice but to do battle. And it had been a sweet deal overall. Brune footed much of the war bill, Zhcted had gained Agnes in the south, and Ellen had gained Tigre’s services through her co-ruling of Alsace.

This time, she had no such cards to play - without such, even a Vanadis must obey her king.

So despite herself, she could not tell him to stay. Supporting him was the only thing she could do now.

Turning her face to the window, Ellen gazed out at the scenery. The slow breeze of late summer blew across a land where the descent of darkness was nigh complete, with only a little sun peeked out from beyond the western horizon. The stars too, though she could not see them, must have already come out.

“When he came, the snowdrops were still in bloom...”

Snowdrops grew everywhere in Zhcted, and they were the herald of springtime. But spring had passed them by in a hurry. She spent hers governing, and he spent his getting accustomed to the land. And now, even summer was drawing to a close.

With a sigh, Ellen shook her head vigorously. Clearing her mind, she turned back to Lim once more, with a smile on her face. “Well, since he has decided to go, we should pave the way for him. I’ll be counting on you, Lim. This is the king’s request, so people can’t speak ill of it anyway.”

“Yes.” Lim flashed a rare smile, her voice ringing clearer than usual. But it seemed some anxiety came upon her, and cast a shadow over her turquoise eyes. “Yet there is still much to worry about. Becoming a secret envoy to an unknown country, with only one other person following...”

“Let us trust him,” Ellen said brightly, her words and eyes brimming with confidence. “He has shown us many miracles during this year we spent together. Yes, you could call it luck, but without the skill to use such good-fortune there would have been no miracles, and he has that sort of ability.”

That was exaggerating somewhat, but that was because she too felt uneasy. She could not help but worry. Indeed, perhaps she had even wished for him to refuse back then.

“He will return successful. We will send him off smiling, and we will receive him with that same smile. We can do that much, even if we can neither officially celebrate his designation as envoy due to its secret nature, nor reward him easily due to his status as a citizen of Brune.”

“Indeed.” Lim said, glad that her master had erased her worries.

With that they returned to their duties. But as Ellen sorted through the papers, a sudden thought came to her.

I wonder, has the distance between him and I lessened any?

Though she was busy most of the day, and Tigre was under constant scrutiny by the court officials, they still spent their free time together often. When the weather was good they would take afternoon naps on the roof, sometimes even sneaking out the palace under the noses of Lim and the other officials to roam the city streets. During official breaks, they would have tea and refreshments with Lim and Teita. These were all small, but important memories.

We even danced together in the city once.

In the tradition of Zhcted such festivals always began with everyone singing and dancing together, and only later would couples form and dance alone. Apparently, this had originally been a way for men to choose their brides, but that custom had long been phased out, leaving behind only that fragment of knowledge and the form of the dance itself.

When they had found out about the origins of the practice, they had both gone red in the face, but did not stop holding hands as they departed. (Of course, no one else knew, for both of them were too embarrassed to speak of it.)

They never crossed the line, each having understood the other’s position. But the silver-haired Vanadis recalled those memories of their daily lives together, and she felt her heart grow warmer.

Tigre’s room was somewhere in the bowels of the palace. Here, unlike outside where the employees of the palace still milled about even after sunset, there was relative peace. This had been one of Ellen’s considerations, for as a guest he drew significantly more attention than when he had been a captive.

It was not a particularly luxurious place, but the deep green carpet, brick fireplace and an oak table-and-chair set gave it a relaxing atmosphere. There was no lack of necessities either; in the corner there was a cabinet draped with grapevine as well as a long table.

Upon entry, Tigre lit the lamp by the doorway, and hit the bell on the table.

Before long, footsteps approached the door. Teita’s footsteps.

“Master Tigre, may I enter?”

“You needn’t be so uptight, I’m the only one here,” Tigre replied in a gentle tone.

The door opened, the chestnut-haired maid entering with a curtsy before lifting her head and sticking her tongue out at him. “I’m used to it already. And besides, I’m away from home.”

Back in Alsace they had been even less formal with one another. Tigre favored shouting across the hallway to ringing a bell anytime, and Teita for her part would inquire clearly as to his requirements before entering, sparing them a lot of hassle. But this was not Alsace, and there were many officials here who disliked him for being so close to the likes of Ellen, Lim and Rurick. In front of such people, they had to pay more attention to such formalities.

“So,” Teita asked after receiving Tigre’s outer coat, “have you finished speaking to Lady Eleanora on the matter?”

A dark look crept over his face. “Do you have some time, Teita? I have some things I need to tell you concerning that.”

She nodded, perplexed.

Seeing that, Tigre walked over to the cabinet and took out a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses. This would be worrying to her, he knew, but nonetheless he wanted her to know the truth.

After having her take a seat, he poured the wine. First for her, then for himself.

He downed a mouthful.

And then made his announcement.

“I need to go out for a time. I’ll be counting on you to take care of this place.”

Her eyes shot open, staring into the depths of the glass before her, the crimson fluids reflected her depression.

“This isn’t a hunt, is it?”

She was right. If this was a hunt or just some inspection in a nearby city he would have spoken differently. He had done his best to sound calm, but there was no way he could completely hide the anxiety of stepping into unknown territory. Not from Teita, who had been serving him for so long.

So he didn’t bother playing dumb, merely lowering his gaze to meet hers.

“I know you won’t say unnecessary things to others. So I need you to keep a secret for me.”

After confirming her assent, he told her of the trip to Asvarre.

“I can’t tell you the details, but this a very troublesome matter. While I’m gone, you will tell anyone who asks that I have gone to Silesia,” Tigre said. “And...oh yes. Take care of Lunie while I’m out.”

“I understand the part about Lunie. But ‘to the capitol’?” Teita shook her head, uncomprehending.

“Don’t worry, Lim and Ellen are the ones cooking up the cover story. You just need to tally your account to theirs,” he assured her. “I did think of claiming illness to avoid meeting people, though.”

“That wouldn’t have been like you at all, Master Tigre. I mean, those aren’t the sort of words a person who would go out during deep winter in furs to hunt would say. And I don’t think I could fool everyone like that,” she said, displaying her resolve in an ironic sort of way, to which he could only scratch his head, at a loss.

Seeing this, she smiled. “Master Tigre. How far away is this Asvarre?”

“I don’t know. It’s my first time going there too. All I know is that I need to go northwest from here, and then head there by ship.”

“Ship. Sea,” Teita muttered, her eyes wide. Neither of them had ever even seen anything like those. The closest they had come was in images stirred up by the songs of a wandering troubadour, or from the stories of travelling artists who had been as far as Celeste, a town in Asvarre.

She bit her lip, her fists tightening about her apron as she tried to restrain the unease welling up inside her. Reaching for her cup, she downed it all in one go-

-and with a sigh she stood, placing the cup back on table, hazel eyes locking on his.

“I don’t really understand how important this task is. But you must come back safely, Master Tigre.”

Tigre placed his own cup aside, and held her lightly, the fragrance of her hair wafting into his nose as he did so.

You’ve grown taller...

“I will come back,” he repeated over again. “I’ll definitely return safely.”

Tigre left the palace before the dawn of the next day. He would travel not as Tigrevurmund Vorn, but as a common soldier of Leitmeritz. He had said his farewells to Lim and Teita, but not to Ellen.

I wish I could have said goodbye to Rurick and the others as well.

These things left him quite a few regrets, but as a secret envoy his departure needed to be made known to as few people as was possible. Perhaps Rurick might figure it out on his own, though.

He also had to leave by the back gate, instead of from the front. At the side of the gate a saddled horse was already awaiting him - Lim’s handiwork, most likely.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Tigre placed his black bow on the saddle and secured a quiver full of arrows to his luggage -if one could call a small pack with a bear doll tied to it ‘luggage’- behind.

The bear had been obtained from Lim the night before, when she had come to check on his luggage to confirm that he had brought everything.

“Well then, take everything out.” She had said this rather strictly, and he had complied, laying out each item on the table. Food and water for several days, a stone flint, a dagger with a bottle of oil, and a purse full of silver and copper coins.

There was also a letter Ellen had written to her friend Alexandra Arshven, the Vanadis Sasha. She had done this in a hurry, had given instructions for him to see her friend when he passed through Legnica.

“Sasha will give you additional guidance on my behalf, so it doesn’t matter if you are late by one or even two days - You must go to see her. Understood?” And with that she had given the letter to him.

Lastly there were the two rings as well as the silk-covered tube that contained a secret message in the king’s own hand. The surface of the tube had been rolled over with a tanned hide painted black, rendering it completely waterproof.

After inspecting everything item by item, Lim had told him to wait, and left the room for a while.

Before long, she returned, carrying between her arms quite a few new items: a bag of herbs, a bottle of ointment, ropes of hemp and straw, needle, thread and even a hand mirror.

“Bring these along too.”

She said this matter of factly even as she let him help her to arrange these additional things, much to Tigre’s shock.

“Isn’t this a little overdone?” Actually, all of these should have been necessities for travel as well, but he hadn’t thought to bring them with him initially. When he got to the port town at Legnica, he could just purchase all of those trifling things there.

“And what will you do if something happens before you get to Legnica?”

His suggestion had been coldly rejected. He knew she meant well though, and didn’t argue.

But his thoughts inadvertently spilled out into words. “It feels like you’re my mother or something.”

“M-Mother?!” Lim’s stoic mask shattered outright, her eyes going wide as she stared at Tigre, dismayed. In the face of this unexpectedly strong response, Tigre quickly backed down.

“I’m really sorry if that made you unhappy. Teita’s mother was like this too - she would inspect my luggage very scrupulously every time I headed out of town.” Here he paused for a moment, barely stopping short of calling her naggy. “You reminded me of her.”

“I understand. Still, you should watch how you say things,” Lim said. She seemed to have regained her composure after a few moments, but Tigre still felt terrible about calling a twenty-year old woman ‘mother’.

“In that case, take this with you.”

At this moment, Lim put something into Tigre’s hand. Into his hand, not onto the table - it was a small bear doll.

“It’s a charm. Mothers always give them to their children when they go off travelling, so take it. —I don’t remember having a child this old, though,” she said roughly as his shocked gaze alternated between her and the doll. Perhaps if the room had been brighter lit he might have seen her blushing right up to her hair.

Honestly speaking, it was embarrassing to have to hang a bear doll onto his luggage. But when he thought of Lim’s feelings, he could not bear to take it off.

Leaping into the saddle, Tigre trotted the horse forward a few steps. Then suddenly he turned, gazing atop the city walls. It was still dark, and the contours of the palace walls were silhouetted against the darkness. But he could feel someone watching him.

Straining his vision, he caught a small movement.

Who’s there?

It wasn’t a soldier - a soldier would be carrying a torch at this hour. But it was not an intruder either. He could not feel the person trying to conceal his or her breathing.

A gust of wind blew in.

It did not come from the left or the right. It came rushing down from above, blowing his hair every which way and forcing him to squint.

In the midst of the gale he caught sight of an object hurtling towards him, glittering faintly as it caught the light. About the size of an insect, but not as fast. He reached out and caught it.

It was a silver coin, and on closer inspection there were words written in ink on it.

‘Good luck’

His eyes scanned across the walls again, but that person was gone.

Glancing at the coin once more, he put it into his waist-pocket with great care. That done, he grabbed the reins and rode out into the streets, his form enveloped by the darkness.

He knew who the one standing on the walls was. The Vanadis who commanded the winds.

She could not send him off openly, and so she had chosen this method instead.

His drowsiness was far behind him now, gone with the wind. He felt warm, and full of vigor.

I will definitely return safely.

He would give her a pleasing result with his own hands.

So decided, he spurred his horse forward, through the streets at the crack of dawn.

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| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
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Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 1

2013-03-27T22:20:12Z

Shortykilz:

=== Emissary ===
A buck was walking casually atop a mountain ridge, the arid wind whistling about it.

The creature stood head and shoulders above its brethren, and with its right horn growing out in a bizarre shape it looked repulsive, monstrous.

To the villagers living at the foothills it was a beast to be feared. It was trampling their fields as it pleased in broad daylight, eating its fill of the crops before disappearing into the mountains.

They could not stop it. Those who dared give chase, hoes at the ready, were gored by its horns, suffering grievous wounds. Teams of seasoned hunters were sent in to hunt it down. But this buck had a prodigious sense of smell, and leg strength which was beyond the norm. It saw through every trap, and when they drew close it would leap across cliffs, jump atop the rocky crags, or simply slide down steep slopes to elude them. As a result, even after three days and nights they had not been able to take it down.

And yet one young man was now bringing his bow to bear on this creature.

He could not have seen more than twenty winters, and was of average build. But if one espied the arm that peeked out from his sleeves one could see that he did not lack for training. There was vigor under his dark red locks, and his gaze was keen as he bent his gaze to that buck.

From his hiding place in the crags below to the stag’s ridge there was a distance of about 300 aslins. No distance for a mere bow. If one asked any seasoned hunter he would shake his head and advise that one closed sixty, even seventy paces. What more then for this boy, who was aiming against the grain of gravity, shooting from a low position to a higher one. A light breeze blew downhill from ridge to crag. By this his approach and attack was be masked against his prey. Yet if he missed, this good fortune would have been in vain.

All this, the young man knew well. But he did not waver. He kept his cool, notching a single arrow with an ease born of unceasing practice, following through till he had drawn the bow taut.

The wind ceased for but an instant. The young man, as though foreseeing this pass, let loose that arrow. It traced an arc through the sky, and struck the stag in the neck.

It was an unerring blow, almost as if it was sucked in by some unknown force. And yet the beast did not cry out. Rather, it turned and fled in the direction opposite to the young man.

At this, he at last showed consternation. “Looks like that huge frame wasn’t just for show...”

Leaving his hiding spot, he knoced up another arrow as he made his way up the slope. It was not meant for the buck - in his mind the hunt had been nigh unto ended by his first strike. This arrow was meant for any surprises that might crop up along the way.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Patata* The sound of flapping wings entered his ears, as a creature the size of a large cat passed by his side.

But it was no cat. It was a dragon - its reptilian form scaled bronze with a greenish hue from head to tail, with horns, coarse sharp teeth, and wings that reminded one of a bat. Flitting about freely, as though disregarding the young man that was its companion.

And if they were on ground level he might have traveled on equal pace with it. But as it was he stood in the rough of the rocks, only able to smile bitterly at the departing form of the dragon.

Regulating his breathing carefully, he scaled the ridge-

-and was dumbfounded by what he saw.

Where he had hidden, there was naught but a barren rocky wasteland, and yet beyond the ridge there sprawled a large forest, all trees and bark and dense greenery.

“Well. It’s not that I can’t find it...but this is going to be a chore.”

He was loth to go down. But he could not simply leave the mountain. The villagers would remain uneasy if he merely told them ‘the beast has been taken care of’. He needed proof of his hunt.

“And I still need to find Lunie...”

Lunie, of course, was the dragon who had just ditched him. Thankfully, he knew that he needn’t worry. It was small, but it was a dragon nonetheless. No creature in the wood would dare attack it. And though it was now nowhere to be seen, it was most likely that it had gone after the wounded buck.

Making his way down the slope, the young man took great care as he stepped into the thicket. There could be snakes about, and he didn’t want to risk snagging his clothes on the branches. Once past the thicket, the cold air wrapped around him as he stepped into the verdant woods. The sunlight was greatly dimmed by the undergrowth, and some trees even snaked along slope’s surface.

Indeed, there were few things worse than traversing a forest infested by overgrown weeds and roots.

As he approached cautiously, another *patata* of flapping wings could be heard. He stopped, and sure enough out from deep within the forest’s gloom came Lunie. Recognizing him, the dragon whelp did an artful about-turn in mid-air and went back the way it came.

The young man gave chase, and not ten paces hence he found himself standing before the fallen buck. It had long breathed its last, having bled enough from the wound on its neck staining its fur-coat a deep crimson. Even so he did not relax - many were the tales of beasts seemingly dead using their last ounce of strength to rise up and bring their killers down with them in a rage. And judging from the distance between the ridge and the forest there was still a possibility that more wild beasts could come, having caught the scent of blood.

But Lunie seemed unwilling to humor his cautiousness, plonking itself unceremoniously onto the carcass and spitting him with an look of impatience. ‘Hurry up’, it seemed to say.

The young man grimaced, but made no hurried move nonetheless. Slowly he crept up to the buck, making sure that there were no other creatures about. Only when he had been absolutely certain did he return the arrow to its quiver, before taking a knee in front of the creature.

“Well done, Lunie,” he said, and at last flashed a genuine smile.

The young man’s name was Tigrevurmund Vorn.

Those close to him called him Tigre.

This year, he would be 17. Half a year had gone by since the day he left the land of his birth in Alsace to live in Leitmeritz, in the neighbouring country of Zhcted.

Tigre had initially thought to bring the buck down the mountain with him, but he’d happily quickly given up upon realizing that the creature was heavy. Extraordinarily so at that.

So he hung the creature by its legs to a tree using a rope he’d prepared beforehand, and prepared to dissect it.

Uncharacteristically, Lunie was curled up at his feet, but Tigre was not fooled. It was there only so it could get at the entrails that fell from the carcass at its convenience. It seemed rather eager to do so too, at that.

“Well, I guess I can only take the pelt back with me.” He definitely needed to bring the oddly-shaped horn back as proof of his success, and that was no small amount of baggage to carry by itself. So, unfortunate though that was, he knew apart from that which he would eat he had to leave the rest of it behind. Bones -those would work for proof too, but no, too heavy- meat, it seems like I have to discard them all...

Suddenly he became aware of something rubbing against his trousers. As he looked down, he was chagrined to see Lunie stuffing a face full of blood and entrails into the bottom of his pants - its unique way of saying ‘More, please’. Well, nothing to be done about that. With a sigh, Tigre hefted his dagger, slicing off a few more pieces of meat for the hungry whelp.

By the time he actually finished the whole process, the sun had already reached its zenith. The removal of the horn had taken a large amount of time due to their size. He tied the pelt, still ringed with residual flesh and fats, with a rope of hemp, and put it into a backpack. Afterward he washed his hands using the water in his canteen and got to starting a campfire. That done, he dug a trench, into which he dumped and buried the arbitrarily sized remains of the carcass.

While he was doing all this, Lunie, having eaten its fill, was lying asleep beside the campfire.

Half a year ago, when the breath of spring had only just begun its reign, Tigre had come to Leitmeritz. There a chill wind still blew upon the plains, as a sign of Zhcted’s late-come springtime when compared to his homeland Brune.

He had waited for the mountains of Leitmeritz to thaw before trekking across them, hoping to see with his own eyes the land he now lived in, to feel with his hands and feet its depths and heights- or so he claimed; in actuality all he simply wanted to experience to the fullest the thrills of hunting in unknown terrain.

Interestingly, for all they had interacted during his time as a captive in the court, or even later as a guest commander, he had never once enjoyed Lunie’s favor. Rather, that honor was given by the dragon to his servant-girl, Teita. Yet it insisted on being by his side when he went hunting. It would even sit on the horse that Tigre rode on when he went hunting, insisting that it be brought along regardless.

And how did the silver-haired Vanadis who was the whelp’s master reply when asked for her opinion on this strange turn of affairs?

“This fellow is probably bored to tears from being cooped up in a world of stone walls, so if you would be willing to bring him along...”

She even tacked a joke onto the request. “Don’t go returning to the wild now...”

Though he was unwilling, it was impossible to refuse her. Not when she looked upon the dragon she petted with an expression of both affection, and regret at her inability to satisfy its desire to fly freely in the skies. She wasn’t all that different from the dragon, Tigre realized. She too was a person who could not live and do as she pleased.

In any case, he had the excuse of studying the geography of of Leitmeritz. Of course he wasn’t just there to hunt. So he had ended up bringing Lunie along anyway. And it had exceeded all his expectations - well, at least his expectations for a companion in battle anyway, like during this buck hunt. The rest of the time it did not display any such attitude. In fact, Tigre fully expected that it would start treating him akin to a roadside pebble once they got off this mountain.

A regrettable situation. But despite his disappointment Tigre made no move to improve their working relationship. After all, this wasn’t a human he was dealing with. Lunie may still be but a stripling, but it was still a dragon.

I can’t even understand for the life of him why it follows me at all. Maybe for now I should keep my distance, thought Tigre as he watched the dragon snoozing by the fireside.

And as he continued to keep watch, well fed on a meal of venison, his thoughts turned to the events that led up to the present day.

He was born as the heir to Earl Vorn of Alsace in the northwest of Brune. He had inherited the title at the tender age of 14 when his father succumbed to illness, and with it the stigma of being of the lowest rank of nobles in the land.

But his life would a turn, on a battlefield at summer’s end .

At Dinant the nations of Zhcted and Brune had clashed over the right to control the stream along the borders, and Brune had been defeated. Tigre had led a hundred men in that battle, and there he had encountered the commander-in-chief of Zhcted’s forces - silver haired Eleanora Viltaria, whom they called Meltis and Silvfrahl, one of the Seven Vanadis.

His attempt to assassinate her did not avail him, but Ellen was taken by his skill with the bow and took him as a captive.

In the aftermath of the battle, the rivalry between Dukes Ganelon and Thenardier -the two foremost nobles of Brune- came to a head, and Alsace was swept up in by the wave of turmoil into the fires of war. Upon hearing this news from his father’s loyal servant Batran, Tigre borrowed soldiers from Ellen to save the place of his birth, eventually avenging himself upon Thenardier after a great many battles to the death.

And yet even after all this, there was no happy conclusion. He had only achieved a brief time of peace, and he would have remained Ellen’s captive if not for the new ruler of Brune, the king’s daughter Regin, having helped to intercede on his behalf. Under the terms negotiated, he was to be returned to his homeland after spending three years as a guest commandant in Zhcted. That was the best that could be done for now. And so with the promise that he would return to them in three year’s time, Tigre bid farewell to the people of Brune and crossed the border into Zhcted, with his only companion being his maid Teita.

Half a year had passed since that day. The tardy spring had gone swiftly by, and now even the summer would soon pass. Indeed the brief nature of Zhcted’s summer as compared to Brune’s was enough to leave an impression in and of itself.

His life in Leitmeritz so far had not been easy - one half of that he’d expected, and the other of it he’d experienced. He had to learn how to speak, write, and to immerse himself in the local culture.

There was also no shortage of important personages from Zhcted who wished to meet with him, and though most of these chose to send emissaries rather than come in person, Tigre knew that establishing good relations with them was a necessity.In any case failure was not an option; any failing on his part would smear the name of Ellen, who had given him a place to stay, and he couldn’t rightly allow that to happen.

Adding to his litany of woes were the almost daily assignments left to him by Ellen’s second-in-command Limlishia. The topics were of a grand scale, ranging from governance to military affairs - indeed, under governance the subject could be anything between internal governance and multilateral relations.

She would also enlist his aid in her work often. This was cause for some complaint on his part. But he went along with it anyway. For one thing, the knowledge he gained while accompanying her would be useful in developing Alsace upon his return.

And for another, she wasn’t all work and no play. Under the guise of ‘inspections’ or ‘reviews’, she would sometimes allow him some free time to roam.

At last, dawn broke.

Smothering the fire with mud, Tigre shouldered his backpack and set out. Antlers in his right hand, bow in his left, and Lunie tagging alongside him, trademark *Patata* resounding as it flew. They reached the village in the foothills by the afternoon. There they presented the antler and pelt to much rejoicing and many eased minds among the villagers. However, among those who had been counted with the hunters there were many wide eyes.

“So he really managed to bring it down, eh...” The village chief, who had been responsible for leading the hunters, had only this to say.

He had gone into the mountains three mornings ago. Alone, having turned down the offer that the villagers had made to have their hunters serve as his guides.

“For a hunt like this, I alone will be enough.” He’d said that even as he gazed up at the foothills from the village. “And with more people we run a greater risk of the buck getting wind of us, whether it be by sight or sound.”

It wasn’t arrogance, of course. And besides, he had subsequently grilled both the chief and the hunters for detailed information concerning the mountain.

Seeing this, the village chief had mixed feelings. On one hand he thought: “As expected of a knight of the court.” And yet on the other he felt that the boy was only 17. Could he really be relied upon?

But Tigre had surpassed all their expectations, setting out alone and returning triumphant, having shot the beast down brilliantly.

He had succeeded where a group of six -including the chief himself- had failed to do throughout their five day long hunt. And he did not waste his breath on swaggering or on boasts of his ability.

Rather, Tigre just asked for a bed he could borrow for the night, which the chief obliged. He turned in rather early too.

When Tigre rose the next morning, the sky was still dark. It was a tad early for ‘morning’ - even those whose farms were their livelihood had barely gotten out their beds.

“I’m sorry to wake you at this hour,” he said as he called the village chief forth from dreamland before informing him of his decision to leave.

The chief seemed shocked, and even a little disappointed. “If it is convenient for you, sir knight, please do tarry another day in our good village. We will prepare a feast for you as much as we may with our meager means.”

He asked once again. However, soon after expressing both gratitude and pushing a gentle refusal, Tigre quietly left on the village and went on his way. The horse galloped along the path under a brightening sky, though it wasn’t very fast - it couldn’t, what with both Tigre and Lunie sitting on it and all.

“What a waste...” Tigre mumbled to himself as he gazed heavenward. “...It’s not like I had anything urgent to do anyway.”

He was, of course, bemoaning the missed opportunity in the village chief’s offer. If this was Alsace, he might just have taken the proffered boon, but here he had Ellen to consider. She might have been alright with it, but she did not speak for all her subordinates. Particularly for those who already held a certain dislike for Tigre himself.

He couldn’t care less if they criticized him, but he would not allow them to do the same to Ellen.

The sun was already falling into the west when they arrived at the capitol. They rode in via a side road constructed for the exclusive use of those in official service - with Lunie around the two of them would have made a sight for sore eyes in the crowded main streets of the city.

“Master Tigre!” Just as they passed the gates, a familiar voice reached their ears, calling the youth’s name. It was Teita, chestnut hair tied behind her head, running towards them. She dressed after her usual fashion, long-sleeved one-piece dress falling into black folds below her legs and a clean white apron over it. Notably she had discarded her old twin-tailed hairstyle for a single ponytail, which Tigre believed looked well on her too.

Of their immediate reactions Lunie’s was the greater. It took to the air with a *Patata* and flew into her arms. Tigre merely exchanged smiles with her.

“I’m home, Teita.”

Upon catching Lunie, she held it close and it snuggled in her embrace. While doing so, she walked over to the youth.

“Welcome home, Master Tigre.”

“Are you alright? You don’t have to carry it like that if it’s too heavy, you know?”

“Thank you. But Lunie’s not as heavy as it appears. I might get my clothes dirty though.” So she said, but if she was distressed it did not show. Instead, like a mother beguiling a child she petted the little dragon whelp.

This sixteen-year old girl, who like him was born in Alsace, had served him in the capacity of a maidservant since she was till today, and even when he was set to live in Leitmeritz, she had insisted on following him.

This had been his wish as well, and Ellen had acquiesced. Nonetheless, he had worried at first that she, whom he treated like a sister, might not be able to adapt to the new environment. She had rendered his concerns moot, however, breaking the ice easily with the ladies of the court and their maids. Indeed, naught but a few days had passed before they all loved her.

Upon hearing this, Ellen had grimaced before saying thus.

“You’re quite something yourself, but it seems Teita hasn’t fallen behind. Quite the unexpected catch, isn’t she?” These words relieved Tigre greatly.

“Oh, yes. Master Tigre, the Lady Eleanora and Miss Limlishia have important matters to discuss with you.”

“Important matters? With me?”

“Indeed. Lady Ellen instructed me to inform you of this upon your return.”

Upon hearing Teita recall her previous conversation with the Vanadis and her second, Tigre set his head askew in thought as he dismounted. It was all very odd. He had just returned, and had yet to greet anyone yet. Moreover, he was required to report to Ellen anyway.

Therefore it must have been something of extraordinary importance, for her to have left him such specific instructions.

“Are they going to remind you not to take so many detours?” Teita asked.

Naturally, she did not say this in earnest. Those mischievous words were only meant to lighten his mood, Tigre guessed as he patted the younger girl on the head.

“Hmmm. That’s possible...” He did after all have a history of chatting Rurick up in the halls for too long while en route to the administration office. This habit which had earned him many a stern earful from Lim, and at times some nattering from the officials who disliked him whenever they could catch him. “In any case I’ll head up there. Thank you, Teita.”

After handing both horse and dragon over to her, he headed up to the administration office. In the dying light of day, the corridors were dim, lit only by the flames of pinewood torches. But Ellen would be in there at this hour, he knew. He walked up to the door and knocked lightly, calling out as he did so. Sure enough, a moment later a ‘come in’ could be heard.

Opening the door, Tigre’s eyes were met by a familiar scenery. A modestly-sized room, a table of black sandalwood piled high with a veritable mountain of books, and two ladies attending to the paperwork.

The first of them sported waist-length silver hair and a blue-based silk dress. Her crimson eyes burned with vigor, and against a wall close within reach she laid a longsword by. She was so fair of face, it was hard to imagine her as a skilled sword maiden capable of holding any man at bay. Yet she was and more. She was the administrator of this capitol, ruler of Leitmeritz and one of the seven Vanadis of Zhcted, seventeen year-old Eleanora Viltaria.

The other was golden-haired Limlishia -Lim, as both he and Ellen would normally address her-, Ellen’s second-in-command and confidante. Tall, twenty and well-endowed, her look of detached stoicism as she silently perused the documents before her was quite the opposite of Ellen’s.

“Looks like you made it back safely.”

After looking him up and down for a moment, Ellen’s expression relaxed visibly, and Lim greeted him with an upward quirk of her lips.

“I’m back indeed,” Tigre noted, before closing the door and pulling a chair over to sit on.

Ellen’s eyes glittered. “And how did the deal with the buck go?”

He gave a simple explanation of what had transpired in the village and on the mountain, while Lim prepared wine for three. Naturally, the whole request had been their doing; Ellen had dispatched him to deal with the problem after the village had informed them of its plight.

Stopping the work in their hands, the three offered up a small toast in celebration of this success, and after having finished his explanation, Tigre switched topics.

“So I hear from Teita that you have important affairs to discuss with me.” At this, the two ladies exchanged glances, and Ellen dipped her gaze to the cup in her hands, as though considering her reply. A moment later, she lifted her eyes once again.

“Tigre. Have you heard of Asvarre?”

The sudden question came as a surprise, but Tigre recovered quickly. “It’s situated northwest of Brune, across the western sea of Zhcted, I think. It’s best known for its agriculture-based economy, but a few generations ago they had a queen who led many campaigns of expansion into the continent.”

In actuality, the number of things he knew for sure about Asvarre could be counted off on one hand, and all that he had learnt from Masas. But being in the northeast, Alsace had no stake in that country. So for all he knew of Asvarre it could be a fairy tale land - only the story of the conquering queen had made any lasting impression on him.

Once again, the two women exchanged looks. But these were looks of unease.

Draining her cup, Ellen spoke. “A certain someone has requested your presence in Asvarre.”

At this Tigre furrowed his brow. He did so not so much in surprise as he had in consternation. Judging from her tone, this request must be awfully hard to refuse. And there were only so many people in this world who could cause a Vanadis apprehension of this level. “And who might that be?”

“His majesty the King,” Lim replied coolly.

Tigre’s eyes widened.

Victor, King of Zhcted. He had met the man once, when he was living in Zhcted following the conclusion of Brune’s civil strife. It was a formality that no official guest could avoid, especially not one staying for 3 years in the country, and in any case he had heard from Ellen that the king desired to see him.

But for all that was worth the audience itself was frightfully short. The king had merely saw fit to praise his talents, and assure him that he would be given full freedom in Zhcted - with that their meeting had come to an abrupt end.

Within that brief time, he had indeed felt the oppressive stateliness and authority emanating from the man on the throne. But what had struck him most profoundly had been the man’s eyes. Victor’s eyes were tranquil, yet cold and subdued. It made one think of the inmost depths of a dark forest, bereft of sunlight for a hundred years; like a deep bog without breath or sound of life.

But such thoughts about the monarch of a nation could not be shared with anyone, and so Tigre hid them, buried them deep in his heart.

Honestly, he didn’t make a good impression, Tigre thought. ‘An enigmatic old man’ was the most honest summary he could give on his thoughts concerning that man.

And now this person was ordering him to go to Asvarre.

“So what does he want me to do there?”

“Essentially, he wants you to serve as a secret envoy.”

At this point, Ellen put her cup down and folded her arms, a distressed look on her face.

“Tigre. What do you know about Asvarre’s situation, really?”

“Well, that there’s people in it, and they sing, dance and hunt all day long?”

“Indeed, and they slaughter their own people with axe and sword while they’re at it too.” He’d actually expected this, but still it seemed there was no chance that this would be a comfortable topic.

Lim put her still unfinished cup on the table, and then proceeded to retrieve a piece of parchment from a drawer beneath the table.

“...I suppose I’ve never really told you about Asvarre either, Tigre. I’ll try to make this brief.”

“Please do, teacher.” Tigre said mischievously.

Ellen laughed. “Yes, please do, sensei.”

With a sigh, Lim turned to the parchment and began to draw a simple map. “Now, until half a year ago, King Zechariah was still on the throne of Asvarre. At that time there was intelligence to suggest that he planned to invade Brune, but due to his own poor health he ultimately decided to sit back for a while and observe the situation.”

Tigre’s breath caught in his throat. He had underestimated till now just how much Brune had been like a sheep thrown among wolves during those times of turmoil half a year ago. True, Sachstein was repulsed by Roland, and he himself had driven Muozinel back. But if Asvarre had invaded from the west at that time...heaven only knew what would have happened then.

“A short time after the civil war in Brune ended,” Lim continued, “King Zechariah breathed his last. I can’t really say how exactly he died. Some say he died in an accident, others say he died of food poisoning.”

Now, the King of Asvarre had six children. His eldest, Jermaine, was to ascend the throne.
And that was where the madness began.

“A few days before the coronation ceremony, Jermaine called his siblings together and had them executed on counts of treason.”

“Heh, or so we heard afterward,” Ellen added drily, supplementing Lim’s lecture with her own comments. “It seems Jermaine is quite the arrogant character, and paranoid as well. I guess he hid his true colors while his father still lived, but with the throne in sight he must have decided to take action.”

This subject was repugnant to Tigre, but he nodded for Lim to continue anyway.

“However, two of the king’s children escaped Jermaine’s grasp - the second prince, Elliot, and the first princess, Guinevere.”

The larger part of the details that Lim mentioned afterward could be summarized as such: After making his way to safety, Elliot had begun a revolt against his brother. Despite the succession having been the king’s will, there were many among the nobility who had opposed Jermaine’s kin-slaying, and the revolt had been a success. Jermaine was forced to abandon the palace and flee.

“So now Asvarre is split into two-” Lim broke off as she concluded, “no, perhaps you could say three parts. Jermaine has hired mercenaries from Sachstein to bolster his own forces, while Elliot has done much the same by bringing the pirates of the coast into his ranks. Asvarre is in a state of chaos.”

“What about the princess Guinevere?” It was strange that she was not mentioned, so he asked.

“Rumors say that she is indifferent to either side, and has retired to a more quiet life. Most likely, she will not make any moves until the conflict between her brothers has been settled,” Lim said.

“And till now Zhcted has been supporting Elliot,” Ellen added.

“Oh yes. There’s that,” Lim said. “Okay, let’s stop talking about Asvarre for now.” With that, she produced another parchment, and began drawing up a map of the continent. Zhcted in the center, Asvarre west of the sea, Muozinel to the south on land and Brune to the southwest.

“Tigrevurmund.” Lim’s voice was scholarly and stern, like a teacher asking a question of her pupil. That meant that if he answered wrong, he was sure to be reprimanded. “Who, in your opinion, is the greatest threat to Zhcted at this time?”

“Muozinel, I suppose.”

“Correct.” Lim confirmed, unsmiling, as though this answer was a given.

“So you see, the situation in Asvarre is as we stated before. And in Brune, the scars left by the civil war have yet to heal. At best, it would take two or three years for it to make a full comeback.”

Needless to say, the next major factor was Muozinel. Even though they had been beaten back during their assault on Brune six months ago, in reality only their navy had been dealt any significant casualties. Their land army -footsoldiers and cavalry both- had withdrawn before a decisive battle could be fought, as such minimizing their losses.

Muozinel now had an axe to grind against Zhcted as well - Tigre had the help of Zhcted troops in his rout of their advance army. Moreover, currently, Zhcted held Agnes, originally part of Brune, as their own territory, thus forming a strip of land belonging to Zhcted that Muozinel had to pass through first before it could attack. As such, Muozinel could only attack via sea, and that was impossible with their damaged navy: it could hardly even defend against an enemy attack as it was, let alone launch an invasion. So they could only sit on their hands and watch Brune recover.

“Sooner or later, we and Muozinel will surely clash. But when that will happen, no one knows. It could be three, even ten years from now.”

So saying, Ellen gazed at the wall behind her and the two flags that adorned it.

A silver sword upon black, for Leitmeritz, and for Zhcted the black dragon.

“The balance of power hangs on Asvarre’s decision - whether to join hands with Muozinel, or with us.”

Upon hearing Ellen’s words, Tigre at last understood. If Asvarre were to align itself with Zhcted, then the latter could concentrate all its energy on Muozinel. But if Asvarre were to make Muozinel its ally instead, then Zhcted would be beleaguered from both the south and the west, and it would have to divide its forces to tackle such a dire situation.

“As we were saying before, we would have preferred Elliot, but it seems he personally leans towards Muozinel. As such we shall have to support Jermaine instead.”

“So, this secret envoy you speak of...” Tigre trailed off.

Ellen looked distinctly apologetic. Seeing her struggle to reply, Lim stood in for the silver-haired Vanadis. “Tigrevurmund. I believe we had said before that this is the King’s request, not that of Lady Eleanora.”

“I know. There is no way Ellen would ask something like this of me.” He answered decisively to reassure them. It worked. Almost immediately the tension in the room decreased several fold. Both women loosed smiles, and Ellen heaved a sigh of relief while still hanging her head in apology.

“I’m sorry, Tigre.”

“You needn’t be, Ellen,” Tigre said. “More importantly, what does King Victor hope to achieve by sending me?” He didn’t know the foggiest about Asvarre. He hadn’t even been there. Ever. The king’s intentions were unfathomable in this regard.

“From a certain point of view you could say he wants to recruit you,” Ellen noted while passing her now empty cup back to Lim. “It’s basically selling favors, giving you honor and glory in exchange for your services. Isn’t that practice quite common in Brune as well?”

Tigre set his head askew - he still could not accept this. “But I am not King Victor’s subject, I am a citizen of Brune, a guest who will return to Brune in 3 years time, no?”

“And that’s precisely why he wants you. Think about it - do you really expect to live off the fat of the land once you get back after 3 years? If it were up to me I’d make you a military advisor. That way you wouldn’t ever leave the palace even after a few years.”

Upon hearing Ellen speak so solemnly, Tigre could only contemplate in silence. It was true, for he was undeniably a person of meritorious deeds.

“Having received the title of ‘Star Shooter’ and ‘Moonlight Knight’ from an enemy general and your own king respectively, you are someone who will definitely be in an important position once you get home. So as far as the King of Zhcted is concerned selling you favors is the right thing to do.” Lim added coolly after pouring Ellen some more wine.

For her part the Vanadis pulled open a drawer on her own desk, and from there retrieved a letter, two rings and a sleek tube.

The tube was half an arm long, and covered by a dark black cloth. On its cap the seal of the King of Zhcted was engraved and inlaid in gold.

“This contains a secret message to Prince Jermaine, and the rings will be proof of your identity as the King’s envoy. But what I really want to show you is this - the king’s letter.” Taking the letter, Tigre read it carefully. The words of a king could not be ignored, not a single one.

It started with the normal salutations, with the King giving some praise for his gallantry in Brune and celebrating the newly forged peace between Brune and Zhcted before diving straight into the main topic.

-You are proof of the strong ties between Zhcted and Brune, and thus able to represent both nations before the Prince Jermaine. No one is more suited than you are to accomplish this task.

Written below are instructions as to how far we are willing support the prince in terms of finances and in the sending of troops, as well as the duration for which we shall do so. There are contingencies should extenuating circumstances force you to deviate from the initial plan, but you should return immediately should the situation go too far out of hand.-

So, Tigre mused. He wants to use me as a bargaining chip then.

At the end of the letter there were instructions as to how he should enter Asvarre. He would travel from Leitmeritz to Regnis, and then from there he would rendezvous with some men the King sent before setting out together for Asvarre. He was flabbergasted at the sheer amount of detail the letter went into. It even mentioned what street he should be travelling by.

Suggesting that both Zhcted and Brune were in support of Prince Jermaine - quite clever of the King, really, Tigre thought.

Still. He glanced up from the letter and gave Ellen a look of unease. “Was Brune told of this?”

Ellen shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Lim nodded in agreement. “If it were so, Queen Regin would have passed the orders down to you herself, Tigrevurmund.”

She was right. In the end he was still a guest commandant, and not under any obligation to obey King Victor. Even the letter itself closed with these words-

“I, the King of Zhcted, earnestly ask of you-”

-meaning that this was no order, but a request.

And yet he could no so flippantly refuse. It was a request from a king, after all.

“...Aside from me, is there no one else who can take on this task?”

“Zhcted doesn’t lack for such people. But to the king, he couldn’t claim to be doing you a favor without at least asking you to do this much.”

Tigre tried to contemplate this for a few seconds, and then gave up, shrugging. Immediately, Lim scolded him in a low voice, and then proceeded to explain.

“You see, something like rooting out mountain bandits wouldn’t be adding any additional feathers to your cap. Your role in the Brune civil has already demonstrated your bravery, and therefore your worth, enough.”

“There are other ways of winning honor, yes, but these would mostly involve you becoming a counsellor to the king. And that would put you in a precarious position - most of our nobles would oppose the idea of Brune interfering in affairs of governance, and it would undermine the king’s authority. So a diplomatic assignment would be the best option.” Ellen sighed.

It was true, Tigre knew. The advantages of sending him were exactly as King Victor had stated - and in those regards no one in Zhcted could compete with him.

“...And that’s how it is. Assuming that the King bears you no ill-will in the first place.” Ellen griped, leaning back in her chair.

Her casual posture relieved the young archer greatly, and he smiled. “I don’t remember ever doing anything to incur his ill-will.”

“If a country has a skilled general, do you not think that his very presence will cause the surrounding nations to be on their guard?” Lim noted coolly, remaining upright and altogether serious despite them. “In our country there are many people who are displeased by your presence, Tigrevurmund...although I am not saying the king is one of these.”

“But the negotiations are important to Zhcted. Failure would be disastrous - so why would he give the task to me if he has enmity towards me?”

Ellen furrowed her brows as she spoke, her displeasure plain to see.“Well, since there is a contingency in place you will most likely be held responsible for any failure.”

“Of course, success would be still be best, but if you were to fail, getting rid of you would eliminate some future concerns. Depending on the situation, the blame could also be shifted onto Brune.” At this Ellen swung back upright with a *BANG*, ignoring Lim, who cocked an eyebrow at her. “Actually, don’t you find it all very strange? If I were in the king’s place, I would throw you a banquet with someone else as the host, and make my request while the host distracts the rest of the guests.”

That was true. Tigre thought. He and the King had only met once - they weren’t friends by any means. There should have at least been some sort of party thrown to improve their relationship.

“It would only take a simple check to know that you’ve never been to Asvarre. Sending you there is like asking a child who doesn’t know left from right to go to a neighbouring village to buy something. And then there’s the men the king sent. We have no details on them. The whole thing practically screams ‘this is suspicious’!”

Indeed, it was getting quite hard to think that the king had given him this job for his ability.

“But King Victor has yet to reveal what he thinks of me, correct?” Tigre asked cautiously.

Both Lim and Ellen nodded.

“I can only think of 3 reasons why this was assigned to you. One would be to do you a favor by letting you take the honor of being a diplomat. The other might be to destroy you by putting you in a situation where you would be helpless. And the last would be to gauge your abilities.”

“Gauging my abilities?”

Ellen held up a hand. “In short, he wants to know if you are merely a person who is skilled in warfare, or if you have other skills besides. I still can’t tell if he wants you on his side, or if he wants to destroy you. But whatever it is, he definitely wants to use you.”

The silver-haired young woman chuckled a little, causing Tigre to grouse silently. None of the three options was anything to be glad about.

“And if he has any other design,” Ellen noted in a low, more serious tone, “it’s most likely to use your actions to see how the Vanadis -myself included- and the Queen of Brune will act.”

“Ellen, what should I-”

“Tigrevurmund,” Lim said in a stern voice, cutting him off. “Do not ask that of us.”

Ellen shook her head bitterly. “No matter what your decision is, I will respect it and do my utmost to help you. But it is you who must make the decision, Tigre.”

“I’m sorry.”

He could refuse. But that would lower the king’s opinion of him, and it would also affect Ellen and Brune. Turning to the map, Tigre thought about what was just said. He did not like Prince Jermaine, whom Zhcted was planning to support. And yet if his rival Elliot were to ascend to the throne, his alliance with Muozinel would threaten both Zhcted and Brune, for Brune and Asvarre shared a border.

And then there was the alliance with Zhcted to think about.

For the sake of our countries, must I support a foreign tyrant?

By virtue of lending support to Jermaine, it might be possible to request that he mend his ways. But he was not the King of Zhcted, Tigre knew. His words would most likely have no significant impact.

But he had to move past that. Sighing, he asked another question. “What sort of person is Prince Elliot, then?”

“Rumor has it that he’s not all that different from his brother. But at least he didn’t kill his whole family.”

“But previously you said that he roped pirates into his army to make up for his lack of numbers. Doesn’t that mean the army is no more than a band of thieves?”

King Victor must really want me to disappear, asking me to go into such a place alone.

“Will you refuse, then?”

“Might as well go. It might be a good opportunity to visit Asvarre anyway.” He meant this in earnest, but more because he did not wish to further burden the similarly-aged Vanadis. “But isn’t this a rather roundabout method? Asking me to be a secret envoy, and yet openly supporting Prince Elliot at the same time?”

“Playing both sides isn’t an uncommon tactic. Lyudmila was like that that during the last war.” Ellen said.

“What?” Tigre asked, not comprehending her intent. “I thought Mila was a more straightforward person than that.”

Mila of course referred to Lyudimila Lorie, Michelia of the seven Vanadis and the governor of Olmutz, a province to the south of Leitmeritz.

“You forget that she was Duke Thenardier’s ally at first, which was why she led troops to constrain us. In addition, she continued her pursuit even when we offered to retreat. In order to fulfill her obligations to the duke, she even fought a duel with me.” Ellen’s eyebrows arched in annoyance as she said this, but Tigre could not tell if it was his casual mention of Lyudmila’s nickname, or general displeasure at his reply that caused her to act this way.

“But she protected Lady Eleanora from the assassin’s blade that time, even going so far as to risk her own life.” Lim pointed out stoically.

“W-Well, that was just her trying to make me owe her a favor!” Ellen blustered, her expression that of one caught off-guard. “Even if she didn’t think about it that way at the time, when the need arises she will definitely find an excuse to bring it up!”

“It’s only natural to do that in negotiations,” Lim reminded.

Ellen ignored her, instead turning to Tigre. “And there was that battle against Muozinel. She didn’t come to help you right away, did she? She held off to observe, right? That’s not helping you, that was just her waiting for the moment where she could make you most indebted to her. And she only severed ties with Thenardier after that incident, don’t you forget!”

With that she downed her cup of wine with much gusto.

Tigre for his part understood. This Machiavellian aspect to Lyudmila’s character was probably so deeply ingrained that she did not think any worse of herself despite it. Still, given that she had been forced into a conflict due to her rival’s character, it was not surprising that Ellen would be so angry.

If it was Mila, how would she respond to this request?

During his time at Leitmeritz, Lyudmila Lurie had paid three visits to the capitol, and she came for three reasons. Firstly, to inquire about the state of the mountain road in Vosyes and Brune in general; secondly, to make a show of being on excellent terms with Ellen. Lastly, she came to prevail upon Tigre to join her.

Every time Ellen received a report of her arrival, she would say ‘tell her not to come again’. But who would dare say that to a Vanadis? And in any case she was half joking. They needed the information that Lyudmila regularly brought them concerning Muozinel, and a petty rivalry was no reason to hinder important exchanges of intelligence.

Following her meetings with Ellen she would go looking for Tigre. The first time, she attempted to use the promise of money to win him over, and failed. From then on, she would simply come to make small talk. She did try to invite him on a hunt, but Ellen had turned her down.

If it were her, she would hint at agreeing while avoiding giving a direct answer, all the while gathering intelligence as best she could in the background. And when the critical moment came she would refuse decisively.

Perhaps this is only the first of more difficult requests to come.

He still didn’t like the given task, but he could see it for its uses. And in any case, his complaints were best kept to himself.

After staring at the door Tigre had closed in his exit for a while, Ellen let out a sigh.

“Is this really alright?” Lim asked.

“We don’t have a choice, do we?” Ellen replied brusquely.

She’d agreed to let him go to Asvarre after their meeting. It was an odd thing - actually, she had been prepared to give way should he refuse adamantly, but as it turned out he gave an unexpectedly decisive answer. She should have been glad about that, but her heart still felt heavy. Unwilling.

“I’m sorry about just now, Lim,” Ellen said with an apologetic smile. ‘Just now’ naturally referred to the point when Lim had butted in to stop Tigre from asking for her help in deciding. “I...probably wouldn’t have been able to answer him.”

In her heart of hearts she wanted to say ‘don’t go’. But to deny the king’s request, they needed a viable alternative. Another way to foster closer ties between Zhcted and Asvarre. Or even someone to replace Tigre. But there was no such option. With regards to the king’s requirements there was none better than him, and she would be hard pressed to find such a substitute.

During Brune’s civil war she was able to mollify the king by claiming that she had no choice but to do battle. And it had been a sweet deal overall. Brune footed much of the war bill, Zhcted had gained Agnes in the south, and Ellen had gained Tigre’s services through her co-ruling of Alsace.

This time, she had no such cards to play - without such, even a Vanadis must obey her king.

So despite herself, she could not tell him to stay. Supporting him was the only thing she could do now.

Turning her face to the window, Ellen gazed out at the scenery. The slow breeze of late summer blew across a land where the descent of darkness was nigh complete, with only a little sun peeked out from beyond the western horizon. The stars too, though she could not see them, must have already come out.

“When he came, the snowdrops were still in bloom...”

Snowdrops grew everywhere in Zhcted, and they were the herald of springtime. But spring had passed them by in a hurry. She spent hers governing, and he spent his getting accustomed to the land. And now, even summer was drawing to a close.

With a sigh, Ellen shook her head vigorously. Clearing her mind, she turned back to Lim once more, with a smile on her face. “Well, since he has decided to go, we should pave the way for him. I’ll be counting on you, Lim. This is the king’s request, so people can’t speak ill of it anyway.”

“Yes.” Lim flashed a rare smile, her voice ringing clearer than usual. But it seemed some anxiety came upon her, and cast a shadow over her turquoise eyes. “Yet there is still much to worry about. Becoming a secret envoy to an unknown country, with only one other person following...”

“Let us trust him,” Ellen said brightly, her words and eyes brimming with confidence. “He has shown us many miracles during this year we spent together. Yes, you could call it luck, but without the skill to use such good-fortune there would have been no miracles, and he has that sort of ability.”

That was exaggerating somewhat, but that was because she too felt uneasy. She could not help but worry. Indeed, perhaps she had even wished for him to refuse back then.

“He will return successful. We will send him off smiling, and we will receive him with that same smile. We can do that much, even if we can neither officially celebrate his designation as envoy due to its secret nature, nor reward him easily due to his status as a citizen of Brune.”

“Indeed.” Lim said, glad that her master had erased her worries.

With that they returned to their duties. But as Ellen sorted through the papers, a sudden thought came to her.

I wonder, has the distance between him and I lessened any?

Though she was busy most of the day, and Tigre was under constant scrutiny by the court officials, they still spent their free time together often. When the weather was good they would take afternoon naps on the roof, sometimes even sneaking out the palace under the noses of Lim and the other officials to roam the city streets. During official breaks, they would have tea and refreshments with Lim and Teita. These were all small, but important memories.

We even danced together in the city once.

In the tradition of Zhcted such festivals always began with everyone singing and dancing together, and only later would couples form and dance alone. Apparently, this had originally been a way for men to choose their brides, but that custom had long been phased out, leaving behind only that fragment of knowledge and the form of the dance itself.

When they had found out about the origins of the practice, they had both gone red in the face, but did not stop holding hands as they departed. (Of course, no one else knew, for both of them were too embarrassed to speak of it.)

They never crossed the line, each having understood the other’s position. But the silver-haired Vanadis recalled those memories of their daily lives together, and she felt her heart grow warmer.

Tigre’s room was somewhere in the bowels of the palace. Here, unlike outside where the employees of the palace still milled about even after sunset, there was relative peace. This had been one of Ellen’s considerations, for as a guest he drew significantly more attention than when he had been a captive.

It was not a particularly luxurious place, but the deep green carpet, brick fireplace and an oak table-and-chair set gave it a relaxing atmosphere. There was no lack of necessities either; in the corner there was a cabinet draped with grapevine as well as a long table.

Upon entry, Tigre lit the lamp by the doorway, and hit the bell on the table.

Before long, footsteps approached the door. Teita’s footsteps.

“Master Tigre, may I enter?”

“You needn’t be so uptight, I’m the only one here,” Tigre replied in a gentle tone.

The door opened, the chestnut-haired maid entering with a curtsy before lifting her head and sticking her tongue out at him. “I’m used to it already. And besides, I’m away from home.”

Back in Alsace they had been even less formal with one another. Tigre favored shouting across the hallway to ringing a bell anytime, and Teita for her part would inquire clearly as to his requirements before entering, sparing them a lot of hassle. But this was not Alsace, and there were many officials here who disliked him for being so close to the likes of Ellen, Lim and Rurick. In front of such people, they had to pay more attention to such formalities.

“So,” Teita asked after receiving Tigre’s outer coat, “have you finished speaking to Lady Eleanora on the matter?”

A dark look crept over his face. “Do you have some time, Teita? I have some things I need to tell you concerning that.”

She nodded, perplexed.

Seeing that, Tigre walked over to the cabinet and took out a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses. This would be worrying to her, he knew, but nonetheless he wanted her to know the truth.

After having her take a seat, he poured the wine. First for her, then for himself.

He downed a mouthful.

And then made his announcement.

“I need to go out for a time. I’ll be counting on you to take care of this place.”

Her eyes shot open, staring into the depths of the glass before her, the crimson fluids reflected her depression.

“This isn’t a hunt, is it?”

She was right. If this was a hunt or just some inspection in a nearby city he would have spoken differently. He had done his best to sound calm, but there was no way he could completely hide the anxiety of stepping into unknown territory. Not from Teita, who had been serving him for so long.

So he didn’t bother playing dumb, merely lowering his gaze to meet hers.

“I know you won’t say unnecessary things to others. So I need you to keep a secret for me.”

After confirming her assent, he told her of the trip to Asvarre.

“I can’t tell you the details, but this a very troublesome matter. While I’m gone, you will tell anyone who asks that I have gone to Silesia,” Tigre said. “And...oh yes. Take care of Lunie while I’m out.”

“I understand the part about Lunie. But ‘to the capitol’?” Teita shook her head, uncomprehending.

“Don’t worry, Lim and Ellen are the ones cooking up the cover story. You just need to tally your account to theirs,” he assured her. “I did think of claiming illness to avoid meeting people, though.”

“That wouldn’t have been like you at all, Master Tigre. I mean, those aren’t the sort of words a person who would go out during deep winter in furs to hunt would say. And I don’t think I could fool everyone like that,” she said, displaying her resolve in an ironic sort of way, to which he could only scratch his head, at a loss.

Seeing this, she smiled. “Master Tigre. How far away is this Asvarre?”

“I don’t know. It’s my first time going there too. All I know is that I need to go northwest from here, and then head there by ship.”

“Ship. Sea,” Teita muttered, her eyes wide. Neither of them had ever even seen anything like those. The closest they had come was in images stirred up by the songs of a wandering troubadour, or from the stories of travelling artists who had been as far as Celeste, a town in Asvarre.

She bit her lip, her fists tightening about her apron as she tried to restrain the unease welling up inside her. Reaching for her cup, she downed it all in one go-

-and with a sigh she stood, placing the cup back on table, hazel eyes locking on his.

“I don’t really understand how important this task is. But you must come back safely, Master Tigre.”

Tigre placed his own cup aside, and held her lightly, the fragrance of her hair wafting into his nose as he did so.

You’ve grown taller...

“I will come back,” he repeated over again. “I’ll definitely return safely.”

Tigre left the palace before the dawn of the next day. He would travel not as Tigrevurmund Vorn, but as a common soldier of Leitmeritz. He had said his farewells to Lim and Teita, but not to Ellen.

I wish I could have said goodbye to Rurick and the others as well.

These things left him quite a few regrets, but as a secret envoy his departure needed to be made known to as few people as was possible. Perhaps Rurick might figure it out on his own, though.

He also had to leave by the back gate, instead of from the front. At the side of the gate a saddled horse was already awaiting him - Lim’s handiwork, most likely.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Tigre placed his black bow on the saddle and secured a quiver full of arrows to his luggage -if one could call a small pack with a bear doll tied to it ‘luggage’- behind.

The bear had been obtained from Lim the night before, when she had come to check on his luggage to confirm that he had brought everything.

“Well then, take everything out.” She had said this rather strictly, and he had complied, laying out each item on the table. Food and water for several days, a stone flint, a dagger with a bottle of oil, and a purse full of silver and copper coins.

There was also a letter Ellen had written to her friend Alexandra Arshven, the Vanadis Sasha. She had done this in a hurry, had given instructions for him to see her friend when he passed through Legnica.

“Sasha will give you additional guidance on my behalf, so it doesn’t matter if you are late by one or even two days - You must go to see her. Understood?” And with that she had given the letter to him.

Lastly there were the two rings as well as the silk-covered tube that contained a secret message in the king’s own hand. The surface of the tube had been rolled over with a tanned hide painted black, rendering it completely waterproof.

After inspecting everything item by item, Lim had told him to wait, and left the room for a while.

Before long, she returned, carrying between her arms quite a few new items: a bag of herbs, a bottle of ointment, ropes of hemp and straw, needle, thread and even a hand mirror.

“Bring these along too.”

She said this matter of factly even as she let him help her to arrange these additional things, much to Tigre’s shock.

“Isn’t this a little overdone?” Actually, all of these should have been necessities for travel as well, but he hadn’t thought to bring them with him initially. When he got to the port town at Legnica, he could just purchase all of those trifling things there.

“And what will you do if something happens before you get to Legnica?”

His suggestion had been coldly rejected. He knew she meant well though, and didn’t argue.

But his thoughts inadvertently spilled out into words. “It feels like you’re my mother or something.”

“M-Mother?!” Lim’s stoic mask shattered outright, her eyes going wide as she stared at Tigre, dismayed. In the face of this unexpectedly strong response, Tigre quickly backed down.

“I’m really sorry if that made you unhappy. Teita’s mother was like this too - she would inspect my luggage very scrupulously every time I headed out of town.” Here he paused for a moment, barely stopping short of calling her naggy. “You reminded me of her.”

“I understand. Still, you should watch how you say things,” Lim said. She seemed to have regained her composure after a few moments, but Tigre still felt terrible about calling a twenty-year old woman ‘mother’.

“In that case, take this with you.”

At this moment, Lim put something into Tigre’s hand. Into his hand, not onto the table - it was a small bear doll.

“It’s a charm. Mothers always give them to their children when they go off travelling, so take it. —I don’t remember having a child this old, though,” she said roughly as his shocked gaze alternated between her and the doll. Perhaps if the room had been brighter lit he might have seen her blushing right up to her hair.

Honestly speaking, it was embarrassing to have to hang a bear doll onto his luggage. But when he thought of Lim’s feelings, he could not bear to take it off.

Leaping into the saddle, Tigre trotted the horse forward a few steps. Then suddenly he turned, gazing atop the city walls. It was still dark, and the contours of the palace walls were silhouetted against the darkness. But he could feel someone watching him.

Straining his vision, he caught a small movement.

Who’s there?

It wasn’t a soldier - a soldier would be carrying a torch at this hour. But it was not an intruder either. He could not feel the person trying to conceal his or her breathing.

A gust of wind blew in.

It did not come from the left or the right. It came rushing down from above, blowing his hair every which way and forcing him to squint.

In the midst of the gale he caught sight of an object hurtling towards him, glittering faintly as it caught the light. About the size of an insect, but not as fast. He reached out and caught it.

It was a silver coin, and on closer inspection there were words written in ink on it.

‘Good luck’

His eyes scanned across the walls again, but that person was gone.

Glancing at the coin once more, he put it into his waist-pocket with great care. That done, he grabbed the reins and rode out into the streets, his form enveloped by the darkness.

He knew who the one standing on the walls was. The Vanadis who commanded the winds.

She could not send him off openly, and so she had chosen this method instead.

His drowsiness was far behind him now, gone with the wind. He felt warm, and full of vigor.

I will definitely return safely.

He would give her a pleasing result with his own hands.

So decided, he spurred his horse forward, through the streets at the crack of dawn.

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| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
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Madan no Ou to Vanadis:Volume 06 Chapter 1

2013-03-27T22:18:13Z

Shortykilz:

A buck was walking casually atop a mountain ridge, the arid wind whistling about it.

The creature stood head and shoulders above its brethren, and with its right horn growing out in a bizarre shape it looked repulsive, monstrous.

To the villagers living at the foothills it was a beast to be feared. It was trampling their fields as it pleased in broad daylight, eating its fill of the crops before disappearing into the mountains.

They could not stop it. Those who dared give chase, hoes at the ready, were gored by its horns, suffering grievous wounds. Teams of seasoned hunters were sent in to hunt it down. But this buck had a prodigious sense of smell, and leg strength which was beyond the norm. It saw through every trap, and when they drew close it would leap across cliffs, jump atop the rocky crags, or simply slide down steep slopes to elude them. As a result, even after three days and nights they had not been able to take it down.

And yet one young man was now bringing his bow to bear on this creature.

He could not have seen more than twenty winters, and was of average build. But if one espied the arm that peeked out from his sleeves one could see that he did not lack for training. There was vigor under his dark red locks, and his gaze was keen as he bent his gaze to that buck.

From his hiding place in the crags below to the stag’s ridge there was a distance of about 300 aslins. No distance for a mere bow. If one asked any seasoned hunter he would shake his head and advise that one closed sixty, even seventy paces. What more then for this boy, who was aiming against the grain of gravity, shooting from a low position to a higher one. A light breeze blew downhill from ridge to crag. By this his approach and attack was be masked against his prey. Yet if he missed, this good fortune would have been in vain.

All this, the young man knew well. But he did not waver. He kept his cool, notching a single arrow with an ease born of unceasing practice, following through till he had drawn the bow taut.

The wind ceased for but an instant. The young man, as though foreseeing this pass, let loose that arrow. It traced an arc through the sky, and struck the stag in the neck.

It was an unerring blow, almost as if it was sucked in by some unknown force. And yet the beast did not cry out. Rather, it turned and fled in the direction opposite to the young man.

At this, he at last showed consternation. “Looks like that huge frame wasn’t just for show...”

Leaving his hiding spot, he knoced up another arrow as he made his way up the slope. It was not meant for the buck - in his mind the hunt had been nigh unto ended by his first strike. This arrow was meant for any surprises that might crop up along the way.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Patata* The sound of flapping wings entered his ears, as a creature the size of a large cat passed by his side.

But it was no cat. It was a dragon - its reptilian form scaled bronze with a greenish hue from head to tail, with horns, coarse sharp teeth, and wings that reminded one of a bat. Flitting about freely, as though disregarding the young man that was its companion.

And if they were on ground level he might have traveled on equal pace with it. But as it was he stood in the rough of the rocks, only able to smile bitterly at the departing form of the dragon.

Regulating his breathing carefully, he scaled the ridge-

-and was dumbfounded by what he saw.

Where he had hidden, there was naught but a barren rocky wasteland, and yet beyond the ridge there sprawled a large forest, all trees and bark and dense greenery.

“Well. It’s not that I can’t find it...but this is going to be a chore.”

He was loth to go down. But he could not simply leave the mountain. The villagers would remain uneasy if he merely told them ‘the beast has been taken care of’. He needed proof of his hunt.

“And I still need to find Lunie...”

Lunie, of course, was the dragon who had just ditched him. Thankfully, he knew that he needn’t worry. It was small, but it was a dragon nonetheless. No creature in the wood would dare attack it. And though it was now nowhere to be seen, it was most likely that it had gone after the wounded buck.

Making his way down the slope, the young man took great care as he stepped into the thicket. There could be snakes about, and he didn’t want to risk snagging his clothes on the branches. Once past the thicket, the cold air wrapped around him as he stepped into the verdant woods. The sunlight was greatly dimmed by the undergrowth, and some trees even snaked along slope’s surface.

Indeed, there were few things worse than traversing a forest infested by overgrown weeds and roots.

As he approached cautiously, another *patata* of flapping wings could be heard. He stopped, and sure enough out from deep within the forest’s gloom came Lunie. Recognizing him, the dragon whelp did an artful about-turn in mid-air and went back the way it came.

The young man gave chase, and not ten paces hence he found himself standing before the fallen buck. It had long breathed its last, having bled enough from the wound on its neck staining its fur-coat a deep crimson. Even so he did not relax - many were the tales of beasts seemingly dead using their last ounce of strength to rise up and bring their killers down with them in a rage. And judging from the distance between the ridge and the forest there was still a possibility that more wild beasts could come, having caught the scent of blood.

But Lunie seemed unwilling to humor his cautiousness, plonking itself unceremoniously onto the carcass and spitting him with an look of impatience. ‘Hurry up’, it seemed to say.

The young man grimaced, but made no hurried move nonetheless. Slowly he crept up to the buck, making sure that there were no other creatures about. Only when he had been absolutely certain did he return the arrow to its quiver, before taking a knee in front of the creature.

“Well done, Lunie,” he said, and at last flashed a genuine smile.

The young man’s name was Tigrevurmund Vorn.

Those close to him called him Tigre.

This year, he would be 17. Half a year had gone by since the day he left the land of his birth in Alsace to live in Leitmeritz, in the neighbouring country of Zhcted.

Tigre had initially thought to bring the buck down the mountain with him, but he’d happily quickly given up upon realizing that the creature was heavy. Extraordinarily so at that.

So he hung the creature by its legs to a tree using a rope he’d prepared beforehand, and prepared to dissect it.

Uncharacteristically, Lunie was curled up at his feet, but Tigre was not fooled. It was there only so it could get at the entrails that fell from the carcass at its convenience. It seemed rather eager to do so too, at that.

“Well, I guess I can only take the pelt back with me.” He definitely needed to bring the oddly-shaped horn back as proof of his success, and that was no small amount of baggage to carry by itself. So, unfortunate though that was, he knew apart from that which he would eat he had to leave the rest of it behind. Bones -those would work for proof too, but no, too heavy- meat, it seems like I have to discard them all...

Suddenly he became aware of something rubbing against his trousers. As he looked down, he was chagrined to see Lunie stuffing a face full of blood and entrails into the bottom of his pants - its unique way of saying ‘More, please’. Well, nothing to be done about that. With a sigh, Tigre hefted his dagger, slicing off a few more pieces of meat for the hungry whelp.

By the time he actually finished the whole process, the sun had already reached its zenith. The removal of the horn had taken a large amount of time due to their size. He tied the pelt, still ringed with residual flesh and fats, with a rope of hemp, and put it into a backpack. Afterward he washed his hands using the water in his canteen and got to starting a campfire. That done, he dug a trench, into which he dumped and buried the arbitrarily sized remains of the carcass.

While he was doing all this, Lunie, having eaten its fill, was lying asleep beside the campfire.

Half a year ago, when the breath of spring had only just begun its reign, Tigre had come to Leitmeritz. There a chill wind still blew upon the plains, as a sign of Zhcted’s late-come springtime when compared to his homeland Brune.

He had waited for the mountains of Leitmeritz to thaw before trekking across them, hoping to see with his own eyes the land he now lived in, to feel with his hands and feet its depths and heights- or so he claimed; in actuality all he simply wanted to experience to the fullest the thrills of hunting in unknown terrain.

Interestingly, for all they had interacted during his time as a captive in the court, or even later as a guest commander, he had never once enjoyed Lunie’s favor. Rather, that honor was given by the dragon to his servant-girl, Teita. Yet it insisted on being by his side when he went hunting. It would even sit on the horse that Tigre rode on when he went hunting, insisting that it be brought along regardless.

And how did the silver-haired Vanadis who was the whelp’s master reply when asked for her opinion on this strange turn of affairs?

“This fellow is probably bored to tears from being cooped up in a world of stone walls, so if you would be willing to bring him along...”

She even tacked a joke onto the request. “Don’t go returning to the wild now...”

Though he was unwilling, it was impossible to refuse her. Not when she looked upon the dragon she petted with an expression of both affection, and regret at her inability to satisfy its desire to fly freely in the skies. She wasn’t all that different from the dragon, Tigre realized. She too was a person who could not live and do as she pleased.

In any case, he had the excuse of studying the geography of of Leitmeritz. Of course he wasn’t just there to hunt. So he had ended up bringing Lunie along anyway. And it had exceeded all his expectations - well, at least his expectations for a companion in battle anyway, like during this buck hunt. The rest of the time it did not display any such attitude. In fact, Tigre fully expected that it would start treating him akin to a roadside pebble once they got off this mountain.

A regrettable situation. But despite his disappointment Tigre made no move to improve their working relationship. After all, this wasn’t a human he was dealing with. Lunie may still be but a stripling, but it was still a dragon.

I can’t even understand for the life of him why it follows me at all. Maybe for now I should keep my distance, thought Tigre as he watched the dragon snoozing by the fireside.

And as he continued to keep watch, well fed on a meal of venison, his thoughts turned to the events that led up to the present day.

He was born as the heir to Earl Vorn of Alsace in the northwest of Brune. He had inherited the title at the tender age of 14 when his father succumbed to illness, and with it the stigma of being of the lowest rank of nobles in the land.

But his life would a turn, on a battlefield at summer’s end .

At Dinant the nations of Zhcted and Brune had clashed over the right to control the stream along the borders, and Brune had been defeated. Tigre had led a hundred men in that battle, and there he had encountered the commander-in-chief of Zhcted’s forces - silver haired Eleanora Viltaria, whom they called Meltis and Silvfrahl, one of the Seven Vanadis.

His attempt to assassinate her did not avail him, but Ellen was taken by his skill with the bow and took him as a captive.

In the aftermath of the battle, the rivalry between Dukes Ganelon and Thenardier -the two foremost nobles of Brune- came to a head, and Alsace was swept up in by the wave of turmoil into the fires of war. Upon hearing this news from his father’s loyal servant Batran, Tigre borrowed soldiers from Ellen to save the place of his birth, eventually avenging himself upon Thenardier after a great many battles to the death.

And yet even after all this, there was no happy conclusion. He had only achieved a brief time of peace, and he would have remained Ellen’s captive if not for the new ruler of Brune, the king’s daughter Regin, having helped to intercede on his behalf. Under the terms negotiated, he was to be returned to his homeland after spending three years as a guest commandant in Zhcted. That was the best that could be done for now. And so with the promise that he would return to them in three year’s time, Tigre bid farewell to the people of Brune and crossed the border into Zhcted, with his only companion being his maid Teita.

Half a year had passed since that day. The tardy spring had gone swiftly by, and now even the summer would soon pass. Indeed the brief nature of Zhcted’s summer as compared to Brune’s was enough to leave an impression in and of itself.

His life in Leitmeritz so far had not been easy - one half of that he’d expected, and the other of it he’d experienced. He had to learn how to speak, write, and to immerse himself in the local culture.

There was also no shortage of important personages from Zhcted who wished to meet with him, and though most of these chose to send emissaries rather than come in person, Tigre knew that establishing good relations with them was a necessity.In any case failure was not an option; any failing on his part would smear the name of Ellen, who had given him a place to stay, and he couldn’t rightly allow that to happen.

Adding to his litany of woes were the almost daily assignments left to him by Ellen’s second-in-command Limlishia. The topics were of a grand scale, ranging from governance to military affairs - indeed, under governance the subject could be anything between internal governance and multilateral relations.

She would also enlist his aid in her work often. This was cause for some complaint on his part. But he went along with it anyway. For one thing, the knowledge he gained while accompanying her would be useful in developing Alsace upon his return.

And for another, she wasn’t all work and no play. Under the guise of ‘inspections’ or ‘reviews’, she would sometimes allow him some free time to roam.

At last, dawn broke.

Smothering the fire with mud, Tigre shouldered his backpack and set out. Antlers in his right hand, bow in his left, and Lunie tagging alongside him, trademark *Patata* resounding as it flew. They reached the village in the foothills by the afternoon. There they presented the antler and pelt to much rejoicing and many eased minds among the villagers. However, among those who had been counted with the hunters there were many wide eyes.

“So he really managed to bring it down, eh...” The village chief, who had been responsible for leading the hunters, had only this to say.

He had gone into the mountains three mornings ago. Alone, having turned down the offer that the villagers had made to have their hunters serve as his guides.

“For a hunt like this, I alone will be enough.” He’d said that even as he gazed up at the foothills from the village. “And with more people we run a greater risk of the buck getting wind of us, whether it be by sight or sound.”

It wasn’t arrogance, of course. And besides, he had subsequently grilled both the chief and the hunters for detailed information concerning the mountain.

Seeing this, the village chief had mixed feelings. On one hand he thought: “As expected of a knight of the court.” And yet on the other he felt that the boy was only 17. Could he really be relied upon?

But Tigre had surpassed all their expectations, setting out alone and returning triumphant, having shot the beast down brilliantly.

He had succeeded where a group of six -including the chief himself- had failed to do throughout their five day long hunt. And he did not waste his breath on swaggering or on boasts of his ability.

Rather, Tigre just asked for a bed he could borrow for the night, which the chief obliged. He turned in rather early too.

When Tigre rose the next morning, the sky was still dark. It was a tad early for ‘morning’ - even those whose farms were their livelihood had barely gotten out their beds.

“I’m sorry to wake you at this hour,” he said as he called the village chief forth from dreamland before informing him of his decision to leave.

The chief seemed shocked, and even a little disappointed. “If it is convenient for you, sir knight, please do tarry another day in our good village. We will prepare a feast for you as much as we may with our meager means.”

He asked once again. However, soon after expressing both gratitude and pushing a gentle refusal, Tigre quietly left on the village and went on his way. The horse galloped along the path under a brightening sky, though it wasn’t very fast - it couldn’t, what with both Tigre and Lunie sitting on it and all.

“What a waste...” Tigre mumbled to himself as he gazed heavenward. “...It’s not like I had anything urgent to do anyway.”

He was, of course, bemoaning the missed opportunity in the village chief’s offer. If this was Alsace, he might just have taken the proffered boon, but here he had Ellen to consider. She might have been alright with it, but she did not speak for all her subordinates. Particularly for those who already held a certain dislike for Tigre himself.

He couldn’t care less if they criticized him, but he would not allow them to do the same to Ellen.

The sun was already falling into the west when they arrived at the capitol. They rode in via a side road constructed for the exclusive use of those in official service - with Lunie around the two of them would have made a sight for sore eyes in the crowded main streets of the city.

“Master Tigre!” Just as they passed the gates, a familiar voice reached their ears, calling the youth’s name. It was Teita, chestnut hair tied behind her head, running towards them. She dressed after her usual fashion, long-sleeved one-piece dress falling into black folds below her legs and a clean white apron over it. Notably she had discarded her old twin-tailed hairstyle for a single ponytail, which Tigre believed looked well on her too.

Of their immediate reactions Lunie’s was the greater. It took to the air with a *Patata* and flew into her arms. Tigre merely exchanged smiles with her.

“I’m home, Teita.”

Upon catching Lunie, she held it close and it snuggled in her embrace. While doing so, she walked over to the youth.

“Welcome home, Master Tigre.”

“Are you alright? You don’t have to carry it like that if it’s too heavy, you know?”

“Thank you. But Lunie’s not as heavy as it appears. I might get my clothes dirty though.” So she said, but if she was distressed it did not show. Instead, like a mother beguiling a child she petted the little dragon whelp.

This sixteen-year old girl, who like him was born in Alsace, had served him in the capacity of a maidservant since she was till today, and even when he was set to live in Leitmeritz, she had insisted on following him.

This had been his wish as well, and Ellen had acquiesced. Nonetheless, he had worried at first that she, whom he treated like a sister, might not be able to adapt to the new environment. She had rendered his concerns moot, however, breaking the ice easily with the ladies of the court and their maids. Indeed, naught but a few days had passed before they all loved her.

Upon hearing this, Ellen had grimaced before saying thus.

“You’re quite something yourself, but it seems Teita hasn’t fallen behind. Quite the unexpected catch, isn’t she?” These words relieved Tigre greatly.

“Oh, yes. Master Tigre, the Lady Eleanora and Miss Limlishia have important matters to discuss with you.”

“Important matters? With me?”

“Indeed. Lady Ellen instructed me to inform you of this upon your return.”

Upon hearing Teita recall her previous conversation with the Vanadis and her second, Tigre set his head askew in thought as he dismounted. It was all very odd. He had just returned, and had yet to greet anyone yet. Moreover, he was required to report to Ellen anyway.

Therefore it must have been something of extraordinary importance, for her to have left him such specific instructions.

“Are they going to remind you not to take so many detours?” Teita asked.

Naturally, she did not say this in earnest. Those mischievous words were only meant to lighten his mood, Tigre guessed as he patted the younger girl on the head.

“Hmmm. That’s possible...” He did after all have a history of chatting Rurick up in the halls for too long while en route to the administration office. This habit which had earned him many a stern earful from Lim, and at times some nattering from the officials who disliked him whenever they could catch him. “In any case I’ll head up there. Thank you, Teita.”

After handing both horse and dragon over to her, he headed up to the administration office. In the dying light of day, the corridors were dim, lit only by the flames of pinewood torches. But Ellen would be in there at this hour, he knew. He walked up to the door and knocked lightly, calling out as he did so. Sure enough, a moment later a ‘come in’ could be heard.

Opening the door, Tigre’s eyes were met by a familiar scenery. A modestly-sized room, a table of black sandalwood piled high with a veritable mountain of books, and two ladies attending to the paperwork.

The first of them sported waist-length silver hair and a blue-based silk dress. Her crimson eyes burned with vigor, and against a wall close within reach she laid a longsword by. She was so fair of face, it was hard to imagine her as a skilled sword maiden capable of holding any man at bay. Yet she was and more. She was the administrator of this capitol, ruler of Leitmeritz and one of the seven Vanadis of Zhcted, seventeen year-old Eleanora Viltaria.

The other was golden-haired Limlishia -Lim, as both he and Ellen would normally address her-, Ellen’s second-in-command and confidante. Tall, twenty and well-endowed, her look of detached stoicism as she silently perused the documents before her was quite the opposite of Ellen’s.

“Looks like you made it back safely.”

After looking him up and down for a moment, Ellen’s expression relaxed visibly, and Lim greeted him with an upward quirk of her lips.

“I’m back indeed,” Tigre noted, before closing the door and pulling a chair over to sit on.

Ellen’s eyes glittered. “And how did the deal with the buck go?”

He gave a simple explanation of what had transpired in the village and on the mountain, while Lim prepared wine for three. Naturally, the whole request had been their doing; Ellen had dispatched him to deal with the problem after the village had informed them of its plight.

Stopping the work in their hands, the three offered up a small toast in celebration of this success, and after having finished his explanation, Tigre switched topics.

“So I hear from Teita that you have important affairs to discuss with me.” At this, the two ladies exchanged glances, and Ellen dipped her gaze to the cup in her hands, as though considering her reply. A moment later, she lifted her eyes once again.

“Tigre. Have you heard of Asvarre?”

The sudden question came as a surprise, but Tigre recovered quickly. “It’s situated northwest of Brune, across the western sea of Zhcted, I think. It’s best known for its agriculture-based economy, but a few generations ago they had a queen who led many campaigns of expansion into the continent.”

In actuality, the number of things he knew for sure about Asvarre could be counted off on one hand, and all that he had learnt from Masas. But being in the northeast, Alsace had no stake in that country. So for all he knew of Asvarre it could be a fairy tale land - only the story of the conquering queen had made any lasting impression on him.

Once again, the two women exchanged looks. But these were looks of unease.

Draining her cup, Ellen spoke. “A certain someone has requested your presence in Asvarre.”

At this Tigre furrowed his brow. He did so not so much in surprise as he had in consternation. Judging from her tone, this request must be awfully hard to refuse. And there were only so many people in this world who could cause a Vanadis apprehension of this level. “And who might that be?”

“His majesty the King,” Lim replied coolly.

Tigre’s eyes widened.

Victor, King of Zhcted. He had met the man once, when he was living in Zhcted following the conclusion of Brune’s civil strife. It was a formality that no official guest could avoid, especially not one staying for 3 years in the country, and in any case he had heard from Ellen that the king desired to see him.

But for all that was worth the audience itself was frightfully short. The king had merely saw fit to praise his talents, and assure him that he would be given full freedom in Zhcted - with that their meeting had come to an abrupt end.

Within that brief time, he had indeed felt the oppressive stateliness and authority emanating from the man on the throne. But what had struck him most profoundly had been the man’s eyes. Victor’s eyes were tranquil, yet cold and subdued. It made one think of the inmost depths of a dark forest, bereft of sunlight for a hundred years; like a deep bog without breath or sound of life.

But such thoughts about the monarch of a nation could not be shared with anyone, and so Tigre hid them, buried them deep in his heart.

Honestly, he didn’t make a good impression, Tigre thought. ‘An enigmatic old man’ was the most honest summary he could give on his thoughts concerning that man.

And now this person was ordering him to go to Asvarre.

“So what does he want me to do there?”

“Essentially, he wants you to serve as a secret envoy.”

At this point, Ellen put her cup down and folded her arms, a distressed look on her face.

“Tigre. What do you know about Asvarre’s situation, really?”

“Well, that there’s people in it, and they sing, dance and hunt all day long?”

“Indeed, and they slaughter their own people with axe and sword while they’re at it too.” He’d actually expected this, but still it seemed there was no chance that this would be a comfortable topic.

Lim put her still unfinished cup on the table, and then proceeded to retrieve a piece of parchment from a drawer beneath the table.

“...I suppose I’ve never really told you about Asvarre either, Tigre. I’ll try to make this brief.”

“Please do, teacher.” Tigre said mischievously.

Ellen laughed. “Yes, please do, sensei.”

With a sigh, Lim turned to the parchment and began to draw a simple map. “Now, until half a year ago, King Zechariah was still on the throne of Asvarre. At that time there was intelligence to suggest that he planned to invade Brune, but due to his own poor health he ultimately decided to sit back for a while and observe the situation.”

Tigre’s breath caught in his throat. He had underestimated till now just how much Brune had been like a sheep thrown among wolves during those times of turmoil half a year ago. True, Sachstein was repulsed by Roland, and he himself had driven Muozinel back. But if Asvarre had invaded from the west at that time...heaven only knew what would have happened then.

“A short time after the civil war in Brune ended,” Lim continued, “King Zechariah breathed his last. I can’t really say how exactly he died. Some say he died in an accident, others say he died of food poisoning.”

Now, the King of Asvarre had six children. His eldest, Jermaine, was to ascend the throne.
And that was where the madness began.

“A few days before the coronation ceremony, Jermaine called his siblings together and had them executed on counts of treason.”

“Heh, or so we heard afterward,” Ellen added drily, supplementing Lim’s lecture with her own comments. “It seems Jermaine is quite the arrogant character, and paranoid as well. I guess he hid his true colors while his father still lived, but with the throne in sight he must have decided to take action.”

This subject was repugnant to Tigre, but he nodded for Lim to continue anyway.

“However, two of the king’s children escaped Jermaine’s grasp - the second prince, Elliot, and the first princess, Guinevere.”

The larger part of the details that Lim mentioned afterward could be summarized as such: After making his way to safety, Elliot had begun a revolt against his brother. Despite the succession having been the king’s will, there were many among the nobility who had opposed Jermaine’s kin-slaying, and the revolt had been a success. Jermaine was forced to abandon the palace and flee.

“So now Asvarre is split into two-” Lim broke off as she concluded, “no, perhaps you could say three parts. Jermaine has hired mercenaries from Sachstein to bolster his own forces, while Elliot has done much the same by bringing the pirates of the coast into his ranks. Asvarre is in a state of chaos.”

“What about the princess Guinevere?” It was strange that she was not mentioned, so he asked.

“Rumors say that she is indifferent to either side, and has retired to a more quiet life. Most likely, she will not make any moves until the conflict between her brothers has been settled,” Lim said.

“And till now Zhcted has been supporting Elliot,” Ellen added.

“Oh yes. There’s that,” Lim said. “Okay, let’s stop talking about Asvarre for now.” With that, she produced another parchment, and began drawing up a map of the continent. Zhcted in the center, Asvarre west of the sea, Muozinel to the south on land and Brune to the southwest.

“Tigrevurmund.” Lim’s voice was scholarly and stern, like a teacher asking a question of her pupil. That meant that if he answered wrong, he was sure to be reprimanded. “Who, in your opinion, is the greatest threat to Zhcted at this time?”

“Muozinel, I suppose.”

“Correct.” Lim confirmed, unsmiling, as though this answer was a given.

“So you see, the situation in Asvarre is as we stated before. And in Brune, the scars left by the civil war have yet to heal. At best, it would take two or three years for it to make a full comeback.”

Needless to say, the next major factor was Muozinel. Even though they had been beaten back during their assault on Brune six months ago, in reality only their navy had been dealt any significant casualties. Their land army -footsoldiers and cavalry both- had withdrawn before a decisive battle could be fought, as such minimizing their losses.

Muozinel now had an axe to grind against Zhcted as well - Tigre had the help of Zhcted troops in his rout of their advance army. Moreover, currently, Zhcted held Agnes, originally part of Brune, as their own territory, thus forming a strip of land belonging to Zhcted that Muozinel had to pass through first before it could attack. As such, Muozinel could only attack via sea, and that was impossible with their damaged navy: it could hardly even defend against an enemy attack as it was, let alone launch an invasion. So they could only sit on their hands and watch Brune recover.

“Sooner or later, we and Muozinel will surely clash. But when that will happen, no one knows. It could be three, even ten years from now.”

So saying, Ellen gazed at the wall behind her and the two flags that adorned it.

A silver sword upon black, for Leitmeritz, and for Zhcted the black dragon.

“The balance of power hangs on Asvarre’s decision - whether to join hands with Muozinel, or with us.”

Upon hearing Ellen’s words, Tigre at last understood. If Asvarre were to align itself with Zhcted, then the latter could concentrate all its energy on Muozinel. But if Asvarre were to make Muozinel its ally instead, then Zhcted would be beleaguered from both the south and the west, and it would have to divide its forces to tackle such a dire situation.

“As we were saying before, we would have preferred Elliot, but it seems he personally leans towards Muozinel. As such we shall have to support Jermaine instead.”

“So, this secret envoy you speak of...” Tigre trailed off.

Ellen looked distinctly apologetic. Seeing her struggle to reply, Lim stood in for the silver-haired Vanadis. “Tigrevurmund. I believe we had said before that this is the King’s request, not that of Lady Eleanora.”

“I know. There is no way Ellen would ask something like this of me.” He answered decisively to reassure them. It worked. Almost immediately the tension in the room decreased several fold. Both women loosed smiles, and Ellen heaved a sigh of relief while still hanging her head in apology.

“I’m sorry, Tigre.”

“You needn’t be, Ellen,” Tigre said. “More importantly, what does King Victor hope to achieve by sending me?” He didn’t know the foggiest about Asvarre. He hadn’t even been there. Ever. The king’s intentions were unfathomable in this regard.

“From a certain point of view you could say he wants to recruit you,” Ellen noted while passing her now empty cup back to Lim. “It’s basically selling favors, giving you honor and glory in exchange for your services. Isn’t that practice quite common in Brune as well?”

Tigre set his head askew - he still could not accept this. “But I am not King Victor’s subject, I am a citizen of Brune, a guest who will return to Brune in 3 years time, no?”

“And that’s precisely why he wants you. Think about it - do you really expect to live off the fat of the land once you get back after 3 years? If it were up to me I’d make you a military advisor. That way you wouldn’t ever leave the palace even after a few years.”

Upon hearing Ellen speak so solemnly, Tigre could only contemplate in silence. It was true, for he was undeniably a person of meritorious deeds.

“Having received the title of ‘Star Shooter’ and ‘Moonlight Knight’ from an enemy general and your own king respectively, you are someone who will definitely be in an important position once you get home. So as far as the King of Zhcted is concerned selling you favors is the right thing to do.” Lim added coolly after pouring Ellen some more wine.

For her part the Vanadis pulled open a drawer on her own desk, and from there retrieved a letter, two rings and a sleek tube.

The tube was half an arm long, and covered by a dark black cloth. On its cap the seal of the King of Zhcted was engraved and inlaid in gold.

“This contains a secret message to Prince Jermaine, and the rings will be proof of your identity as the King’s envoy. But what I really want to show you is this - the king’s letter.” Taking the letter, Tigre read it carefully. The words of a king could not be ignored, not a single one.

It started with the normal salutations, with the King giving some praise for his gallantry in Brune and celebrating the newly forged peace between Brune and Zhcted before diving straight into the main topic.

-You are proof of the strong ties between Zhcted and Brune, and thus able to represent both nations before the Prince Jermaine. No one is more suited than you are to accomplish this task.

Written below are instructions as to how far we are willing support the prince in terms of finances and in the sending of troops, as well as the duration for which we shall do so. There are contingencies should extenuating circumstances force you to deviate from the initial plan, but you should return immediately should the situation go too far out of hand.-

So, Tigre mused. He wants to use me as a bargaining chip then.

At the end of the letter there were instructions as to how he should enter Asvarre. He would travel from Leitmeritz to Regnis, and then from there he would rendezvous with some men the King sent before setting out together for Asvarre. He was flabbergasted at the sheer amount of detail the letter went into. It even mentioned what street he should be travelling by.

Suggesting that both Zhcted and Brune were in support of Prince Jermaine - quite clever of the King, really, Tigre thought.

Still. He glanced up from the letter and gave Ellen a look of unease. “Was Brune told of this?”

Ellen shook her head. “I doubt it.”

Lim nodded in agreement. “If it were so, Queen Regin would have passed the orders down to you herself, Tigrevurmund.”

She was right. In the end he was still a guest commandant, and not under any obligation to obey King Victor. Even the letter itself closed with these words-

“I, the King of Zhcted, earnestly ask of you-”

-meaning that this was no order, but a request.

And yet he could no so flippantly refuse. It was a request from a king, after all.

“...Aside from me, is there no one else who can take on this task?”

“Zhcted doesn’t lack for such people. But to the king, he couldn’t claim to be doing you a favor without at least asking you to do this much.”

Tigre tried to contemplate this for a few seconds, and then gave up, shrugging. Immediately, Lim scolded him in a low voice, and then proceeded to explain.

“You see, something like rooting out mountain bandits wouldn’t be adding any additional feathers to your cap. Your role in the Brune civil has already demonstrated your bravery, and therefore your worth, enough.”

“There are other ways of winning honor, yes, but these would mostly involve you becoming a counsellor to the king. And that would put you in a precarious position - most of our nobles would oppose the idea of Brune interfering in affairs of governance, and it would undermine the king’s authority. So a diplomatic assignment would be the best option.” Ellen sighed.

It was true, Tigre knew. The advantages of sending him were exactly as King Victor had stated - and in those regards no one in Zhcted could compete with him.

“...And that’s how it is. Assuming that the King bears you no ill-will in the first place.” Ellen griped, leaning back in her chair.

Her casual posture relieved the young archer greatly, and he smiled. “I don’t remember ever doing anything to incur his ill-will.”

“If a country has a skilled general, do you not think that his very presence will cause the surrounding nations to be on their guard?” Lim noted coolly, remaining upright and altogether serious despite them. “In our country there are many people who are displeased by your presence, Tigrevurmund...although I am not saying the king is one of these.”

“But the negotiations are important to Zhcted. Failure would be disastrous - so why would he give the task to me if he has enmity towards me?”

Ellen furrowed her brows as she spoke, her displeasure plain to see.“Well, since there is a contingency in place you will most likely be held responsible for any failure.”

“Of course, success would be still be best, but if you were to fail, getting rid of you would eliminate some future concerns. Depending on the situation, the blame could also be shifted onto Brune.” At this Ellen swung back upright with a *BANG*, ignoring Lim, who cocked an eyebrow at her. “Actually, don’t you find it all very strange? If I were in the king’s place, I would throw you a banquet with someone else as the host, and make my request while the host distracts the rest of the guests.”

That was true. Tigre thought. He and the King had only met once - they weren’t friends by any means. There should have at least been some sort of party thrown to improve their relationship.

“It would only take a simple check to know that you’ve never been to Asvarre. Sending you there is like asking a child who doesn’t know left from right to go to a neighbouring village to buy something. And then there’s the men the king sent. We have no details on them. The whole thing practically screams ‘this is suspicious’!”

Indeed, it was getting quite hard to think that the king had given him this job for his ability.

“But King Victor has yet to reveal what he thinks of me, correct?” Tigre asked cautiously.

Both Lim and Ellen nodded.

“I can only think of 3 reasons why this was assigned to you. One would be to do you a favor by letting you take the honor of being a diplomat. The other might be to destroy you by putting you in a situation where you would be helpless. And the last would be to gauge your abilities.”

“Gauging my abilities?”

Ellen held up a hand. “In short, he wants to know if you are merely a person who is skilled in warfare, or if you have other skills besides. I still can’t tell if he wants you on his side, or if he wants to destroy you. But whatever it is, he definitely wants to use you.”

The silver-haired young woman chuckled a little, causing Tigre to grouse silently. None of the three options was anything to be glad about.

“And if he has any other design,” Ellen noted in a low, more serious tone, “it’s most likely to use your actions to see how the Vanadis -myself included- and the Queen of Brune will act.”

“Ellen, what should I-”

“Tigrevurmund,” Lim said in a stern voice, cutting him off. “Do not ask that of us.”

Ellen shook her head bitterly. “No matter what your decision is, I will respect it and do my utmost to help you. But it is you who must make the decision, Tigre.”

“I’m sorry.”

He could refuse. But that would lower the king’s opinion of him, and it would also affect Ellen and Brune. Turning to the map, Tigre thought about what was just said. He did not like Prince Jermaine, whom Zhcted was planning to support. And yet if his rival Elliot were to ascend to the throne, his alliance with Muozinel would threaten both Zhcted and Brune, for Brune and Asvarre shared a border.

And then there was the alliance with Zhcted to think about.

For the sake of our countries, must I support a foreign tyrant?

By virtue of lending support to Jermaine, it might be possible to request that he mend his ways. But he was not the King of Zhcted, Tigre knew. His words would most likely have no significant impact.

But he had to move past that. Sighing, he asked another question. “What sort of person is Prince Elliot, then?”

“Rumor has it that he’s not all that different from his brother. But at least he didn’t kill his whole family.”

“But previously you said that he roped pirates into his army to make up for his lack of numbers. Doesn’t that mean the army is no more than a band of thieves?”

King Victor must really want me to disappear, asking me to go into such a place alone.

“Will you refuse, then?”

“Might as well go. It might be a good opportunity to visit Asvarre anyway.” He meant this in earnest, but more because he did not wish to further burden the similarly-aged Vanadis. “But isn’t this a rather roundabout method? Asking me to be a secret envoy, and yet openly supporting Prince Elliot at the same time?”

“Playing both sides isn’t an uncommon tactic. Lyudmila was like that that during the last war.” Ellen said.

“What?” Tigre asked, not comprehending her intent. “I thought Mila was a more straightforward person than that.”

Mila of course referred to Lyudimila Lorie, Michelia of the seven Vanadis and the governor of Olmutz, a province to the south of Leitmeritz.

“You forget that she was Duke Thenardier’s ally at first, which was why she led troops to constrain us. In addition, she continued her pursuit even when we offered to retreat. In order to fulfill her obligations to the duke, she even fought a duel with me.” Ellen’s eyebrows arched in annoyance as she said this, but Tigre could not tell if it was his casual mention of Lyudmila’s nickname, or general displeasure at his reply that caused her to act this way.

“But she protected Lady Eleanora from the assassin’s blade that time, even going so far as to risk her own life.” Lim pointed out stoically.

“W-Well, that was just her trying to make me owe her a favor!” Ellen blustered, her expression that of one caught off-guard. “Even if she didn’t think about it that way at the time, when the need arises she will definitely find an excuse to bring it up!”

“It’s only natural to do that in negotiations,” Lim reminded.

Ellen ignored her, instead turning to Tigre. “And there was that battle against Muozinel. She didn’t come to help you right away, did she? She held off to observe, right? That’s not helping you, that was just her waiting for the moment where she could make you most indebted to her. And she only severed ties with Thenardier after that incident, don’t you forget!”

With that she downed her cup of wine with much gusto.

Tigre for his part understood. This Machiavellian aspect to Lyudmila’s character was probably so deeply ingrained that she did not think any worse of herself despite it. Still, given that she had been forced into a conflict due to her rival’s character, it was not surprising that Ellen would be so angry.

If it was Mila, how would she respond to this request?

During his time at Leitmeritz, Lyudmila Lurie had paid three visits to the capitol, and she came for three reasons. Firstly, to inquire about the state of the mountain road in Vosyes and Brune in general; secondly, to make a show of being on excellent terms with Ellen. Lastly, she came to prevail upon Tigre to join her.

Every time Ellen received a report of her arrival, she would say ‘tell her not to come again’. But who would dare say that to a Vanadis? And in any case she was half joking. They needed the information that Lyudmila regularly brought them concerning Muozinel, and a petty rivalry was no reason to hinder important exchanges of intelligence.

Following her meetings with Ellen she would go looking for Tigre. The first time, she attempted to use the promise of money to win him over, and failed. From then on, she would simply come to make small talk. She did try to invite him on a hunt, but Ellen had turned her down.

If it were her, she would hint at agreeing while avoiding giving a direct answer, all the while gathering intelligence as best she could in the background. And when the critical moment came she would refuse decisively.

Perhaps this is only the first of more difficult requests to come.

He still didn’t like the given task, but he could see it for its uses. And in any case, his complaints were best kept to himself.

After staring at the door Tigre had closed in his exit for a while, Ellen let out a sigh.

“Is this really alright?” Lim asked.

“We don’t have a choice, do we?” Ellen replied brusquely.

She’d agreed to let him go to Asvarre after their meeting. It was an odd thing - actually, she had been prepared to give way should he refuse adamantly, but as it turned out he gave an unexpectedly decisive answer. She should have been glad about that, but her heart still felt heavy. Unwilling.

“I’m sorry about just now, Lim,” Ellen said with an apologetic smile. ‘Just now’ naturally referred to the point when Lim had butted in to stop Tigre from asking for her help in deciding. “I...probably wouldn’t have been able to answer him.”

In her heart of hearts she wanted to say ‘don’t go’. But to deny the king’s request, they needed a viable alternative. Another way to foster closer ties between Zhcted and Asvarre. Or even someone to replace Tigre. But there was no such option. With regards to the king’s requirements there was none better than him, and she would be hard pressed to find such a substitute.

During Brune’s civil war she was able to mollify the king by claiming that she had no choice but to do battle. And it had been a sweet deal overall. Brune footed much of the war bill, Zhcted had gained Agnes in the south, and Ellen had gained Tigre’s services through her co-ruling of Alsace.

This time, she had no such cards to play - without such, even a Vanadis must obey her king.

So despite herself, she could not tell him to stay. Supporting him was the only thing she could do now.

Turning her face to the window, Ellen gazed out at the scenery. The slow breeze of late summer blew across a land where the descent of darkness was nigh complete, with only a little sun peeked out from beyond the western horizon. The stars too, though she could not see them, must have already come out.

“When he came, the snowdrops were still in bloom...”

Snowdrops grew everywhere in Zhcted, and they were the herald of springtime. But spring had passed them by in a hurry. She spent hers governing, and he spent his getting accustomed to the land. And now, even summer was drawing to a close.

With a sigh, Ellen shook her head vigorously. Clearing her mind, she turned back to Lim once more, with a smile on her face. “Well, since he has decided to go, we should pave the way for him. I’ll be counting on you, Lim. This is the king’s request, so people can’t speak ill of it anyway.”

“Yes.” Lim flashed a rare smile, her voice ringing clearer than usual. But it seemed some anxiety came upon her, and cast a shadow over her turquoise eyes. “Yet there is still much to worry about. Becoming a secret envoy to an unknown country, with only one other person following...”

“Let us trust him,” Ellen said brightly, her words and eyes brimming with confidence. “He has shown us many miracles during this year we spent together. Yes, you could call it luck, but without the skill to use such good-fortune there would have been no miracles, and he has that sort of ability.”

That was exaggerating somewhat, but that was because she too felt uneasy. She could not help but worry. Indeed, perhaps she had even wished for him to refuse back then.

“He will return successful. We will send him off smiling, and we will receive him with that same smile. We can do that much, even if we can neither officially celebrate his designation as envoy due to its secret nature, nor reward him easily due to his status as a citizen of Brune.”

“Indeed.” Lim said, glad that her master had erased her worries.

With that they returned to their duties. But as Ellen sorted through the papers, a sudden thought came to her.

I wonder, has the distance between him and I lessened any?

Though she was busy most of the day, and Tigre was under constant scrutiny by the court officials, they still spent their free time together often. When the weather was good they would take afternoon naps on the roof, sometimes even sneaking out the palace under the noses of Lim and the other officials to roam the city streets. During official breaks, they would have tea and refreshments with Lim and Teita. These were all small, but important memories.

We even danced together in the city once.

In the tradition of Zhcted such festivals always began with everyone singing and dancing together, and only later would couples form and dance alone. Apparently, this had originally been a way for men to choose their brides, but that custom had long been phased out, leaving behind only that fragment of knowledge and the form of the dance itself.

When they had found out about the origins of the practice, they had both gone red in the face, but did not stop holding hands as they departed. (Of course, no one else knew, for both of them were too embarrassed to speak of it.)

They never crossed the line, each having understood the other’s position. But the silver-haired Vanadis recalled those memories of their daily lives together, and she felt her heart grow warmer.

Tigre’s room was somewhere in the bowels of the palace. Here, unlike outside where the employees of the palace still milled about even after sunset, there was relative peace. This had been one of Ellen’s considerations, for as a guest he drew significantly more attention than when he had been a captive.

It was not a particularly luxurious place, but the deep green carpet, brick fireplace and an oak table-and-chair set gave it a relaxing atmosphere. There was no lack of necessities either; in the corner there was a cabinet draped with grapevine as well as a long table.

Upon entry, Tigre lit the lamp by the doorway, and hit the bell on the table.

Before long, footsteps approached the door. Teita’s footsteps.

“Master Tigre, may I enter?”

“You needn’t be so uptight, I’m the only one here,” Tigre replied in a gentle tone.

The door opened, the chestnut-haired maid entering with a curtsy before lifting her head and sticking her tongue out at him. “I’m used to it already. And besides, I’m away from home.”

Back in Alsace they had been even less formal with one another. Tigre favored shouting across the hallway to ringing a bell anytime, and Teita for her part would inquire clearly as to his requirements before entering, sparing them a lot of hassle. But this was not Alsace, and there were many officials here who disliked him for being so close to the likes of Ellen, Lim and Rurick. In front of such people, they had to pay more attention to such formalities.

“So,” Teita asked after receiving Tigre’s outer coat, “have you finished speaking to Lady Eleanora on the matter?”

A dark look crept over his face. “Do you have some time, Teita? I have some things I need to tell you concerning that.”

She nodded, perplexed.

Seeing that, Tigre walked over to the cabinet and took out a bottle of wine and a pair of wine glasses. This would be worrying to her, he knew, but nonetheless he wanted her to know the truth.

After having her take a seat, he poured the wine. First for her, then for himself.

He downed a mouthful.

And then made his announcement.

“I need to go out for a time. I’ll be counting on you to take care of this place.”

Her eyes shot open, staring into the depths of the glass before her, the crimson fluids reflected her depression.

“This isn’t a hunt, is it?”

She was right. If this was a hunt or just some inspection in a nearby city he would have spoken differently. He had done his best to sound calm, but there was no way he could completely hide the anxiety of stepping into unknown territory. Not from Teita, who had been serving him for so long.

So he didn’t bother playing dumb, merely lowering his gaze to meet hers.

“I know you won’t say unnecessary things to others. So I need you to keep a secret for me.”

After confirming her assent, he told her of the trip to Asvarre.

“I can’t tell you the details, but this a very troublesome matter. While I’m gone, you will tell anyone who asks that I have gone to Silesia,” Tigre said. “And...oh yes. Take care of Lunie while I’m out.”

“I understand the part about Lunie. But ‘to the capitol’?” Teita shook her head, uncomprehending.

“Don’t worry, Lim and Ellen are the ones cooking up the cover story. You just need to tally your account to theirs,” he assured her. “I did think of claiming illness to avoid meeting people, though.”

“That wouldn’t have been like you at all, Master Tigre. I mean, those aren’t the sort of words a person who would go out during deep winter in furs to hunt would say. And I don’t think I could fool everyone like that,” she said, displaying her resolve in an ironic sort of way, to which he could only scratch his head, at a loss.

Seeing this, she smiled. “Master Tigre. How far away is this Asvarre?”

“I don’t know. It’s my first time going there too. All I know is that I need to go northwest from here, and then head there by ship.”

“Ship. Sea,” Teita muttered, her eyes wide. Neither of them had ever even seen anything like those. The closest they had come was in images stirred up by the songs of a wandering troubadour, or from the stories of travelling artists who had been as far as Celeste, a town in Asvarre.

She bit her lip, her fists tightening about her apron as she tried to restrain the unease welling up inside her. Reaching for her cup, she downed it all in one go-

-and with a sigh she stood, placing the cup back on table, hazel eyes locking on his.

“I don’t really understand how important this task is. But you must come back safely, Master Tigre.”

Tigre placed his own cup aside, and held her lightly, the fragrance of her hair wafting into his nose as he did so.

You’ve grown taller...

“I will come back,” he repeated over again. “I’ll definitely return safely.”

Tigre left the palace before the dawn of the next day. He would travel not as Tigrevurmund Vorn, but as a common soldier of Leitmeritz. He had said his farewells to Lim and Teita, but not to Ellen.

I wish I could have said goodbye to Rurick and the others as well.

These things left him quite a few regrets, but as a secret envoy his departure needed to be made known to as few people as was possible. Perhaps Rurick might figure it out on his own, though.

He also had to leave by the back gate, instead of from the front. At the side of the gate a saddled horse was already awaiting him - Lim’s handiwork, most likely.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Tigre placed his black bow on the saddle and secured a quiver full of arrows to his luggage -if one could call a small pack with a bear doll tied to it ‘luggage’- behind.

The bear had been obtained from Lim the night before, when she had come to check on his luggage to confirm that he had brought everything.

“Well then, take everything out.” She had said this rather strictly, and he had complied, laying out each item on the table. Food and water for several days, a stone flint, a dagger with a bottle of oil, and a purse full of silver and copper coins.

There was also a letter Ellen had written to her friend Alexandra Arshven, the Vanadis Sasha. She had done this in a hurry, had given instructions for him to see her friend when he passed through Legnica.

“Sasha will give you additional guidance on my behalf, so it doesn’t matter if you are late by one or even two days - You must go to see her. Understood?” And with that she had given the letter to him.

Lastly there were the two rings as well as the silk-covered tube that contained a secret message in the king’s own hand. The surface of the tube had been rolled over with a tanned hide painted black, rendering it completely waterproof.

After inspecting everything item by item, Lim had told him to wait, and left the room for a while.

Before long, she returned, carrying between her arms quite a few new items: a bag of herbs, a bottle of ointment, ropes of hemp and straw, needle, thread and even a hand mirror.

“Bring these along too.”

She said this matter of factly even as she let him help her to arrange these additional things, much to Tigre’s shock.

“Isn’t this a little overdone?” Actually, all of these should have been necessities for travel as well, but he hadn’t thought to bring them with him initially. When he got to the port town at Legnica, he could just purchase all of those trifling things there.

“And what will you do if something happens before you get to Legnica?”

His suggestion had been coldly rejected. He knew she meant well though, and didn’t argue.

But his thoughts inadvertently spilled out into words. “It feels like you’re my mother or something.”

“M-Mother?!” Lim’s stoic mask shattered outright, her eyes going wide as she stared at Tigre, dismayed. In the face of this unexpectedly strong response, Tigre quickly backed down.

“I’m really sorry if that made you unhappy. Teita’s mother was like this too - she would inspect my luggage very scrupulously every time I headed out of town.” Here he paused for a moment, barely stopping short of calling her naggy. “You reminded me of her.”

“I understand. Still, you should watch how you say things,” Lim said. She seemed to have regained her composure after a few moments, but Tigre still felt terrible about calling a twenty-year old woman ‘mother’.

“In that case, take this with you.”

At this moment, Lim put something into Tigre’s hand. Into his hand, not onto the table - it was a small bear doll.

“It’s a charm. Mothers always give them to their children when they go off travelling, so take it. —I don’t remember having a child this old, though,” she said roughly as his shocked gaze alternated between her and the doll. Perhaps if the room had been brighter lit he might have seen her blushing right up to her hair.

Honestly speaking, it was embarrassing to have to hang a bear doll onto his luggage. But when he thought of Lim’s feelings, he could not bear to take it off.

Leaping into the saddle, Tigre trotted the horse forward a few steps. Then suddenly he turned, gazing atop the city walls. It was still dark, and the contours of the palace walls were silhouetted against the darkness. But he could feel someone watching him.

Straining his vision, he caught a small movement.

Who’s there?

It wasn’t a soldier - a soldier would be carrying a torch at this hour. But it was not an intruder either. He could not feel the person trying to conceal his or her breathing.

A gust of wind blew in.

It did not come from the left or the right. It came rushing down from above, blowing his hair every which way and forcing him to squint.

In the midst of the gale he caught sight of an object hurtling towards him, glittering faintly as it caught the light. About the size of an insect, but not as fast. He reached out and caught it.

It was a silver coin, and on closer inspection there were words written in ink on it.

‘Good luck’

His eyes scanned across the walls again, but that person was gone.

Glancing at the coin once more, he put it into his waist-pocket with great care. That done, he grabbed the reins and rode out into the streets, his form enveloped by the darkness.

He knew who the one standing on the walls was. The Vanadis who commanded the winds.

She could not send him off openly, and so she had chosen this method instead.

His drowsiness was far behind him now, gone with the wind. He felt warm, and full of vigor.

I will definitely return safely.

He would give her a pleasing result with his own hands.

So decided, he spurred his horse forward, through the streets at the crack of dawn.

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| Return to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Madan_no_Ou_to_Vanadis:Volume_06_Chapter_2|Chapter 2]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter5

2013-03-23T18:13:20Z

Shortykilz: /* Part 1 */

==Chapter 5 - Scarlet's Secret==

===Part 1===

...Drip. Drip.

Water droplets fell from the top of the limestone cavern. White steam swirled and rose.

Heated by the ancient flames, the underground water helped relax stiff muscles.

Although it was no time to indulge in leisure, a final purification was necessary before they assaulted the enemy's main camp. Kamito carefully washed his body as he tried as much as possible to reach peak condition.

The «Calamity Queen»—Rubia Elstein.

The other Ren Ashbell and «Strongest Blade Dancer» whose identity had been uncovered.

(...Am I able to defeat her?)

Her power undoubtedly dwarfed Kamito's in his current state. Even if he retrieved all his senses from three years ago, it was still uncertain whether he would be able to be a match—That was how things stood.

Kamito's only chance of victory lay in—

(—The Absolute Blade's secret technique, «Last Strike».)

Kamito opened and closed his fingers several times, trying to confirm his feel for the sword.

The secret technique learnt from Greyworth was Kamito's final trump card.

However, to be honest, he was not certain if he had truly mastered that secret technique.

The «Last Strike» was an ultimate sword reversal technique. Unless Kamito was facing an enemy of the same level, it could not be used.

(By the way, how strange...)

Kamito frowned and looked up at the ceiling of the limestone cavern. Even though it was now known that the true identity of the other «Strongest Blade Dancer», Ren Ashbell, was Rubia Elstein, there was something impossible to accept about it. Namely—

—''She was far too strong'', this simple fact.

Indeed, as a former «Queen», the total amount of divine power accumulated in Rubia Elstein's body should far surpass most elementalists. Although an abundance of divine power would not result in a decisive difference in potency, it was undeniable that people with greater reserves of divine power were able to command more powerful spirits for longer durations.

However, princess maidens serving at the «Divine Ritual Institute» basically received no combat training at all.

Hence, she was supposed to be completely unversed in swordsmanship, just like Fianna.

Rumors regarding the «Calamity Queen» as a master of the sword were completely unheard of.

The first thing that came to mind was the usage of a «Cursed Armament Seal» to strengthen the body, but even «Cursed Armament Seals» were unable to turn someone untrained in martial arts into a sword master.

(...Even an «Elemental Lord»'s miracle can't do that, right?)

—Throb. Again, the acute headache returned.

(...Damn it... What on earth is going on?)

—That pain is proof that your power is about to awaken.

''The voice very similar to hers'' resounded in his mind.

—Very soon, you shall become the «Demon King» who brings ruin and destruction to the world.

(...Shut, up... Already... Shut, up...!)

Covering both ears, Kamito submerged his face in water.

(Shut up! Shut up, shut up shut up...!)

He yelled stubbornly in order to drown out the voice.

"—Please be calm, Master."

Suddenly, Kamito heard another voice from behind.

"...!?"

Raising his face out of the water, Kamito looked back.

A swaying figure could be seem emerging from the other side of the steam.

...Not Rinslet or any of the girls, for they should be over with Iseria, performing purification at a place a short distance away.

Next, Kamito glanced at a shaded position in the rocks. The «Demon Slayer» and the «Vorpal Sword» were both in sword form, resting against the rock.

...The figure behind the steam did not say anything more.

"...Who are you?"

Kamito intensified his tone of voice and swiftly swung his arm.

The wind pressure caused the surrounding steam to disperse instantly—

"Meow—!"

The figure emitted a strange sounding scream.

"...Wha!"

Kamito's eyes widened as he was rendered completely speechless.

Appearing from behind the mist was—

A fully wet and naked beauty.

Her body was graceful and slim like a beast's, with mildly bulging breasts. The scarlet hair was at shoulder length. For some reason, there were adorable cat ears on her head.

Rather than make any attempt to cover up her nude body that was like a work of art, the beautiful girl simply froze.

"..."

"..."

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

Then immediately, the beauty blushed before his eyes.

"Meow, meooooow!"

Frantically, she tried to flee—

Splash!

...But she ended up falling spectacularly, creating a column of water.

"...Meow, meooow... Choke, chooooooke...!"

"H-Hey, are you okay!?"

Kamito rushed over and picked up the drowning cat-eared beauty in his arms.

"Kyah, w-what are you doing!?"

"I-I'm sorry... Eh, a tail!?"

Kamito's eyes stared wide open.

Caught in his hand—''a tail seemed as if it were made of fire''.

(...W-Wait a minute? This tail, could it be...)

Kamito suddenly reacted and gazed intently at the cat-eared girl's scarlet eyes.

"...Are you Scarlet... eh?"

"M-Meow..."

The drenched scarlet-haired girl nodded with embarrassment.

===Part 2===

Finally recovering from the initial shock—

"I am the «Scarlet Valkyrie» in service of the Elsteins—my true name is «Ortlinde»."

Transformed into a girl's form, Scarlet announced her name.

...It looked like she really was Scarlet, no mistake about it.

"...Uh, sorry. I'm a little confused here."

Kamito averted his gaze as he scratched his face.

Although they were both submerged to their necks and there was no worry that he would view Scarlet's naked body directly, Kamito still felt that the erotic lines of her neck was drawing his gaze involuntarily.

However, Scarlet did not seem like she minded.

"Yes. Well then, let me explain."

She revealed why she had changed from a hell cat to a girl.

Then—

"...I see, so your true name was released huh."

After hearing her explanation, Kamito accepted it despite his surprise.

In order for a contracted spirit to fully release its power, not only did the contractor need to be well-matched in power but the spirits had to be summoned by its true name—namely, a release of the true name.

When he first met Claire, Kamito felt a certain dissonance regarding the name «Scarlet». No matter how he looked at it, the name seemed like an alias for the hell cat spirit.

Scarlet's true name had been lost throughout the generations of the Elstein family, but for some reason, Restia who was accompanying Claire knew the name.

Then having exhibited sufficient power in the current «Blade Dance», Claire successfully released the true name. Obtaining her original power, Scarlet changed from her beast form as a high ranking spirit to recover her girl form as a spirit of the highest class—Basically something like that.

Having lost her power during the battle against Rubia and returned to her hell cat form, Scarlet had apparently retrieved enough power to regain human form temporarily as a result of pouncing into the ancient burning flames.

"By the way, umm Scarlet..."

"P-Please don't stare like that, Master."

Blushing slightly, Scarlet began to blow bubbles in the water surface.

"S-Sorry... By the way, why are you calling me Master?"

Kamito posed a simple question.

Scarlet's master was supposed to be either Claire, the original contractor, or Fianna, the current one.

Scarlet responded by gazing at Kamito with serious eyes—

"Because Master's master is also my master."

"...? But I'm always being ordered around by Claire as her slave spirit."

Kamito tilted his head in puzzlement. Thinking back upon the relationship between Kamito and Claire all this time, no matter how one viewed it, Kamito could not be described as Claire's master in any way.

"...Really?"

But this time, it was Scarlet who turned her head incredulously.

"But then there's a contradiction."

"What contradiction?"

"As you may know, Master, contractors and contracted spirits will share their dreams on rare occasions."

"...? Yeah, that's right."

Still displaying surprise on his face, Kamito nodded.

When Kamito slept, he occasionally shared Est's dreams.

However, perhaps because Est has lost the majority of her memories, the contents of her dreams always involved things that happened to her after meeting Kamito.

The only exception was during the time when Est disappeared, Kamito had witnessed the memories of her past contractor, the «Sacred Queen»—Areishia Idriss.

"Uh... In her dreams, Master always becomes your slave."

"How can that be possible!?"

Kamito instantly rejected it.

"I-I surely won't do anything like that!"

"...Really? You won't tie Master up and bully her or thrash her with a whip? N-Neither will you force her into unspeakable postures?"

"O-Of course I won't!"

...This hell cat spirit, what on earth is she talking about?

"Then in her usual dreams, are those Master's repressed desires..."

Scarlet began to murmur to herself.

"I-In any case, I am not Claire's master."

Kamito coughed and spoke.

"When calling me, using Kamito is fine."

"...I understand. Well then, let's go with this, 'Kamito.' "

Scarlet spoke with a serious expression.

...Despite such a dangerous-sounding nickname of the «Scarlet Valkyrie», this cat girl was unexpectedly polite.

"So does this mean you don't have any memories from your hell cat form?"

"That's right. Because when the hell cat form manifests, only animal-level intellect is present."

"...I see."

—In other words, it would be more appropriate to consider «Scarlet» the hell cat and this «Ortlinde» here as separate entities.

"However, I do remember..."

"...Eh?"

"That you make tasty dishes for me and gently caress my head, Kamito."

She smiled shyly but adorably.

"I-I see..."

Kamito scratched his face and turned his gaze away in response.

...Feeling embarrassed, he changed the subject.

"B-By the way, is it really okay for a flame spirit to be dipping into hot springs?"

When in hell cat form, Scarlet was supposed to hate getting water on her.

"Yes. After all, this place is filled with the power of flames. Besides, having released my true name, mere water merits no fear at all."

Scarlet puffed her chest slightly in pride.

However, Kamito did not fail to miss the subtle sweating on her brow.

"...Surely, you're just putting up a front and desperately enduring."

"..."

Finding the truth pointed out, Scarlet instantly looked to the side.

Then she slumped her shoulders dejectedly.

"Originally, I really was not afraid of water or the like. But unfortunately I don't have enough power right now. I can only maintain this state for a little while longer."

"After your true name is released, you don't stay in this form?"

"I am just barely able to manifest this form right now because of the power of the ancient flames here. The current contractor, Ordesia's princess, is probably unable to summon or use me."

Scarlet shook her head from side to side.

"The reason why I've appeared here is to inform you of something, Kamito."

With a sincere gaze, she stared straight into Kamito's eyes.

"I beg you. Please save my Master—''Rescue Claire''."

"Yeah, I promise you. I will surely bring Claire back."

...There was no need for her to beg expressly. Kamito agreed instantly.

Hearing Kamito's answer, Scarlet relaxed with a relieved expression.

Her figure began to quiver like a mirage. At this moment—

"Kamito-kun is taking so long..."

"Maybe he fainted in the heat!"

"Hmm, mmm, it's worrying..."

The young ladies' voiced could be heard from afar.

Probably worried about Kamito who had not returned for so long, they were coming to check out his situation.

"...!"

Scarlet's cat ears suddenly twitched.

"W-Well then, I shall take my leave."

"Why are you hurrying all of a sudden?"

"...Hmm, that ponytailed knight is very troublesome."

Scarlet swiftly got up from the water, turning herself into a fiery hell cat and ran away.

"...Ah yes, because Ellis keeps treating her like a fluffy toy, she hates it."

Even without her memories as a hell cat, the troublesome impression still remained.

"Kamito, are you okay?"

Ellis' voice reverberated in the cavern.

"...Ah yeah, no problem here! I'm coming out now!"

Answering loudly, Kamito put the black leather glove on his left hand.

===Part 3===

Having finished the purification at the underground lake, Kamito and his entourage continued making their way towards the «Lost Cathedral».

Even though they were not able to perform a proper sacred purification, the divine power circulating in their bodies was replenished.

After escaping, Scarlet seemed like she had involuntarily returned to Fianna's spirit seal.

As Kamito passed on the story of how Scarlet released her true name, the girls were quite surprised.

"I originally thought she was just a powerful spirit but never expected her to be a humanoid spirit."

Ellis murmured emphatically.

"I guess I need to find Fenrir in the future whenever I want to enjoy that fluffiness."

"Hmm, what do you mean?"

"—Very soon, we are nearing the «Lost Cathedral»."

Walking in front, Iseria spoke up slowly.

"We can't invade the ruins from directly below?"

"This underground passage does not extend that far."

Iseria shook her head at Kamito's inquiry.

"Which means we have to do a frontal assault, huh?"

"However, I don't think «Team Inferno» has constructed a «stronghold». If they prioritized the ritual for the «Darkness Queen»'s coming, there should not be any leisure to build a large scale barrier."

"...Let's hope so."

Rubia Elstein was the former «Queen» once praised as the best. In the past, the isolation barriers she constructed would cover all the castles and residences in «Ragna Ys».

But for Kamito, the true source of concern was himself.

—That voice which tempted him to awaken.

The temptation was growing ever stronger.

(If I hear that voice one more time, I'll—)

He would probably be consumed by the impulse to destroy, awakening as the «Demon King» who leads the world towards destruction.

"...mito... Kamito."

Rustle. Rustle rustle. —Suddenly, Kamito found someone tugging his sleeve from behind.

"...Est?"

Looking back, Kamito found a pair of mysterious violet eyes gazing up at him with worry.

Without him noticing, Est had transformed from sword form at some point in time.

"Kamito, you're showing a scary expression."

In his surprise, Kamito found Est holding his hand gently.

"Don't worry. Kamito. You have me."

The icy hand gripped tightly.

"..."

Kamito was rooted there for a moment—

"...Est, you are the «Demon Slayer», you know."

"...?"

Est inclined her head in puzzlement.

"Supposing, if I were to become the world-destroying «Demon King», when the time comes—"

"When the time comes, I will simply become the «Demon's Sword»."

—Just as he was about to continue talking, Est resolutely refuted him.

"I am your sword. Your wish is my command—That is what I swore."

"Est..."

Kamito felt the strength of her grip tighten.

"...Yeah, you're right. Sorry."

Kamito shrugged. In this manner, he continued walking, holding Est's hand.

A while after that—

"—This is the closest exit to the ground surface."

Iseria stopped and turned around.

Before them was a wall entangled by a tree root.

"This tree root is in the way."

"Leave it to me."

Ellis swung «Ray Hawk», instantly severing the root to reveal a door with mysterious designs carved on it.

"This is one of the six doors to the «Abandoned City»'s underground—the door of «Persisting Darkness»."

Once Iseria chanted rarely heard spirit language, the carvings on the door glowed blue-white as the door opened with a low rumble.

In the darkness, a staircase leading to the ground appeared.

"I can only lead you to this place."

Iseria stopped at the door.

Before the door was an isolation barrier that sealed her here.

"...Thank you, Iseria."

"You really helped us a lot."

"Pay it no heed. This is simply thanks for the pancakes."

Iseria turned towards the direction she came from.

Then she walked towards the darkness—

"S-Say..."

"Please hurry. You need to help your friend, right?"

"Once I find a way to recover your memory, I will surely return to this place!"

Towards the girl who was gradually moving farther away, Rinslet called out—

But Iseria's figure had already vanished in the darkness.

"...What an incredible girl."

The high level spirit who had lost her memory, who was sealed in the «Abandoned City», and who had reported the Water Elemental Lord's name as her own.

Full of mysteries that one had no idea how to begin solving, she was truly a strange spirit.

Next, Kamito turned towards the group.

"—Let's go, Claire is waiting for us."

"Yes!" "Right!" "Indeed!"

«Team Scarlet»'s young ladies nodded vigorously.

"Your wish—is my command."

Wielding in his hand Est who had transformed into the «Demon Slayer», Kamito led the charge and rushed forward.

<noinclude>{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter4|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter6}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Chapter9

2013-02-21T01:17:24Z

Shortykilz: /* Part 8 */

=Chapter 9: Demon Slayer=
==Part 1==

"......No way, an attack!?"

At the time that a flashy explosion came from the camp site.

Claire and the others were in the middle of getting changed after finishing bathing.

"The barrier's been broken --- they're coming!"

In sync with Claire's scream.

Fianna, Ellis and Rinslet summoned their respective spirits.

Scarlet's flames lit up the surrounding darkness.

And above the steam were the silhouettes of three people with drawn weapons.

"What a surprise. The favored Knights of Dragon Emperor coming to attack in the night like this."

"We are soldiers before we are knights. To bring victory and pride back home, we will not pass up the most effective methods."


The one who answered was a girl with boy-like short hair.

She readied her halberd <Elemental Waffe>.

"We'll at least name ourselves. Knight of the Dragon Emperor Vice-Captain, Yuri El Cid."

"<Team Scarlet>'s Claire Rouge."

Claire quickly transformed Scarlet into the Flame Tongue.

While keeping her attention to the front, she whispered to Ellis behind her.

"Leonora isn't here. The explosion just now was probably her."

If it was her Nidhogg, then pulling off that much destruction in one blow was possible.

They had aimed for a time when Kamito was alone and come to crush him.

"No matter how good Kamito is, he can't win against Leonora without an Elemental Waffe."

"......I got it. I will go to support Kamito."

Ellis immediately understood Claire's intentions and began chanting her <Flight> spirit magic.

She kicked off the ground and flew into the night air lit by flames.

But.

"---I won't let you go to Leonora-sama!"

"What!?"

Another knight blocked Ellis' path.


A spirit contractor with a flying dragon spirit.

They had anticipated their actions and hid in the forest beforehand. And the opponent was a flying type dragon spirit. Ellis' spirit magic couldn't outrun that.

"......This is bad. We've been completely separated."

"Kamito......"

Turning to the direction the flames were rising from, Claire bit her lips.

==Part 2==

The blaze skidded across the ground.

Accompanied by a loud sound, flames coated the ground.

(......What destructive power!)

Being blown away by the resulting wind force, Kamito fell to the ground.

Quickly getting up and opening his eyes---

A scene like the world's end spread out before him.

The ground was dug up like a mortar. The wall of fire ate away at the night darkness.

On the other sound of the wall of flames, the dragon spirit roared with intense ferocity.


The accompanying wind scattered the flames.

The jet black dragon flapped its massive wings.

Basked in the bluish white light from the moon, Leonora Lancaster walked towards him silently.

Holding her hand up, the dragon transformed into darkness.

The darkness then gathered and instantly formed a large demon sword.

"Dragon spirit <Nidhogg>'s Elemental Waffe --- <Dragon Slayer>."

Leonora muttered that indifferently and raised the demon sword.

Kamito felt it instinctively.

(That's bad......!)

Just when he got up and dodged.

"---Destroy!"

Leonora closed the distance in an instant.

(---Fast!)

Just before the demon sword descended, Kamito jumped to the side.

The sound of the ground being crushed.

The demon sword had lightly grazed him and his white uniform had blood on it.

Kamito grimaced at the sharp pain from being cut.


(......Don't tell me she's completely materializing her Elemental Waffe!?)

If Kamito had not dodged just now, he would have been split in half.

She was swinging her blade with the full intent of killing Kamito.

(Is this the influence of that <Dragon Blood> Claire was talking about......)

Leonora's brilliant red eyes that were shining in the darkness.

A state where she lost the majority of her reason and became a berserker.

It was forbidden to kill your opponent in the Blade Dance. That's why spirit contractors generally limited the materialization of their Elemental Waffe and opted to causing damage with their divine power directly.

But just now, Leonora had seriously tried to kill Kamito.

"Tch---"

Kamito quickly chanted his Weapon Works spirit magic and created a short sword in his hands.

With Est's <Gate> closed, this was the best he could do with his divine power.

It was only a substitute that could take one strike from the aftershock of the opponent's sword before it shattered.

Jumping off the mud and just before landing --- Leonora swung her demon sword.

Bone-shattering force was created.


"Gahaa......!"

The severe blade storm that continued without mercy.

Kamito rolled on the ground and just barely avoided that attack.

"......It's like she has no openings."

Cold sweat gathered on his brow.

They were movements unthinkable for a thin and delicate arm like that with such a large sword.

She was likely using dragon property spirit magic to supplement her muscle strength.

"---It's not enough......make my blood boil even more, Kazehaya Kamito!"

The demon sword was swung again. Whilst emitting a dragon-like roar, the sword released a wave of energy.

Invisible fangs that would rip through flesh. It resembled Ellis' blades of wind, but the destructive power was on a different scale.

Slicing through the cut-preventive school uniform, blood dripped from his shoulder.

"Kuu, she's strong, as I thought......!"

Kamito cursed as he wiped the blood from his lip.

The overwhelming divine power welling up in her entire body.

In a head-on battle, Kamito had no chance of winning right now.

(---There's no other way but to draw this into a battle of attrition by retreating into the forest.)

Along with the awakening of her <Dragon Blood> and that oppressive power, Leonora lost her ability to think calmly. If Kamito moved around stealthily, he could at least buy time.


(It should wear down the insane divine power of the <Dragon Blood>.)

There was likely a time limit on how long she could fight in this condition. A normal spirit contractor's limit would be one minute. Leonora's was likely around five.

(---If I can stay clear for five minutes, I can win.)

Just as Kamito was about to retreat into the forest.

Giant flames rose up under the cliff near the river far away from him.

"Wha......!?"

He didn't have to think about where it was. That was where Claire and the rest were.

"---It looks like they're engaged in battle with my subordinates."

Leonora's eyes glinted and she closed the distance in an instant.

"If you want to protect your comrades, you'll have to use your full power and defeat me!"

Leonora's demon blade approached him---!

==Part 3==


"---Become cinders!"

Waving her Flame Tongue, she cast the spirit magic <Fireball> at the same time.

Yuri El Cid --- the halberd spirit contractor was engulfed in flames.

"As expected, if it's a direct attack --- ehh!?"

"It's a pity but flame attribute attribute spirit magic won't work against this <Lindwyrm>!"

Breaking through the wall of flames, a giant dragon with red scales charged towards her.

"Rinslet!"

"I know, freezing fangs, pierce --- <Freezing Arrow>!"

Aiming at the fire dragon's body in only a moment, she released the ice arrows.

But just before the arrows hit, the fire dragon breathed fire and melted them.

The arrows that barely struck also rebounded off the scales and disappeared.

"No way, my <Freezing Arrows> were......!"

"......It's using dragon attribute spirit magic!"

Claire yelled as she erased the fire dragon's flames.

Dragon spirits' specialities were their overwhelming strength and their high resistance against magical attacks. Especially with their <Anti-magic Dragon Scales> on, their magical resistance against the five main elements multiplied.

For Claire and the others who used spirits of the five main elements, they were a truly difficult opponent.


"Claire! <Georgios> alone can't hold them back......!"

And from behind came Fianna's concerned voice.

Her knight spirit was currently handling two of the dragon spirits.

Her opponents were the types without wings or scales --- the close-range specializing raging dragon spirits.

Swinging their giant claws and tail, they were slowly cornering the knight spirit.

The raging dragon spirits were far above in power. The reason they were being held at bay was that the knight spirit had techniques specialized to face dragons.

But there were two opponents. And they were being controlled by skilled spirit contractors.

As expected, not even the defense specialist knight spirit could reach a decisive conclusion with just a sword and shield.

"Fianna......! Rinslet, please buy me some time!"

Claire immediately requested back-up but---

"......!?"

Ellis landed right in front of her.

"......Aguu!"

"Ellis!"

Looking to the sky, she saw the girl riding the flying dragon spirit dance in the air.


"I said so, I won't let you interrupt Leonora-sama!"

The flying dragon spirit roared, turned towards the fallen Ellis and released innumerable fireballs---

"You!"

Claire quickly swung her Flame Tongue and intercepted the fireballs in midair causing many explosions.

"Ellis, can you still move?"

"......Yeah, sorry. I'm fine."

The wound-covered Ellis held her <Ray Hawk> and unsteadily rose to her feet.

Ellis' spirit was top-class even within the academy. Even disregarding any advantages from battling in the air, to have been beaten so one-sidedly---

"These guys are strong on their own and their teamwork is much more refined than us."

"That's right......"

Claire painfully admitted the truth of Ellis' observation.

If either Claire or Rinslet had backed her up, Ellis should have been able to fight evenly.

But the opponent never let such an opportunity show.

"My Georgios is---"

"Haa, haa......the compatibility with Lindwyrm was too harsh......!"

At some point, they had been boxed in by the four members of the Knights of the Dragon Emperor.


The knight spirit was being pushed back by the two raging dragon spirits and Rinslet was completely worn out.

"---Elimination of the Ordesia representatives. A fair result for our first battle."

Yuri El Cid formed her fire dragon's halberd.

"This is the end. Claire Rouge."

==Part 4==

The demon sword that should have been swung---

Was stopped in midair.

"......Wh, what the!?"

Leonora's red eyes widened in shock.

While looking at the face of the violent but still-beautiful face of the girl, Kamito murmured.

"This was originally a technique for hiding while crawling."

Held against the wrist of Leonora's hand which held the demon sword was Kamito's arm.

He couldn't stop her demon sword's attack.

But it was different for the arm wielding the attack.

He had pressed his arm to her wrist just as she exhaled before the attack.


If he drew in when Leonora pulled back her sword and instead pushed with all his strength, it would create a lethal opening --- a simple yet effective taijutsu skill.

Logically, it was simple, but the timing required was fatal. It was not something an amateur could copy.

It was only because Kamito had undergone the harsh training of the <Instructional School> that he could carry it out in real combat.

Leonora's body froze into the position of swinging her sword.

"The technique of a knight without a sword --- alias <Sword Break>. A heretical skill. To begin with though, this was the old hag Greyworth's and not the <Instructional School>'s."

"---I see. So this was the technique of the strongest spirit knight in the continent, Sir Greyworth.

The red eyes looked down at Kamito.

Eyes of a dragon that were painted with the joy of battle --- completely battle-crazy eyes.

"But clever tricks are nothing before absolute power......!"

Leonora's divine power rose explosively.

With an inhuman roar that shook the atmosphere, she pushed as if to crush him to death---

"---That's reckless, Leonora!"

At the moment the power balance broke, Kamito sent a palm strike to her solar plexus --- but,

Just before that, she jumped to the side --- it wasn't reactionary, just instinct.


Attacking Kamito's flank, a flash of light gouged out the ground.

The one that had sent out the attack was the ornament on the <Dragon Slayer>'s hilt. If he hadn't dodged, it would have pierced his heart without a doubt.

He jumped while spraying blood from his flank. Because he was dodging purely on instinct, he couldn't soften the landings.

Leonora was swinging the sword in every which direction.

The dividing horizontal slices of the blade. The shockwaves that seemed like they could crush all the bones in one's body.

Kamito's body was blown to the side and smashed into a rock.

(......My arm's bone......!)

Leonora didn't stop. She charged with increasing roars.

Kamito readied his spirit magic blade at his waist. He would match his opponent's timing and deliver a counter --- it was a dangerous gamble, but there was no alternative.

(If I don't beat her quickly, Claire and the others will---)

Leonora charged like a dragon, causing tremors as she approached.

He would have no mercy on her who was under the influence of the <Dragon Blood>.

If he messed up the timing even slightly --- what awaited him was death.

The moment the clade of the sword entered his vision.


Kamito jumped off the rock behind him.

(---I've got you!)

Dodging by a hair's breadth, the perfect distance.

He didn't think a blade of this calibre would be able to pierce the magic strengthened Leonora, but there were other ways to fight. If he broke her stance and used several strikes, he should be able to affect even this tough dragon knight---

However.

"I said it, didn't I, that clever tricks won't work on me!"

Leonora Lancaster---

Aimed at Kamito standing before her and threw the <Dragon Slayer>.

Wrapped in spiraling air currents, the large sword flew in a straight line.

"......!?"

Kamito had not anticipated this.

Kamito clicked his tongue and dodged but Leonora had already closed in---

"Damn......!"

Kamito instantly used a spirit magic sword to guard. But the magically strengthened Leonora's fist went right through the sword and into Kamito's jaw.


His vision shook. As soon as he realized he was flying in the air, he smacked the ground.

(God, damn......throwing that huge sword one-handedly? It's too unreasonable......)

The point he had been wounded at. He cursed while confirming what parts could still move.

His ribs were cut and a few internal organs had failed.

His fingers had gone numb and couldn't move. It was already a condition unfit to fight.

"---More, make my blood boil more, Kazehaya Kamito. The <Dragon> sleeping within me wants to go crazy with you."

Leonora picked up the demon sword she had thrown and slowly walked towards him.

Like a dragon enjoying the hunt.

"---If not, you'll die."

"......Don't just say whatever you want."

While groaning from the pain, Kamito pushed off the ground and stood up.

More than before, the flames from the riverside had grown more vicious and black smoke rose from it.

(Claire......Ellis, Fianna, Rinslet......)

He gripped his numbed fingers at the regret of not being able to protect them.

(I can't win against Leonora Lancaster at this rate---)


Kamito affirmed that calmly.

---That's right, if it stayed like this.

The spirit seal on his left hand ached. No, he had already noticed. Since not too long ago, the seal had been burning with feverish heat.

The <Gate> that had never opened since that day three years ago.

But now he could feel her calling out to him.

He just had to call her name. With just that, he would regain the strongest demon sword.

The power to defeat Leonora and save his female comrades.

The highest ranked darkness Elemental Waffe --- <Vorpal Sword>.

He could return in an instant. To the Ren Ashbell of three years ago.

But that was under the condition that he severed the contract on his other hand.

The sword spirit girl that had closed her heart off in sadness and was alone in the darkness.

(I---)

Kamito's voice shook like a groan.

That was a momentary conflict. A loss of direction.

But he quickly raised his head and shook it.

He had already resolved it from the beginning.


(I am Est's master!)

Leonora's red eyes glared viciously as she approached---

"Kazehaya Kamito, I am disappointed in you."

The <Dragon Slayer> pierced Kamito's chest.

==Part 5==

Inside his consciousness that had sunk into darkness---

Kamito found a girl sitting down while hugging her knees.

The silvery white hair that shone brilliantly even in the darkness.

Her unblemished white skin was like a frozen blade.

"---Est."

Kamito placed his hand against the cheek of the sword spirit that had closed her heart.

The mysterious violet eyes widened in surprise.

"Kamito......!"

"Est, I ask you --- lend me your power. I need you to protect our friends!"

Turning to squatting Est, Kamito cried out.


But Est wordlessly shook her head.

"Kamito, I am sorry. I can't be your sword anymore."

"Why---"

"I will, one day, take away Kamito's life."

At that time, something cold was felt on Kamito's fingertips.

"......Est?"

Those were tears.

She was once a sword spirit that had shown not a single emotion.

When his fingers touched her, a whirlpool of emotions flowed into him.

The Sacred Queen and the <Demon Slayer> --- the last of their memories together.

==Part 6==

In front of Est---

The sacred maiden that had defeated the maou's body crystallized into a spirit stone.

"Mas......ter......?"

"Est, don't make that kind of face."


Areishia's right hand that could still move touched Est's cheek as she struggled to talk.

"I knew about this from the beginning."

She wore such an adult expression despite being only sixteen years old.

Seeing even those fingertips crystallize---

The sword spirit finally understood.

That this was --- a curse.

The combined resentment and curses of the spirits that had been slain by the holy sword's power thus far.

That had amassed until the limit and was eroding her master's body.

The <Demon Slayer> was a sword that destroyed all curses.

But those curses didn't disappear from this world. The holy sword that had absorbed those various curses would one day pass them onto its master.

The spirit weapon --- <Terminus Est> was not a holy sword.

Taking the user's life in exchange for granting enormous power was unmistakably the properties of a demon sword.

"No......way......"

The girl's forgiving hand. Est could not watch as those fingers that had always gently pet her head hardened and became a spirit stone.

"Master! I didn't know! That I---"


"I know, Est."

Areishia smiled and gazed at Est gently.

"Master......you knew that you would......"

"Yes. That's why it's not Est's fault."

While patting Est's silvery white hair, she slowly nodded.

But her voice wavered and tears gathered in those eyes.

It was obvious. In the face of death, there was no way she wasn't afraid.

That's why she wasn't anything like a sacred maiden.

She was just a normal sixteen year old girl.

"Master......"

"Good bye, Est. My only friend."

"No, you can't......master......!"

A small voice leaked from Est's lips.

"No......Arei......shia......!"

"......That's the first time you've called my name. I'm hap.....py......"

"......!?"

With a clear sound, the girl's neck crystallized.


Est could do nothing but watch.

[[File:STnBD V05 241.jpg|thumbnail|right]]

At the moment the girl who had revealed her heart for the first shattered after becoming a clear crystal.

"Est, I---"

The hot tears dropped onto Est's cheek.

"Honestly, didn't want to become anything like a sacred maiden."

"---Areishia!"

A wail echoed through the maou's castle.

For the sacred maiden that bore the hopes of all people and had fought to this point alone---

That was her end.

And so Est sealed herself in the maou's armory.

So that nobody would contract the demon sword hidden deep within.

So she would never lose anybody important again.

She would never open her heart to anyone --- she solemnly swore that.

==Part 7==


"---I have no right to become Kamito's sword."

"......"

Kamito became speechless at Est's past that he had caught a glance of.

The girl that had given emotion to this spirit weapon girl that had none.

Est had stolen that girl's life herself with her curse.

That's why she closed her heart.

For how many hundreds of years, she had continued to separate herself from those who wanted to contract her.

So she would never be touched by anyone else again.

Kamito could not imagine how lonely that must have been.

"Est......"

Kamito rubbed the edge of Est's eye.

Those mysterious purple eyes blinked.

"Don't say you don't have the right. I need Est."

"You can't......if you continue to use a demon sword like me, I'll steal your life!"

Kamito placed his hand on Est's head.

"I won't lose to that kind of curse."

He pet that beautiful silvery white hair.


"Fuaa......Kamito......stop, please......"

"I won't. Until you stop crying, that is."

"Kami......to......"

"Est, your curse and your destiny as a demon sword, I'll take it all."

And then---

He hugged Est's delicate body to himself.

"So come back, Est!"

"No......I will, to Kamito......"

To stop those words---

Kamito embraced Est and sealed her lips.

"......!?"

Est's eyes shot open in surprise.

That was the ritual to contract a top-level spirit.

The kiss of oath.

Kamito gently separated their lips.

"I'll say it once more, Est. I need you."

He yelled this out while holding her delicate body tightly.


"Become my sword, Est!"

In response to Kamito's powerful words---

"Kamito, I---"

Est's silvery white hair shined.

==Part 8==

"......Wha!?"

Leonora's red eyes widened.

From the right hand of Kamito who should've been knocked out, a strong light was shining.

"---The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil!"

His quivering lips chanted the summoning spirit words.

"......!?"

Faced with the vigorous voice that had a mysterious edge to it, Leonora took a step back.

"......It can't be, the <Dragon> inside me is scared?"

The <Dragon Blood> was in a fully awakened state so she could understand, this was true fear.


And so---

"---Now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!"

As if to burn the eyes, a fierce light was emitted!

In front of Kamito, the <Gate> connecting a master and their contracted spirit opened.

The one that appeared was a girl with beautiful fluttering silvery white hair.

"......Es......t, thank you. For listening to my selfishness."

While pushing down on the hole in his chest, he smiled wryly.

"Kamito, I am your sword --- for as long as you wish."

The uniformed Est said that with the same expressionless face as always.

He wondered if the slightly red cheeks he could see were because of the flames.

"So you've called back the <Demon Slayer>......"

The radiance of Leonora's red eyes rose.

"This is the reason there is worth in defeating you!"

Roaring, she swung the <Dragon Slayer>---

"---Destroy, tyrannical demonic dragon!"

A crimson light shot out from the tip of the sword.

It blazed the ground and instantly disintegrated the trees in its path.

"---Est!"

But Est didn't avoid it and simply stood there.

[[File:STnBD V05 247.jpg|thumbnail|right]]

With an expression like ice, she turned to the inferno and put out her palm.

"---I am talking with Kamito right now, so don't disturb us."

The inferno that raged over the earth was dispersed with ease.

"......!?"

Leonora widened her eyes in shock.

Est gave off a fierce aura that didn't match with her magnificent appearance.

"......Est, let's go!"

"Yes!"

Kamito shakily got to his feet and held Est's hand.

His chest wound opened and a large amount of blood splattered across the ground.

His arm's joints were dislocated his ribs were broken.

It was a condition that could only be described as covered in wounds.

But for some reason, he knew he wouldn't lose.


Just having Est nearby seemed to send strength welling up from deep within him.

Kamito chanted the spirit words for releasing and Est's body scattered into light particles.

In the next instant, Kamito's hands were holding a silvery white shining sword.

Demon Slayer --- Terminus Est.

"Let's do this, Leonora Lancaster!"

Kamito shouted as he readied Est in both hands.

There was no need for clever tricks --- just one attack was enough.

"---Answer to the call of my blood, demonic dragon, rampage!"

Leonora also positioned her <Dragon Slayer> again and roared.

And both sacred sword users ran at the same time.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

The wind from the swords dug into the ground and sent dirt and sand flying.

"---Taste the boiling of my blood with your body!"

The large sword being swung before his eyes.

Wrapped in enough divine power to blow him away if it even grazed, Leonora charged.

But Kamito did not fear it and instantly accelerated towards it.


There was nothing to fear.

Because Kamito now had the strongest sword.

"Est, your sadness and despair, I will put an end to all of it!"

When the two blades met, the <Demon Slayer> gave off a radiance---

And shattered the <Dragon Slayer> in one strike.

==Part 9==

"......No way, Leonora-sama was!?"

Yuri El Cid exclaimed.

The divine power she had felt coming from not too far away had stopped.

"Looking away in the midst of battle? We're being really underestimated."

The momentary opening provided by the iron wall dragon knight. Claire would not let it slip.

Swinging her Flame Tongue, she knocked the halberd from her hands.

"......Shit!"

"---Scarlet!"

The flame whip instantly reverted to a hellcat and attacked.


"Tch!"

Yuri kicked the ground and retreated.

"We're stopping the hunt. Retreat!"

"Yuri-sama!?"

"Leonora-sama lost."

"Wha......!"

The face colors Knights of the Dragon Emperor's changed instantly.

But as natural-born soldiers, they quickly understood the situation and promptly followed the order, retreating into the forest.

"I won't let you! Freezing fangs, pierce --- Freezing Arrow!"

Rinslet shot her ice arrows, but they were blocked by the forest's trees.

"Kamito beat Leonora?"

"......It seems like that's the case."

Claire nodded as she looked in the direction of the burning camp site.

==Part 10==


"......Why are you not taking my <Magic Stone>?"

Leonora who was lying on the blazing ground asked.

Her mad red eyes had returned to a calm black.

......It seemed that the <Dragon Blood> had calmed down.

"I won't say it's a reward for helping me get Est back but---"

Kamito also fell down.

It was a much more delicate body than he had imagined.

Her noble face entered his eyes.

"This time I'll pardon you. And I'd like to blade dance with the real dragon knight Leonora rather than one influenced by <Dragon Blood>."

"......Naive, aren't you."

"......Well, the truth is I can't even move a finger anyway."

Kamito said so with a wry smile and Leonora turned her head with a red face.

"A, as I thought, you're dangerous......in various ways."

"What's that mean? What are these various ways?"

"Y, you're quite noisy, you licentious beast!"

Leonora sent Kamito flying and stood up.


The <Dragon Blood> rampage seemed to have eaten up her divine power so she was shaky on her feet.

"I won't lose next time, Kazehaya Kamito."

"Yeah, me neither. I have no intention of losing."

Leonora smiled and disappeared into the flames.

"......Kamito is really a master with no fidelity."

Hearing the pouting voice of Est from overhead, Kamito passed out.

---And this time he didn't see that dream.

<noinclude>{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Chapter8|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Epilogue}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Epilogue

2013-02-21T01:11:00Z

Shortykilz: /* Epilogue */

==Epilogue==

Kamito awakened on a stretcher in the tent.

It seemed Claire and the others had found the unconscious Kamito.

Bandages wrapped his injuries here and there. The clumsily wrapped portions were likely Claire's handiwork.

(......It looks like the ojou-samas were safe.)

Just as he breathed a sigh of relief and got up---

"You still shouldn't be moving, Kamito."

"Owaa, E, Est!"

The fully naked sword spirit quickly lay down beside him.

......No, there were, of course, knee socks covering her feet.

"Est......"

If it were the regular Kamito, this would be where he would scold her,

(Well, I'll forgive her for today......)

Kamito hugged Est to himself.


"Fuwa......Ka, Kamito!?"

Est's shoulders shook.

Because she always maintained a cool and expressionless face, that action was interesting.

"......I was lonely. I won't get mad today so stay with me here."

With a wry smile, he brought the blanket over Est's small body.

"Kamito......"

Est widened her violet eyes and attached herself to him.

Her mouth was lightly smiling in joy.

"Kamito, you're warm......"

"I see."

While Kamito's heart raced, he hugged the quivering Est's shoulders.

Under the blanket, Est told him various things about what happened after she vanished.

About the single moment when her <True Body> had connected with Kamito. But soon after that, the <Gate> had closed again so she now had a personality separate from that of the legendary <Demon Slayer>.

Unexpectedly, the sacred maiden Areishia was a lost memory to the current Est --- is what it meant.


Her memory was fragmented, so her memory only really started from when they'd met about two months ago.

Kamito was confused for a while but---

"......At any rate, it's fine to just say that Est is Est, right?"

"Yes, Kamito. That understanding is fine."

......And since it seemed to work, he stopped thinking deeply about it.

Then---

"Kamito, are you really not regretting it?"

"Of course not. I won't say it twice."

Kamito replied decisively to Est's question.

"A cursed demon sword or whatever, Est is my sword --- from now on and in the future."

"But I will steal Kamito's life......"

"Hey, Est---"

Kamito interrupted.

"Est right now only has about a tenth of the past <Demon Slayer>, right?"

"Yes, Kamito."

Est nodded from within his arms.


"So the curse is only a tenth of its original. If it's only that much, at the very least, I won't turn into stone during this Blade Dance."

Kamito stroked Est's hair.

"I didn't join the Blade Dance to have a <Wish> granted by the spirit king. But I have found a <Wish> I want to fulfill."

That was to remove Est's curse and make her into a true sacred sword.

"Yes, Kamito. I am your sword --- for as long as you wish.

She said it with the same expressionless face, but with great vigor behind it.

And at that time.

The entrance to the tent opened---

"Wha!?" "How shameless......!" "Kamito-kun, how bold......"

Ellis, Rinslet and Fianna's jaws dropped open.

Then---

"Y, you, whwhwh, what are you doing!"

Gogogogogogogogogo......!

Claire approached with her Flame Tongue in hand.


"W, wait, Claire, this is......"

Kamito quickly tried to make an excuse---

The fully-naked-except-for-knee-socks Est stood up in front of Claire.

"Wh, what is it......"

Claire faltered in front of her oppressive force.

"Kamito is my master."

"......E, even so, this is a problem about you sleeping together!"

"Claire also sleeps with Scarlet."

"S, she's a cat so it's fine!"

"I am a cat."

"Eh?"

"I am Kamito's sword. Kamito's kitten. Kamito's toy......that's why there is no problem."

Having said that, Est clung onto Kamito.

[[File:STnBD V05 259.jpg|thumbnail|right]]

"Fuaaa......a t, toy......wh, what are you saying!"

Claire yelled with a red face and teary eyes.

"Kamito said he would accept all of me."

"Wha, what is that......Ka, Kamito is my slave spirit!"


Fianna patted the frustrated Claire's back.

"Claire, let's let Est have Kamito for a day. Just for today."

"Kamito-san, as I thought, you really like small girls!"

"To lay your hands on young girls, th, that needs to be fixed! Become neapolitan!"

The glaring Rinslet and Ellis who had drawn her sword both looked at Kamito with cold eyes.

"It is okay, Kamito. I will protect you."

"Please spare me the blade dancing......"

---The first night of the <Blade Dance> passed.

<noinclude>{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Chapter9|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Afterword}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Epilogue

2013-02-20T04:51:20Z

Shortykilz:

Kamito woke up from the stretcher inside a tent.

It look like Claire and co was able to find the unconscious boy.

The injuries looked all bandaged up, the slightly embarrassing areas, look like Claire's work.

(....it look like the Ojou-samas are all alright.)

Sighing contently, about to get up.

"You can't get up, Kamito."

"Ah wu!, E, Est!"

A naked sword spirit is nearby.

....Incorrect, of course, as she is clad in the usual black knee sock.

"Est...."

The usual Kamito would begin to complain, but...

(Eh, I will let her do whatever she want today.)

Kamito lightly hugged Est.

"Ah wu...Ka, Kamito?"

Because she is usually very cool and stoic, this kind of shaking is kind of exciting as well.

"...You feel lonely right? I am not going to get mad today, you can be here if you like."

Smiling bitterly, he wrapped a blanket around her nubile body.

"Kamito..."

Est's purple eyes became larger, and her body snuggled next to his.

She begin to hum a little tone.

"Kamito, so warm..."

"Really?"

His heart beating rapidly, Kamito held Est close.

Within the blanket, Est retold the various event after she vanished.

To Kamito's understanding, for an instant Est reunited with her <Main Body>. But that door is slammed shut, the Est now is independent from the legendary <Demon Slaying Sword>

The surprising thing is, Saint Aleshia's memory, to the Est now is just memories given to her-And only that.

Although the memories are fragmented, to this Est, her real memories are the ones after meeting Kamito for the last two months.

In the middle, Kamito became confused, but...

"...The important part, Est is Est right?"

"Yes, Kamito, this understanding is correct."

....So, additional investigation are not necessary.

Then...

"Kamito, you wouldn't regret this?"

"Of course, don't make me say it twice."

Regarding Est's question, Kamito answered without hesitation.

"It is ok to be cursed by a Demonic Sword, Est is my sword--and always will be my sword."

"But, I could take Kamito's life..."

"Hum, Est--"

In this instant, the boy interrupted her.

"The Est now, is the <Demon Slaying Blade>'s one tenth of power right?"

"Yes, Kamito."

In his arms, the Sword Spirit nodded.

"So to be clear, then the accumulation of the curse should be only at one tenth of the power right? If so, then I shouldn't turn into stone before the Blade Dance is over."

Kamito lightly caress Est's hair.

"The reason I joined the blade dance, was not the beg the spirit king for a <Wish>. But, I just found my own Wish."

That is, to release Est from her own curse, to become a proper Holy Weapon.

"So fight with me, Est."

"Yes, Kamito, I am your sword--Do as you wish."

Although she appear to be expressionless, but she nodded vigorously.

In this instant...

The tent flap opened.

"What?" "Shameless!" "Kamito-kun is so daring.."

Ellis, Rinslet and Fianna stood there with their mouths wide open.

Then---

"What are you doing????"

GOOGGOOGOGOGOGOGO....!

"Wait, wait Claire! This is..."

Kamito tries to explain in a panic, but...

In front of Claire, stood a naked Est with knee-sock.

This forced Claire back.

"Kamito is my contractor."

"....So, so sleeping together is a problem!"

"Claire clearly sleeps with Scarlet."

"That, that child is a cat so there is no problem!"

"I am also a cat."

"Eh?"

"I am Kamito's sword, Kamito's cat, Kamito's toy...everything is ok."

Est retorted while hugging her contractor closely.

"Ah wuuuuu....TOY?? What, what is this about?!!!"

Claire's face turned red, shouting tearfully.

"Kamito said he will accept my everything."

"What...what is this? KAMITO IS CLEARLY MY SLAVE SPIRIT!"

Fianna bumped her shoulder into a incensed Claire.

"Claire, lets just lend Kamito to Est for today. ONLY-FOR-TO-DAY."

"Kamito clearly likes children."

"Even targeting young girls, this, this has to change! Turn into tomato pasta!"

Rinslet stared at him with frozen eyes, and Ellis drew her sword.

"No problem, Kamito, I will protect you."

"Spare me the blade dance..."

First night of the <Spirit Blade Dance> is over...

Teh Ping Talk:Sword Art Online

2013-01-04T03:42:29Z

Shortykilz:

Please translate vol 2, have been dying to see it's complete... --[[User:Castor212|Castor212]] 09:27, 1 December 2011 (CST)

Even if you say that, I need to wait for Tap to come back from Tekong and have his say...--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 06:51, 1 December 2011 (CST)

Oh --[[User:Castor212|Castor212]] 09:27, 1 December 2011 (CST)

Regardless, thank you for translating the prologue of volume 6, since there hasn't been an SAO update in, like, three months. Thank you again. [[User:Bzk3000|Bzk3000]] 13:28, 1 December 2011 (CST)

Speaking of which, why is 朝田詩乃 translated as Asada Sinon? It's Asada Shino. And I messed up on the Yui thing.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 21:59, 1 December 2011 (CST)

Yea it should be Asada Shino for her real name. Sinon is her game name. [[User:Xplorer30|Xplorer30]] - [[User_talk:Xplorer30|Talk]] 22:25, 1 December 2011 (CST)

Just in case you are wondering why we used "Sinon" for her game name, because the author wrote it in English that way. For reference, volume 5 chapter 6, that is page 229 to be exact. [[User:Xplorer30|Xplorer30]] - [[User_talk:Xplorer30|Talk]]

Ah, don't worry, I figured it out yesterday. Katakana was given as シノン--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 21:11, 2 December 2011 (CST)

My watchlist says Teh ping and SAO vol 2. Are you doing SAO vol 2 now? --[[User:Castor212|Castor212]] 01:10, 31 December 2011 (CST)

? That's a lie. Of course I got something else planned today.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 01:24, 31 December 2011 (CST)

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Finally I can read SAO Volume 2 in full. Oh you have no idea how long I've waited. You're the best translator in Baka-Tsuki. No lie. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 05:22, 31 December 2011 (CST)

Now I have a new hero *_* Don't push yourself too much and sometimes, have a break ^_^ --[[User:RxD|RxD]] 12.25 31 December (GMT +1)

THAAAAAAAAAANKNNNKKKKKKK YYYOOOUUUUUUU TEH PING. FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY FINALLY SAO 2!!! ----[[User:Castor212|Castor212]] 22:40, 31 December 2011 (CST)
A bit question : In vol 1, Kayta is a she. Also, Is it Kayta or keita?

Hey, Ping. Dropping by to say Thank you a LOT for your work in SAO! [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 22:19, 31 December 2011 (CST)

Teh Ping, what's up? When are you planning on continuing vol 5? If you could tell me it would be a load off my shoulders. I had been waiting for so long. So very very long. But I can wait more, as long as I can see the goal. You know the whole thing about walking in the dark ''versus'' walking while seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Please tell me. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 13:51, 7 January 2012 (CST)

Teh Ping? [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 06:33, 9 January 2012 (CST)

At the very least, not this month.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 06:42, 9 January 2012 (CST)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! (ghost leaving mouth) (*POP*, snaps back to reality) Please have mercy. Mercy I beg of you. Do not torture me so. It's just one whole and two-thirds of a chapter. Please, please, pleeeeeaaaase. I beg of you. I ''can't'' just skip those chapters and go on to vol 6. That would mess up the whole plotline. Teh Ping-donoooooo~. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 12:27, 9 January 2012 (CST)

Don't ya worry Zero. Everything gets done...one day. XD [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 13:08, 9 January 2012 (CST)

But it's ''vague''. Too vague. And too far off. Plus it's a cliffhanger. I wanna know what happens next. It's like bowling, only the ball veers off to the side at the very last moment. Teh Ping-dono~. Help. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 01:38, 10 January 2012 (CST)

I understand you're eager for more, but you shouldn't be too pushy about the generous service Teh Ping is providing for all of us. It's pretty easy to get burnt out translating plus he has real life stuff I'm sure. [[Special:Contributions/74.137.227.30|74.137.227.30]] 04:34, 10 January 2012 (CST)

Patience is a virtue (and yes, I'm enjoying how Zero is suffering now). And besides, SAO isn't on the I-must-complete list. Yet.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 04:39, 10 January 2012 (CST)

Okay, enough with the junkie act from me. But I do humbly request that the 1 and 2/3 chapters left in volume 5 be completed as soon as you have time. Right now the situation can be compared to putting a morsel of delicious meat infront of a pet which is tied up just so it can't ever get to eat the food. (Strechy stretchy cant get any). XD. So I do humbly request, with all due respect that Teh Ping makes some time to complete vol 5. I mean I know how busy you are by using [[Special:Contributions/Teh Ping]] to see your contributions. You're really burning the midnight oil there buddy. I just want to make sure you don't forget about SAO. BTW how was my act? Funny, no? [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 08:14, 10 January 2012 (CST)

Well, it's unlikely that I can do it the next month too, considering that I target to finish Unicorn 1, Kaminomi 2 and DenYuuDen 1. However, if it's a partnership where I can get another translator or two to help out, I'll definitely work on it since it eases my workload.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 08:51, 10 January 2012 (CST)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO. *Faints* [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 12:03, 10 January 2012 (CST)

Just a quick question. How many pages in vol 5 are left? [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 12:14, 10 January 2012 (CST)

Huuuh...I guess it'd bearound 1/7 of a novel, which should be around 40.

BTW, Zero, I just saw this:
"Do not ask when Chapters will be released"

"You are not permitted to ask when chapters will be released. Scripts are released once the Translator group is finished with them. All your whining will do is irritate the group's staff and make them leave the scene. That will mean even slower releases or none at all. Please have some patience."

XD [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 16:34, 10 January 2012 (CST)

IIRC, chapter 6 is until 260-270, it should be at the 200 mark now, chapter 7 is the shorter one. --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 19:34, 10 January 2012 (CST)

Thanks. I did not know both those things. I'll take care in the future. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 00:15, 11 January 2012 (CST)

Out of curiosity, what would you say your Kanji proficiency is at? I'm pretty good at syntax, but having to stop and look up every kanji completely destroys me. I'm wondering at what level did you start to read light novels (not translate them), assuming Japanese isn't your primary language. The only reason I ask is because I find that I learn faster by reading versus spoken word (though I practice with that too) so I managed to acquire a few VN to go through. I'm trying to get the point where I can read fluently and am wondering if I need to build up my Kanji reservoir first, or if constantly looking up kanji is natural. [[User:Catchfraze|Catchfraze]] 16:56, 11 January 2012 (CST)

For me, I was pretty much Chinese educated at home since it's my mother tongue, so I do have a rather solid base in that, more than my English too. I just read light novels after I learned the basic hiragana and katakana and try to smoke through with my kanji until I get a denshi jisho to check through.

For your case, yes, you would need to build up your kanji reservoir assuming you're non-Chinese or Korean. VN is a good way to start as hikari and Cosmic Eagle would tell you, but I didn't start from there (for obvious reasons). Now, take your time digesting the vocabulary, and if you want to start off with LN reading, Kaminomi, Baka Test, Seitokai and DenYuuDen are the easiest I can think of.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 23:49, 12 January 2012 (CST)

Furuki tomo yo, taskete kudasai. I believe I speak for all SAO readers when I say that we are still eagerly awaiting the completion of volume 5. Currently you are the only one who can do so. I beseech you to help those of us who are trapped in the darkness. I know you are busy. But even so I would like to humbly request that you may try and make some time soon. I personally ''really'' want to know what happens next. So much so that I have resisted reading volume 6 so as to not have it spoiled. It's mind taxing and frustrating. But even so I want to read SAO's GGO arc in the proper order. I... I... I can only ask and hope that you would grant us your favor. Old friend, please help/save us. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 11:28, 5 February 2012 (CST)

[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] has already discussed the topic of SAO 5 on [https://twitter.com/#!/Teh_ping/status/157132759779909632 twitter]. [[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] has humbly requested translator help to complete SAO 5. If you noticed, SAO 5 is currently not on [[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping's]] timeline. If you would like to help, it's best to try to recruit some translators to help [[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] -[[User:Milki|milki]] 11:40, 5 February 2012 (CST)

Can't... breathe... Please... help.... Gak kuh kak... [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 12:31, 20 February 2012 (CST)

Hey Teh Ping. If it's lack of the raws that's the problem I might be able to help. See: http://rawscans.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=13740 [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 13:06, 20 February 2012 (CST)

I sent you a PM in the forum, just in case you check this place more often. [[User:Xplorer30|Xplorer30]] - [[User_talk:Xplorer30|Talk]] 12:28, 26 February 2012 (CST)

Zero, if it helps, at the beginning of volume 6, there's a brief summary of what happened at the end of volume 5. You'll at least know what happened on-screen and how that part led to the events of volume 6. 17:31, 26 February 2012 (CST)

THANK YOU!!!! [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 11:00, 5 March 2012 (CST)

Ice Milk Tea, I wanna double check with you on the SAO Volume 7 chapter 6 translation. At the end of the translation pages, it had the message "To be continued".
Is it finished translation already? Anon 23:22 29 March 2012 (CST)

That wasn't done by me. I noted on Facebook that it would be out on April Fools. There's still 28 pages to go. 30 if you count the afterword.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 10:31, 29 March 2012 (CDT)

Happy April Fool Ice Milk Tea. I just laugh at the SAO Volume 7 chapter 6 translation. Nice one. I was like Wtf before I notice the date. Anon April Fool 2012

Hopefully, we can have people focus on volume 8 so that I don't have to do that chapter and go straight to 9. Frankly, I'm tired or having to work alone for most of my series, so it's a great help to have extra translators like js06, kuroi, and the guys here. (think these are the only extra translators in my active projects nowadays). In case people ask me why I'm taking too many projects, it's because nobody else would.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 10:46, 3 April 2012 (CDT)

Hey Teh Ping, I want to ask something about volume 1. After the boss fight on the seventy-fourth floor, is there any change in the ways Asuna and Kirito address each other? Like is it more intimate? Me and my editor have been argued about this since Vietnamese way of address each other is more complicated than English. [[User:Gingi|Gingi]] 05:49, 9 April 2012 (CDT)

I didn't translate that volume, but I do remember that Asuna added the -kun honorifics behind it after the boss fight. In this case, you can make it a little more intimate.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 07:29, 9 April 2012 (CDT)

Hi Teh Ping, it's me again. Question: In vol 2 "Moring Dew Girl", "coniferous" is refer to a species or a phylum. I ask this because "coniferous" can be translate into two meaning, which both of them fit in this situation, and I don't know which one I should use. If you need more information, just look on Wikipedia. Thanks [[User:Gingi|Gingi]] 09:35, 18 April 2012 (CDT)

It's actually more of a phylum, like how these trees are more predominant in the colder regions--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 09:42, 18 April 2012 (CDT)

Although if I translate like that, it gonna sound weird in Vietnamese, but I guess stick to the original meaning is still better [[User:Gingi|Gingi]] 10:50, 18 April 2012 (CDT)

Just keep it like Christmas trees or something. There's no real need to worry about the meaning since the theme's Christmas Day. And that story reminded me of the matchstick selling girl story for some reason...--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 11:54, 18 April 2012 (CDT)

I need your help. Could you quickly translate the untranslated text on the pics shown [[Talk:Sword_Art_Online#Volume_6|here]] and the sections immediately below (Compared to chapters and volumes it should take you a few minutes)? If you translate the text I can photoshop it into the pics. I've already done some of them. I just need the translations in order to do the rest. The sooner these pics are translated the sooner I can photoshop them. Thanks. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 14:35, 1 May 2012 (CDT)

WTF TEH PING!? GET BACK TO WORK ALREADY, YOU BASTARD!

Hey! you a Coworker at Ping's place? I'm sure he has to work hard! doesn't want to get fired from his job now, else he won't be able to make a living. So I agree with anon! get back to work! only TN when you have free time! working hours is not necessarily free time!!!! --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] - [[User_talk:Pryun|Talk]] 08:09, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

Just delete those Caps. No need to even bother with rage maniacs like those. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 08:56, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

Umm,so it's more of an addition from someone who protested about his resignation...MIA from Sword Art Online and not a co-worker's rant?--[[User:User753|User753]]-[[User talk:User753|Talk]]- 09:22, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

Someone missed my sarcasm... I thought it was pretty obvious. --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] - [[User_talk:Pryun|Talk]] 09:25, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

Isn't sarcasm supposed to be in ''italics'' with a ~ at the end, or a music note? [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 09:52, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

I don't even get how people can be stupid enough to write this kind of bull***. They should be grateful for the work already done. And, there's absolutely no way anyone would want to keep translating after reading that. I think that was a pretty good retort, Pryun.--[[User:MaerisCrisis|MaerisCrisis]] 09:56, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

Uu..(cough)I got it actually.I'm just not sure,as it sounds sarcastically convincing.Sorry.--[[User:User753|User753]]-[[User talk:User753|Talk]]- 10:58, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

He will not need to work on SAO Vol-9 as he had planned because BeginnerXP seems to have a good handle on it alerady - hence withdrawing from that project, Kah --[[Special:Contributions/203.21.188.199|203.21.188.199]] 14:54, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

What if I tell you that BeginnerXP is also quitting this series once he's done with his part? I don't blame him--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 20:15, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

He too...Well,it's truly sad.Thank you for all of your hard works.--[[User:User753|User753]]-[[User talk:User753|Talk]]- 20:50, 25 May 2012 (CDT)

Hi Ice Milk Tea,
I saw in the SAO registration page, you list that you had completed the Volume 8, Murder Case in the Area.
However, I am unable to find the link for the chapter. Could you provide the link?
Thanks. --- Anon205 30th May 2012 20:33 CST

http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?p=147832#p147832 --[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 07:37, 30 May 2012 (CDT)

Thanks Ice Milk Tea. So decided what to study after your complusory army stint? ---- Anon205 30th May 21:21 CST

Working part time on two jobs at the moment (I'm already out of army). Not willing to reveal where I'm studying though. --[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 08:29, 30 May 2012 (CDT)

Hahaha.. Dont worry.. I would not pay you a visit when I headed down south visiting my relatives. Good luck with your studies and dont overwork. Two Part time job can be very demanding.
Also, thanks for translating Vol9 Baka. --- Anon205 (<--usually lurks around recent changes to see which volume had been updated) 30th May 2012 21:45

Thank you for the translation ... hard work keeping up with 2 jobs and still providing the fans with awesome translations ^_^

Thank you very much for the translation.If I may ask,is it ''Cline'' or ''Klein'' that's used as the official name of the bandanna wearing katana user?(Sorry to ask,just curious.)--[[User:User753|User753]]-[[User talk:User753|Talk]]- 17:31, 31 May 2012 (CDT)

Thank for the translation, dude! I knew you were being ts... I mean you're a nice a person!! XD

...It, it's not like I did the translations because you guys voted for me to work on this series, baka...!!! (Okay, jokes aside, I'll be stopping this series once I'm done with 10.)--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] 10:17, 1 June 2012 (CDT)

XD. Very funny. Thanks for sticking around until vol 10. Looking forward to it. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 13:37, 1 June 2012 (CDT)

Yeah, what Zero2001 said :D --[[User:M.A.D|M.A.D]] 17:25, 3 June 2012 (CDT)

<nowiki>:)</nowiki> Thank you very much.Also looking forward to this.Have a nice day.--[[User:User753|User753]]-[[User talk:User753|Talk]]- 18:33, 3 June 2012 (CDT)

Oh yeah, Ping, I think that there is a talk page for SAO that got locked. Since it has been two months, could we un-lock it so that users post their questions and comments? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 23:05, 29 June 2012 (CDT)

Ping, Is there anyway to change this :
http://sadpanda.us/images/1057223-ER5OIBH.bmp
into this :
http://sadpanda.us/images/1057227-UHNU6NL.bmp
without manually change it one by one? -- [[User:Castor212|Castor212]] 07:27, 3 July 2012 (CDT)

I'll give an answer on his behalf, since Ping rarely edits those anyway. Use find and replace. Most software for text has them. --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] - [[User_talk:Pryun|Talk]] 06:10, 3 July 2012 (CDT)

I tried already, did not work T>T 07:26, 3 July 2012 (CDT)-- [[User:Castor212|Castor212]] 07:27, 3 July 2012 (CDT)

I'm really wondering why you are asking it in Teh Ping's page for Sword Art Online, since in this project we keep the curly quotes. To answer your question, the replace function in windows's notepad should work. (Edit: it seems you found how to do it with MS Word in your talk page) [[User:Vaelis|Vaelis]] 12:44, 5 July 2012 (CDT)

For goodness sakes. That's something you should ask me. ME. I'm the demon king of replacement (and a thorn in a certain someone's side) around here. Muahahahaha. Anyways. Take a look at my talk page. If you want to do it on the net, the answer lies in Foxreplace. If you want to do it offline in a text editor, then there should be a Find and Replace option in your text-editor's edit menu. Use that. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 14:12, 5 July 2012 (CDT)

Yes, i have found the way, thank you^^ -- [[User:Castor212|Castor212]] 20:00, 5 July 2012 (CDT)

Hi, just wanted to let you know that if you want extra editor, I'd like to help. Just drop a google doc link on my talk page or on BT forum --[[User:M.A.D|M.A.D]] 06:33, 17 July 2012 (CDT)

Hi, could you translate the plot summary on volume 2 's cover, please? Just the first paragraph is enough, I had already ask someone from my forum translate it, but since he doesn't read SAO, his translation is very crappy hence I have no idea what it means. Thank you. [[User:Gingi|Gingi]] ([[User talk:Gingi|talk]]) 03:45, 14 August 2012 (CDT)

Thanks for the awesome translation. Could you TL the color pics now? Then I can photoshop them. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 09:40, 1 October 2012 (CDT)

Teh Ping, Could you translate the last remaining color pic of v10, at the very least? I wanted you to re-transalate all v10 pics so I could fix them to match your novel translation but I'll settle for the last pic and make the edits you mentioned in passing for the rest. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 08:07, 10 October 2012 (CDT)

... It looks already translated to me. Or maybe I'm seeing things. Unless [[:File:Sword_Art_Online_Vol_10_-_008.jpg|This]] isn't the last image? --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] - [[User_talk:Pryun|Talk]] 08:56, 10 October 2012 (CDT)

I meant the one before that one. namely, [[:File:Sword_Art_Online_Vol_10_-_006-007.jpg|this one]]. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 09:11, 10 October 2012 (CDT)

In BeginnerXP's volume 10 pdf that image is translated however I don't know who or where it was translated [[Special:Contributions/124.150.38.26|124.150.38.26]] 09:17, 10 October 2012 (CDT)

Thanks to Anon's info I was able to compare Teh Ping's translation with BeginnerXP's image and thus upload a scanlated version. Teh Ping, please feel free to check for any mistakes and tell me. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 15:01, 10 October 2012 (CDT)

Wait, so...is Volume 11 released already, and just not translated because Teh Ping isn't working on SAO anymore? Noooo! [[User:Shichiya|Shichiya]] - [[User_talk:Shichiya|Talk]] - 04:06, 17 October 2012 (CDT)

No. It is not out yet. BTW, Ping isn't the only one working on SAO.--[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] - [[User_talk:Pryun|Talk]] 05:26, 17 October 2012 (CDT)

Ah...I'm sorry if I've given offense. I am greatly thankful to all the other translators as well. I just...can't wait for the next volume, and I thought that it came out in October. - [[User:Shichiya|Shichiya]] - [[User_talk:Shichiya|Talk]] - 06:11, 17 October 2012 (CDT)

Well if you ''really'' can't wait and know how to read japanese you should search for the Web Novel version of the Alicization Arc. I found one on JCafe and downloaded it. Not giving the link though. That's against the rules. You'll have to search for it yourself. [[User:Zero2001|Zero2001]] - [[User_talk:Zero2001|Talk]] - 07:18, 17 October 2012 (CDT)

Honestly, part of the fun of reading SAO is how they're translating it into English on BT. It's a certain writing style by itself...I'm not sure how to describe it, exactly. It's just...really nice. But I'll find that copy when I'm really desperate for it. Thank you. - [[User:Shichiya|Shichiya]] - [[User_talk:Shichiya|Talk]] - 10:19, 17 October 2012 (CDT)

I know you are going to retire after this, so I will like to thank you for your work, and also, if you do end up coming back (I hope), please help finish the rest of the SAO translations. Thank you.

Checking before you retire, but is there a reason for the "it"s and bold text on chapter 3, part 1 of volume 10? The original text seems to be written in 1st person, so the only reason I can think of, is to replicate the lack of pronouns referring to the narrator there... --[[User:Tap|Tap]] ([[User talk:Tap|talk]]) 10:52, 15 December 2012 (CST)

Yes, that's basically it. Technically, 'I' would be more appropriate for this kind of situation as a FPV, but I don't want to bother switching POVs in this story, especially when the non-Kirito parts are mostly in 3PV, like GGO.--[[User:Teh Ping|Teh Ping]] ([[User talk:Teh Ping|talk]]) 11:30, 15 December 2012 (CST)

Hi, I just want to say thank you for all the hard works you have done for the LN community in general, and for Sword Art Online in particular. So, thank you, and happy New Year!!! --[[User:M.A.D|M.A.D]] - [[User_talk:M.A.D|Talk]] 12:01, 27 December 2012 (CST)

Hi, I noticed something odd on Vol. 7 Chapter 6 of SAO. It was written " His speed slowed down with the large amount of sparks caused by the sparks on the soles rubbing against the ground." "Sparks caused by sparks" is just weird and bothers me, so I just wanted to see if that was really what it's supposed to be. Thanks for your time. [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] ([[User talk:Shortykilz|talk]]) 21:42, 3 January 2013 (CST)

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Chapter1

2012-11-24T10:08:16Z

Shortykilz:

{{Incomplete|parts=93%}}
== Chapter 1: Travel Preparation ==

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Chirp, chirp...*

Twitters of birds could be heard coming from the «Spirit Forest» surrounding the academy.

"Mm..."

Opening his eyes and rising up at his bed, his own half-asleep face was being reflected in the window.

His black hair was ruffled after sleeping. He had an insecure look in his eyes.

Compared to the innocent looks in his dream, his impression had changed greatly.

''Four years ago... huh?''

It had been a long time since he last had a dream about that period of time.

It was probably the first time he had one since coming to this academy.

To be frank, it was a memory he didn't even want to recall...

Kamito unintentionally cast his sight down to his left hand, where a spirit seal was engraved.

The seal of the darkness spirit— the left hand which grasped victory at the Blade Dance three years ago.

''Now I am trying to return to that arena once more.''

With the Blade Dance drawing near, he was probably feeling emotionally overwrought without realizing it.

That must have been the cause of him having a dream about that period of time, too.

As he was about to raise his body from the bed―

"......"

Kamito noticed something.

His body felt strangely heavy.

Something soft and pleasant was mounted on top of his waist.

"......?!"

Startled, Kamito flipped his blanket vigorously.

And then.

"Fua... Good morning, Kamito."

"E-Est?!"

A lovely voice that sounds just like a bell.

The one straddling Kamito's waist— was a silver-haired beauty.

She had mysterious violet eyes. Her skin was white like freshly extracted milk.

The figure in question, who was rubbing her drowsy-looking eyelids, was lovely just like a snow fairy.

Sword spirit Est. She was Kamito's contracted spirit, who was entitled the «Demon Slayer».

Apparently she had sneaked into Kamito's bed before he knew it.

On top of that, her attire was—

"What's wrong, Kamito?"

Still straddling on top of his waist, Est looked down on him expressionlessly.

"H-Hey, your attire..."

Est was fully naked― No, she wasn't.

She was dressed up properly.

However.

"Kamito?"

Est tilted her head blankly. Kamito averted his eyes in a fluster.

Est was wearing Kamito's uniform shirt over her naked body.

She's probably not wearing underwear. Her attire was what called a naked-shirt<ref>Similar to Naked-apron, a naked shirt is where the subject wears nothing but a shirt.</ref>.

From the exposed bosom, her slightly exposed white skin was strangely captivating.

The cuffs were big and excessive, but they gave him an unnecessary maniacal feeling nonetheless.

"Wha—? Est, why are you wearing my uniform?"

"Kamito told me that I can't sleep together with you in the nude."

Est replied expressionlessly.

Kamito was spontaneously startled as she tightly grabbed the chest area of the shirt.

"Yeah, I did tell you so."

Being at his wits' end, Kamito groaned.

"Please, at least put on some panties."

"...Pan...ties?"

"Why are you making that wondering look?!"

It might be the case that even if spirits have the habit of wearing knee-socks, they don't have the habit of wearing panties.

''...Nah, Restia did wear underwear properly.''

Just when he was thinking about that―

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Kamito felt something out of place about Est's appearance.

It's not just about her wearing a naked-shirt― There seems to be something very different in Est this morning.

Kamito intently examined Est's whole body.

"Kamito... Um, if you stare at me so much, I'll get embarrassed."

The expressionless Est blushed in an unusual manner, squirmed on top of his waist and rubbed her knees together.

At that moment, Kamito finally realized.

From the shirt-tail, her white thighs slightly came in sight.

And then, came her slender and smooth ankles like sculptures made of marble.

What Est was wearing— wasn't her usual knee-high socks.

She was wearing short socks, of which the length was just about up to her ankles.

"Est, what's with those socks?"

"Well, I thought Kamito would be pleased with these kind of socks."

With her face still red, Est firmly pinned down the shirt-tail.

This was his first time seeing Est making such an expression.

It appears that to her, exposing her bare feet was really embarrassing.

"Kamito, are you turned on by my short socks?"

"Nah, because I don't have such a maniacal fetish, you know?"

"...I see. That means this is still not enough to make you satisfied."

Est dropped her shoulders, seemingly disappointed.

"Still, it is quite impossible for me to show you my bare feet."

"I'm telling you, I don't have such a fetish."

Kamito groaned and shook his head. He really can't understand the spirits' sense of shame.

''Even so―''

It was the truth that his heart pounded at Est's expression of blushing and being bashful in an unusual manner.

The sword spirit was always calm and expressionless.

That was exactly why he wanted to try seeing more of her bashful expression.

''What will happen if I touch them, I wonder?''

Suddenly, Kamito's mind was tempted.

Anyhow, it's because Est, not any other girl, was bashful to this extent.

What would happen if he touches her bare feet? —He wanted to try seeing it.

"......"

Kamito quietly reached out his hand—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy*.

He tickled Est's small foot.

"...Hyan!"

A sweet voice leaked out from her lips.

Est's body bent with a start.

"...Kamito, what are you doing?!"

"Hm? I'm massaging you."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy coochy*.

"Hya...a-n..."

Twisting her body, Est was in agony, seemingly tickled.

Such a reaction was so cute that it drove Kamito to―

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy*. *Coochy coochy coochy*.

"...A-n, please... Stop it..."

"No. This is your punishment."

"...Punishment?"

"Because Est is a bad girl for sneaking in my bed as she pleases."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy coochy*.

"Ann, Kami...to... Forgive... Me."

Tears were shed from Est's limpid eyes as she pleaded while gasping.

...As expected, she now looked a little pitiful.

"Have you reflected on your behavior?"

"Y...es..."

Kamito ceased tickling, and Est fell lying face-down in exhaustion.

Kamito gently held Est back as she flopped onto him.

"...Kamito is so mean."

Est pouted her lips in an unusual manner.

"My bad. Est is just so cute... So I did it without thinking."

He gently stroked Est's silver hair while making a bitter smile.

Just at that moment.

The room temperature rose instantly.

"...?!"

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

From behind him, a horrifying killing aura... No, heat was emitted.

When he turned around at the unpleasant premonition―

"Y-Y-You guys... Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing?"

With her red pigtails standing on end, the beautiful girl was trembling all over.

Her ruby eyes were imposing. Her lips had the color of cherry blossoms in early blooming. The bulge on her chest was just about the same as that of a kid, but that well-balanced proportion of hers was very charming.

Claire Rouge.

If it was appearance alone, she was exceptionally cute, an ultra beautiful girl without any exaggeration.

However, as she was now, she was more terrifying than any ferocious spirit.

"I-I've misjudged you. I-I didn't know you're such a pervert...!"

"Y-You got it wrong, Claire. This is, well, you see..."

Kamito was attempting to give an excuse while in a fluster, but―

For this particular instance, it was absolutely not a misunderstanding. There was no way to make an excuse.

"Kamito-kun, I think your foot-tickling play is indeed too maniacal."

Appearing from behind Claire, Fianna quietly cast her eyes down, seemingly sad.

It seemed like she saw everything. ...He would rather die now.

"Kamito, how hot would you order me to grill you?"

Claire smiled pleasantly while holding her blazing {{Furigana|Flame Tongue|whip of flame}}.

A smile of an angel that would make one unexpectedly fascinated.

"Medium rare... or so."

"Too bad. I only know roasting to cinders."

Claire raised her whip of flame overhead――

"――Turn into cinders already!"

Kamito was blown off towards the outside of the window.

<center>◇</center>

And so, Kamito greeted another morning just like usual, but――

After eating breakfast, the situation was a little different.

The bell sounding the start of classes had already rung long ago, yet everyone still remained in their room in the dorm.

"This one and this one. This one should be necessary too... Geez, Scarlet. Don't play with the luggage."

"Nyaa?"

The flame spirit in the form of a hell cat is playing by rolling Claire's outfits as if they were a yarn ball.

Seeing a glimpse of white underwear among that lump, Kamito averted his eyes in a hurry.

Claire and Fianna were sitting on each of their beds and packing their stuff in their own bags.

They were preparing to head towards {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}}, the stage of the Blade Dance.

It had been two weeks since «Team Scarlet» defeated the Silent Fortress ― Velsaria Eva, who ranked number one within the academy, and obtained the right to participate in the Blade Dance. Together with the two teams that got into the determined representative trio, they are going to fight to the bitter end during several days from now on as a representative of the Ordesia Empire.

"Claire, did you get enough sleep yesterday?"

"Of course. Keeping your physical condition in control is a basis as a spirit contractor after all."

Claire nodded while holding back from yawning, which she had been doing many times already.

Perhaps it's because of her sense of responsibility as the team leader, Claire had recently been reading a large number of tactical books and documents related to spirits, which she borrowed from the library, until the dead of night.

"Don't push yourself too hard. We won't know the {{Furigana|regulation|battle system}} until an oracle of the Elemental Lords is issued."

"Yes, I know. Still, it's necessary to prepare countermeasures in advance. Those who participate in the Blade Dance are the most elite spirit contractors representing each country―― It won't be so easy that you can win without countermeasures. Besides, that strongest blade dancer is also taking part in this tournament after all."

"...Yeah, you're right."

Kamito nodded with a bitter face.

The strongest blade dancer ― Ren Ashbell.

The winner at the Blade Dance three years ago.

''...Not me, but another Ren Ashbell.''

Who exactly is she? And what is her goal...?

He has to figure that out.

Kamito tightly clenched his left hand, which was covered in a leather glove.

Regardless of what her objective might be, it is no doubt that the transformed Restia is acting together with her.

"And you, are you done with packing already?"

Holding on to the nape of Scarlet, who was struggling and mewing――

This time it was Claire who asked.

In contrast with Claire's traveling bag, which was filled up as if it was about to burst, Kamito's bag was small.

"Yeah, I don't have much stuff to carry after all."

Kamito, who was wandering aimlessly until just two months ago, carried with him almost no personal belongings.

A few daggers used for throwing and, this isn't baggage but―― he had the spiritual magical armament, the sword «Terminus Est», in the sword-belt on his hips. Est was offended by what happened this morning and went to sleep in her sword form. ...It's not likely for her to wake up anytime soon.

But then again, if one was to offend a high-ranking spirit of Est's level, normally one must be ready for the kind of damage like a town being destroyed.

"......"

For those two, it seems that they still need more time to pack.

''...Well, they are girls of noble status after all.''

They probably needed various things that a guy like Kamito would have no idea about.

Claire had been randomly stuffing in a bunch of canned peach for a while, but that made him feel a little uneasy.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Kamito casted his eyes down the floor, where stuff were strewn all over the place.

There were some books that looked like novels getting mixed among tactical books and documents related to spirits.

Having too much time to spare, Kamito casually picked up one of them.

'The wandering prince and the imprisoned princess'―― A romance novel aimed at teens, with many illustrations in it.

(Seriously, it's surprising that Claire likes this kind of stuff.)

When he tried skimming lightly through its first part out of curiosity――

"Wha-?!"

Kamito's face turned red in a flash.

The content of the book was about a beautiful princess getting abducted by a cruel prince and got all sorts of things done to her that can hardly be expressed in words――It was that kind of hardcore stuff.

"Y-You... H-Have you been reading this kind of stuff?!"

"Eh?"

Claire turned around.

And then, when she recognized what Kamito is holding in his hands,

"Fuaaaa, g-g-g-give it back! What the hell are you reading without permission?!"

Thump. Thud.

She hit him with the peach cans in her hands.

"Whoa... Are you planning to kill me?!"

"It's your punishment for peeping into a m-maiden's secret! You deserve to die ten thousand times!"

"Then don't leave your maiden secret on the floor."

"S-Shut up~! Idiot! Pervert!"

Bursting into tears, Claire hit him repeatedly and violently.

...At this rate, he might lose his life before participating in the Blade Dance.

"Hey, you are being annoying."

"B-But Kamito――"

Taking chance when Claire turned towards Fianna――

Kamito opened a page of the book and showed it in front of Claire.

It was a page containing an illustration in which the princess, the heroine of the story, was being tied up with a rope and getting whipped.

"...?!"

"Isn't Claire more of a pervert?"

"...Eh?"

Claire's shoulders turned stiff with a start.

"A noble young lady reading such a vulgar book, don't you feel any shame?"

"W-Well, um..."

The ojou-sama blushed and mumbled in hesitation.

Upon seeing Claire in such a state――

Kamito got a feeling of wanting to play with her a little.

[[File:STnBD V04 031.jpg|thumbnail|right]]

(...Well, there I go wanting to tease her again.)

It was probably because her act of blushing in embarrassment looks strangely cute.

Moving his face close to Claire's ear, he whispered softly.

"I wonder how everyone will think if they learn that the ojou-sama, whose even test results are top-class, enjoys reading this kind of obscene books."

"Fuaa, wh-wh-wh-what are you saying?!"

"Could it be that you want to get things like stuff in this book done to you?"

"Th-That's not true! How could I want to be tied up like this?!"

"You know, this page has a fold on it."

"...~Fuaaan!"

Erupting a tiny cloud of steam from her head, Claire crawled into her bed.

"...Seriously, she's the same green ojou-sama as ever."

Having escaped from his life crisis, Kamito took a sigh of relief, and――

This time he turned towards Fianna.

"Is your preparation going well?"

"...Hmm, it seems that my ritual equipments are going to be bulky no matter what."

Said Fianna while stuffing a large round mirror and a candlestick into her bag.

Fianna Ray Ordesia.

She is the second princess of the Ordesia Empire, and also the princess maiden ranked second at 〈Divine Ritual School〉, a training institution for spirit princesses who serve the {{Furigana|Elemental Lords|Five Great Spirit Kings}}.

A genuine princess, who was once even chosen as a candidate for the spirit princess of the Elemental Lord of Flame.

However, she is by no means any haughty whatsoever, but a girl who is every easy to talk to.

Strictly speaking, she is at a social status where Kamito and the likes are not even allowed to look at her face, though.

"If you don't mind, I'll lend you a hand. Can I pack the stuff around here however I want?"

"Yes, that will be of help."

Kamito sit down on the bed, where stuff are all over the place, and started stuffing in a bag all kinds of equipments that appear to be used in rituals.

Rosaries, royal goblets, folding fans, whips, candles, and even things that look like beast ears and tails――

(Are these really equipments to use in rituals?)

Such a question suddenly flitted through his mind, however,

(Well, I'm also just a beginner when it comes to princess maidens' rituals after all.)

――That was when his hand, which reached out casually, grabbed something.

A smooth and nice touch of cloth.

(...What's this?)

Knitting his eyebrows, he tried holding it up before his eyes, and then――

"...?!"

Kamito turned stiff in that posture.

It was a glossy black piece of cloth.

A thin lace embroidery with a rose pattern on it.

The material was probably silk. There were thin strings attached at both ends of the cloth piece.

"Err..."

Cold sweats gradually emerged on Kamito's forehead.

A high class-looking black pair of underwear.

On top of that――

(Wh-Why is there a hole here?!)

It wasn't torn off. For some reason, there was an unnatural cut at the center.

(This seems to have no meaning as underwear――)

"Ka-Kamito-kun?!"

"Ah――"

Suddenly, his eyes met Fianna's, who raised her face at him.

Kamito was still unfolding the black pair of underwear in front of him.

"......"

"......"

"Um..."

Fianna's face turned bright red――

"D-Do you... hate a princess who would wear this kind of shameful underwear?"

She asked him with upturned eyes.

"N-No, I mean, my bad...!"

With his heart pounding, Kamito hurriedly put the underwear back inside the bag.

"Wh-Why do you have such underwear?"

"I went and bought it on an impulse... b-but it is indeed embarrassing."

She muttered with her face still bright red.

...It seems that she really was embarrassed.

This princess always says shocking things and teases Kamito, but she is actually a green girl, just like Claire.

"...I wonder... if that was a little too daring."

"Y-You're right. A little... yeah."

Ahem, or so Kamito coughed.

What blew away that awkward atmosphere for them was a voice which could be heard coming from outside the room.

"Geez, you're still preparing, Claire Rouge?"

A somewhat high-pitched and elegant voice.

The one who appeared in front of the room was――

Claire's rival and classmate in her Raven classroom.

It was Rinslet Laurenfrost, the demon ice spirit contractor.

She has dazzlingly beautiful platinum blond hair. Her emerald green eyes are topped by lovely eyebrows.

At a glance, she appears to be a proud ojou-sama, but Kamito knows that she is a very kind and caring girl.

"Ojou-sama, I'm sleepy~"

"Geez, Carol is always such a sleepyhead."

The one being dragged by her was Carol the maid.

"Ojou-sama, you know that unlike you, my blood pressure is low... Hwa."

Apparently she was waken up by Rinslet this morning.

...She was the same useless maid as ever.

"Rinslet, what is that thing?"

Claire, having finally revived, asked thus.

Rinslet was carrying a largish wooden box in her hands.

"Hmph, it's a tea set of highest grade. A lady of the Laurenfrost family must stay elegant at all times."

Rinslet proudly combed her platinum blond hair upward.

"You know what, we aren't going out to play."

Claire shrugged her shoulders in amazement.

And then, this time they could hear Ellis' voice coming from outside the window.

"What are you lots doing?! It's already ''one hour'' until the gathering time, you know!"

"You're just too early!"

Claire turned at the overly serious knight captain and yelled.

(...Unifying this team seems to be quite a long-term difficult task.)

Kamito shrugged his shoulders with a sense of irony while putting the baggage in order.

<center>◇</center>

One hour later.

Members of Team Scarlet gathered in front of the〈Stone Circle〉, which is their rally point.

It is a〈gate〉to {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}} located within the premises of Areisia Spirit Academy.

This historic ruin itself is something that had been in existence long before the academy was built, but it is by no means part of the Empire's technology. The status quo is that the technology which preserves the〈gates〉which opened to this world, has been lost completely excluding for such ruins, which remain at various places around the continent.

From now on, representative fighters will be moving to {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}}, and then boarding a ship prepared by〈Divine Ritual School〉, which administer the Blade Dance.

In front of the〈gate〉, the other two teams that were selected from the academy have also gathered already.

〈Team Wyvern〉, ranked first, is a team composed of only upperclassmen.

They gave each member of Team Scarlet a sharp glance, and then suddenly looked away. They have no intention of getting along――That is probably what they are declaring. Their reaction was natural. After all, although both teams were selected from the same academy, when the Blade Dance actually begins, they will become each other's rival.

(Besides――)

With that in mind, Kamito looked at Claire with a side glance.

There is another reason for the glance of the upperclassmen being prickly.

The younger sister of the {{Furigana|Calamity Queen|Spirit Princess of Calamity}}, who brought about the unprecedented disaster to the empire four years ago.

There are still many students in the academy with unpleasant thinking about her existence.

Claire does not seem to particularly care about that, but she probably is suffering in her heart.

"Mu, you guys again――"<ref>Exclamation for expressing an astonishment or showing unexpectedness�</ref>

Thus a blond girl holding a wooden staff started talking to Kamito.

"'Sup, savage girl. It's been a while."

"Muu, I'm not a savage girl!"

The lovely petite girl puffed out her cheeks in anger.

This person is a member of the ranked third〈Team Cernunnos〉, whom they had fought against before.

She's from the {{Furigana|Druid|Wise Men of Evergreen Oaks}} clan, who grow up in the spirit forest and use a powerful〈Beast Swarm Spirit〉.

As an opponent whom they may fight in the future, she is quite a strong rival.

"I will be sure to crush the likes of you guys underfoot with my〈Beast Swarm Spirit〉!"

The druid girl held up her wooden staff as she snickered.

And then, heading over there――

"Hmph, so you three teams have finally gathered?"

Teacher Freya Grandol, the manager of the〈gate〉, came walking briskly.

As she cast a glance up at the clock tower of the academy,

"I'm going to transport all of you to Astral Zero after ten minutes. Now finish saying goodbye to your friends in the meantime."

Saying thus, she starts drawing a magical formation inside the〈Stone Circle〉.

Claire, Rinslet, and Fianna restlessly looked away from each other.

"Th-There's no need to say goodbye or something."

"Th-That's right. We're just leaving the academy for a mere few days after all."

"Y-Yes, that sounds exaggerating."

The three of them simultaneously nodded to one another.

(Come to think of it, all of them had no friends.)

...This ojou-sama group sure had it tough.

(Well, I'm also in no place to say so about people, though――)

Meanwhile, Ellis was surrounded and overwhelmed by a crowd of junior knights.

Her reddish brown eyes were imposing. Her blue ponytail was swaying in the gentle breeze.

Apparently, Ellis will be going to the Blade Dance wearing her knight armor as well.

That is probably her expression of determination of being a representative of the academy and also the {{Furigana|Sylphid|Knight Order of the Wind King}} at the same time.

"Captain, please fight for us as well!"

"We're rooting for you!"

"Yeah, I will definitely claim victory!"

Ellis nodded at the words of Rakka and Reicia, two former teammates of hers.�

They have entrusted Ellis their dream for the Blade Dance championship.�

And then, one more person――

Kamito knows that there is a girl who has entrusted her with a dream.

Kamito whispered to Ellis, who has returned after saying goodbye to her juniors.

"Ellis, that ribbon looks good on you."

"Y-You think so...?"

Ellis blushed and fidgeted with her fingers.

Binding her ponytail was a white ribbon.

It was something which Ellis' elder foster-sister entrusted to her before leaving the academy.

"Now that I'm wearing this, I feel like aneue is watching over me."

Ellis suddenly smiled.

Seeing her defenseless face from the side, Kamito spontaneously felt his heart pound again.

"The time has come. Everyone, get inside the〈Stone Circle〉."

Teacher Freya traced a stone pillar with her fingertips, and blue rays of light gushed forth from the earth's surface.

A〈gate〉connecting this world and {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}} emerged.

Kamito and his group nodded to each other, and then stepped inside the shining〈Stone Circle〉.

<center>◇</center>

A dazzling flash of light. And then a fleeting intoxicating sensation as though heaven and earth were turned upside-down.

"H-m..."

Opening their eyes, what first flew into their field of vision was――�

All kinds of trees in a dense forest, and a grand lake occupying a large area within it.

A lake that looks like a polished surface of a mirror, which exists only in {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}}. At the lake shore where water plants grow thickly, countless faint, flickering light orbs were floating and creating a wondrous scene.

"I have come to this lake before, during the academy's training camp."

Claire firmly descended on the muddy ground.

Members of other teams were also sent to the site one after another.

"By the way, where's the ship?"

Kamito looked around the surface of the lake.

A ship-like object is nowhere to be found.

"Where are you looking at? Look, over there――"

Claire shrugged her shoulders and pointed at the sky peeking through the gaps of trees.

"Hm?"

When he raised his head――

An outline of a ship floating in the sky casting its huge shadow on the lake.

"That's... the Bellfahle-class flying ship of〈Divine Ritual School〉..."�

Kamito opened his eyes and groaned.

A state-of-the-art flying ship named after the Elemental Lord of Wind.

He has heard about it in the rumors, but this is his first time seeing the real thing.

It has the form like that of a streamlined whale. Apparently its power source is a spirit engine made in the Kingdom of Balstan, and they use an over-6000-year-old sacred tree as material for the exterior.

It is the ship which will lead spirit contractors, who will dedicate their blade dances to the Elemental Lords, to the stage of the〈Blade Dance〉.

"Kamito, we are definitely going to win the grand prize."

"Yeah."

Kamito nodded, and tightly clenched his left hand.

(...We have crawled all the way up for the sake of gaining the qualification to board that ship.)

Claire, for the sake of learning the truth related to the incident that her elder sister caused.

Kamito, for the sake of regaining the contracted spirit that he has lost.�

Then Ellis, Fianna, and Rinslet――

Everyone at this place is joining in the〈Blade Dance〉with their respective wish harbored in mind.

The flying ship caused flashy splashes as it landed on the lake.

<center>◇</center>

"――Looks like the boy has already headed over there."

Areisia Spirit Academy, office room.

Greyworth Shelmice faced the wall of the room and spoke.

There was no response――However, immediately from inside the wall, a person'
s shadow emerges as if it is seeping out.

"Yes ma'am. Just a while ago."

It was teacher Freya Grandol, the shadow spirit contractor.

She approached Greyworth's office desk, and then opened her mouth without hesitation.

"Still, I cannot understand the reason why you, the academy director, go that far to support that boy."

"What do you mean?"

"His fighting skills are certainly overwhelming, but the〈Blade Dance〉isn't something as lenient as to allow someone to win through with just that. You should be the one who knows that best."

"Yeah, it's just as you said. The boy still can't win against the strongest blade dancer as he is now. At the very least, I would like to have him awaken before the real war starts, but――"

"What do you mean?"

"Nah, just random silly talk."
<noinclude>

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

{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Prologue|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Chapter2}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Chapter1

2012-11-24T09:56:37Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter 1: Travel Preparation */ Moved the note to references

{{Incomplete|parts=93%}}
== Chapter 1: Travel Preparation ==

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Chirp, chirp...*

Twitters of birds could be heard coming from the «Spirit Forest» surrounding the academy.

"Mm..."

Opening his eyes and rising up at his bed, his own half-asleep face was being reflected in the window.

His black hair was ruffled after sleeping. He had an insecure look in his eyes.

Compared to the innocent looks in his dream, his impression had changed greatly.

''Four years ago... huh?''

It had been a long time since he last had a dream about that period of time.

It was probably the first time he had one since coming to this academy.

To be frank, it was a memory he didn't even want to recall...

Kamito unintentionally cast his sight down to his left hand, where a spirit seal was engraved.

The seal of the darkness spirit— the left hand which grasped victory at the Blade Dance three years ago.

''Now I am trying to return to that arena once more.''

With the Blade Dance drawing near, he was probably feeling emotionally overwrought without realizing it.

That must have been the cause of him having a dream about that period of time, too.

As he was about to raise his body from the bed―

"......"

Kamito noticed something.

His body felt strangely heavy.

Something soft and pleasant was mounted on top of his waist.

"......?!"

Startled, Kamito flipped his blanket vigorously.

And then.

"Fua... Good morning, Kamito."

"E-Est?!"

A lovely voice that sounds just like a bell.

The one straddling Kamito's waist— was a silver-haired beauty.

She had mysterious violet eyes. Her skin was white like freshly extracted milk.

The figure in question, who was rubbing her drowsy-looking eyelids, was lovely just like a snow fairy.

Sword spirit Est. She was Kamito's contracted spirit, who was entitled the «Demon Slayer».

Apparently she had sneaked into Kamito's bed before he knew it.

On top of that, her attire was—

"What's wrong, Kamito?"

Still straddling on top of his waist, Est looked down on him expressionlessly.

"H-Hey, your attire..."

Est was fully naked― No, she wasn't.

She was dressed up properly.

However.

"Kamito?"

Est tilted her head blankly. Kamito averted his eyes in a fluster.

Est was wearing Kamito's uniform shirt over her naked body.

She's probably not wearing underwear. Her attire was what called a naked-shirt<ref>Similar to Naked-apron, a naked shirt is where the subject wears nothing but a shirt.</ref>.

From the exposed bosom, her slightly exposed white skin was strangely captivating.

The cuffs were big and excessive, but they gave him an unnecessary maniacal feeling nonetheless.

"Wha—? Est, why are you wearing my uniform?"

"Kamito told me that I can't sleep together with you in the nude."

Est replied expressionlessly.

Kamito was spontaneously startled as she tightly grabbed the chest area of the shirt.

"Yeah, I did tell you so."

Being at his wits' end, Kamito groaned.

"Please, at least put on some panties."

"...Pan...ties?"

"Why are you making that wondering look?!"

It might be the case that even if spirits have the habit of wearing knee-socks, they don't have the habit of wearing panties.

''...Nah, Restia did wear underwear properly.''

Just when he was thinking about that―

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Kamito felt something out of place about Est's appearance.

It's not just about her wearing a naked-shirt― There seems to be something very different in Est this morning.

Kamito intently examined Est's whole body.

"Kamito... Um, if you stare at me so much, I'll get embarrassed."

The expressionless Est blushed in an unusual manner, squirmed on top of his waist and rubbed her knees together.

At that moment, Kamito finally realized.

From the shirt-tail, her white thighs slightly came in sight.

And then, came her slender and smooth ankles like sculptures made of marble.

What Est was wearing— wasn't her usual knee-high socks.

She was wearing short socks, of which the length was just about up to her ankles.

"Est, what's with those socks?"

"Well, I thought Kamito would be pleased with these kind of socks."

With her face still red, Est firmly pinned down the shirt-tail.

This was his first time seeing Est making such an expression.

It appears that to her, exposing her bare feet was really embarrassing.

"Kamito, are you turned on by my short socks?"

"Nah, because I don't have such a maniacal fetish, you know?"

"...I see. That means this is still not enough to make you satisfied."

Est dropped her shoulders, seemingly disappointed.

"Still, it is quite impossible for me to show you my bare feet."

"I'm telling you, I don't have such a fetish."

Kamito groaned and shook his head. He really can't understand the spirits' sense of shame.

''Even so―''

It was the truth that his heart pounded at Est's expression of blushing and being bashful in an unusual manner.

The sword spirit was always calm and expressionless.

That was exactly why he wanted to try seeing more of her bashful expression.

''What will happen if I touch them, I wonder?''

Suddenly, Kamito's mind was tempted.

Anyhow, it's because Est, not any other girl, was bashful to this extent.

What would happen if he touches her bare feet? —He wanted to try seeing it.

"......"

Kamito quietly reached out his hand—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy*.

He tickled Est's small foot.

"...Hyan!"

A sweet voice leaked out from her lips.

Est's body bent with a start.

"...Kamito, what are you doing?!"

"Hm? I'm massaging you."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy coochy*.

"Hya...a-n..."

Twisting her body, Est was in agony, seemingly tickled.

Such a reaction was so cute that it drove Kamito to―

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy*. *Coochy coochy coochy*.

"...A-n, please... Stop it..."

"No. This is your punishment."

"...Punishment?"

"Because Est is a bad girl for sneaking in my bed as she pleases."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Coochy coochy*.

"Ann, Kami...to... Forgive... Me."

Tears were shed from Est's limpid eyes as she pleaded while gasping.

...As expected, she now looked a little pitiful.

"Have you reflected on your behavior?"

"Y...es..."

Kamito ceased tickling, and Est fell lying face-down in exhaustion.

Kamito gently held Est back as she flopped onto him.

"...Kamito is so mean."

Est pouted her lips in an unusual manner.

"My bad. Est is just so cute... So I did it without thinking."

He gently stroked Est's silver hair while making a bitter smile.

Just at that moment.

The room temperature rose instantly.

"...?!"

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

From behind him, a horrifying killing aura... No, heat was emitted.

When he turned around at the unpleasant premonition―

"Y-Y-You guys... Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing?"

With her red pigtails standing on end, the beautiful girl was trembling all over.

Her ruby eyes were imposing. Her lips had the color of cherry blossoms in early blooming. The bulge on her chest was just about the same as that of a kid, but that well-balanced proportion of hers was very charming.

Claire Rouge.

If it was appearance alone, she was exceptionally cute, an ultra beautiful girl without any exaggeration.

However, as she was now, she was more terrifying than any ferocious spirit.

"I-I've misjudged you. I-I didn't know you're such a pervert...!"

"Y-You got it wrong, Claire. This is, well, you see..."

Kamito was attempting to give an excuse while in a fluster, but―

For this particular instance, it was absolutely not a misunderstanding. There was no way to make an excuse.

"Kamito-kun, I think your foot-tickling play is indeed too maniacal."

Appearing from behind Claire, Fianna quietly cast her eyes down, seemingly sad.

It seemed like she saw everything. ...He would rather die now.

"Kamito, how hot would you order me to grill you?"

Claire smiled pleasantly while holding her blazing {{Furigana|Flame Tongue|whip of flame}}.

A smile of an angel that would make one unexpectedly fascinated.

"Medium rare... or so."

"Too bad. I only know roasting to cinders."

Claire raised her whip of flame overhead――

"――Turn into cinders already!"

Kamito was blown off towards the outside of the window.

<center>◇</center>

And so, Kamito greeted another morning just like usual, but――

After eating breakfast, the situation was a little different.

The bell sounding the start of classes had already rung long ago, yet everyone still remained in their room in the dorm.

"This one and this one. This one should be necessary too... Geez, Scarlet. Don't play with the luggage."

"Nyaa?"

The flame spirit in the form of a hell cat is playing by rolling Claire's outfits as if they were a yarn ball.

Seeing a glimpse of white underwear among that lump, Kamito averted his eyes in a hurry.

Claire and Fianna were sitting on each of their beds and packing their stuff in their own bags.

They were preparing to head towards {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}}, the stage of the Blade Dance.

It had been two weeks since «Team Scarlet» defeated the Silent Fortress ― Velsaria Eva, who ranked number one within the academy, and obtained the right to participate in the Blade Dance. Together with the two teams that got into the determined representative trio, they are going to fight to the bitter end during several days from now on as a representative of the Ordesia Empire.

"Claire, did you get enough sleep yesterday?"

"Of course. Keeping your physical condition in control is a basis as a spirit contractor after all."

Claire nodded while holding back from yawning, which she had been doing many times already.

Perhaps it's because of her sense of responsibility as the team leader, Claire had recently been reading a large number of tactical books and documents related to spirits, which she borrowed from the library, until the dead of night.

"Don't push yourself too hard. We won't know the {{Furigana|regulation|battle system}} until an oracle of the Elemental Lords is issued."

"Yes, I know. Still, it's necessary to prepare countermeasures in advance. Those who participate in the Blade Dance are the most elite spirit contractors representing each country―― It won't be so easy that you can win without countermeasures. Besides, that strongest blade dancer is also taking part in this tournament after all."

"...Yeah, you're right."

Kamito nodded with a bitter face.

The strongest blade dancer ― Ren Ashbell.

The winner at the Blade Dance three years ago.

''...Not me, but another Ren Ashbell.''

Who exactly is she? And what is her goal...?

He has to figure that out.

Kamito tightly clenched his left hand, which was covered in a leather glove.

Regardless of what her objective might be, it is no doubt that the transformed Restia is acting together with her.

"And you, are you done with packing already?"

Holding on to the nape of Scarlet, who was struggling and mewing――

This time it was Claire who asked.

In contrast with Claire's traveling bag, which was filled up as if it was about to burst, Kamito's bag was small.

"Yeah, I don't have much stuff to carry after all."

Kamito, who was wandering aimlessly until just two months ago, carried with him almost no personal belongings.

A few daggers used for throwing and, this isn't baggage but―― he had the spiritual magical armament, the sword «Terminus Est», in the sword-belt on his hips. Est was offended by what happened this morning and went to sleep in her sword form. ...It's not likely for her to wake up anytime soon.

But then again, if one was to offend a high-ranking spirit of Est's level, normally one must be ready for the kind of damage like a town being destroyed.

"......"

For those two, it seems that they still need more time to pack.

''...Well, they are girls of noble status after all.''

They probably needed various things that a guy like Kamito would have no idea about.

Claire had been randomly stuffing in a bunch of canned peach for a while, but that made him feel a little uneasy.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Kamito casted his eyes down the floor, where stuff were strewn all over the place.

There were some books that looked like novels getting mixed among tactical books and documents related to spirits.

Having too much time to spare, Kamito casually picked up one of them.

'The wandering prince and the imprisoned princess'―― A romance novel aimed at teens, with many illustrations in it.

(Seriously, it's surprising that Claire likes this kind of stuff.)

When he tried skimming lightly through its first part out of curiosity――

"Wha-?!"

Kamito's face turned red in a flash.

The content of the book was about a beautiful princess getting abducted by a cruel prince and got all sorts of things done to her that can hardly be expressed in words――It was that kind of hardcore stuff.

"Y-You... H-Have you been reading this kind of stuff?!"

"Eh?"

Claire turned around.

And then, when she recognized what Kamito is holding in his hands,

"Fuaaaa, g-g-g-give it back! What the hell are you reading without permission?!"

Thump. Thud.

She hit him with the peach cans in her hands.

"Whoa... Are you planning to kill me?!"

"It's your punishment for peeping into a m-maiden's secret! You deserve to die ten thousand times!"

"Then don't leave your maiden secret on the floor."

"S-Shut up~! Idiot! Pervert!"

Bursting into tears, Claire hit him repeatedly and violently.

...At this rate, he might lose his life before participating in the Blade Dance.

"Hey, you are being annoying."

"B-But Kamito――"

Taking chance when Claire turned towards Fianna――

Kamito opened a page of the book and showed it in front of Claire.

It was a page containing an illustration in which the princess, the heroine of the story, was being tied up with a rope and getting whipped.

"...?!"

"Isn't Claire more of a pervert?"

"...Eh?"

Claire's shoulders turned stiff with a start.

"A noble young lady reading such a vulgar book, don't you feel any shame?"

"W-Well, um..."

The ojou-sama blushed and mumbled in hesitation.

Upon seeing Claire in such a state――

Kamito got a feeling of wanting to play with her a little.

[[File:STnBD V04 031.jpg|thumbnail|right]]

(...Well, there I go wanting to tease her again.)

It was probably because her act of blushing in embarrassment looks strangely cute.

Moving his face close to Claire's ear, he whispered softly.

"I wonder how everyone will think if they learn that the ojou-sama, whose even test results are top-class, enjoys reading this kind of obscene books."

"Fuaa, wh-wh-wh-what are you saying?!"

"Could it be that you want to get things like stuff in this book done to you?"

"Th-That's not true! How could I want to be tied up like this?!"

"You know, this page has a fold on it."

"...~Fuaaan!"

Erupting a tiny cloud of steam from her head, Claire crawled into her bed.

"...Seriously, she's the same green ojou-sama as ever."

Having escaped from his life crisis, Kamito took a sigh of relief, and――

This time he turned towards Fianna.

"Is your preparation going well?"

"...Hmm, it seems that my ritual equipments are going to be bulky no matter what."

Said Fianna while stuffing a large round mirror and a candlestick into her bag.

Fianna Ray Ordesia.

She is the second princess of the Ordesia Empire, and also the princess maiden ranked second at 〈Divine Ritual School〉, a training institution for spirit princesses who serve the {{Furigana|Elemental Lords|Five Great Spirit Kings}}.

A genuine princess, who was once even chosen as a candidate for the spirit princess of the Elemental Lord of Flame.

However, she is by no means any haughty whatsoever, but a girl who is every easy to talk to.

Strictly speaking, she is at a social status where Kamito and the likes are not even allowed to look at her face, though.

"If you don't mind, I'll lend you a hand. Can I pack the stuff around here however I want?"

"Yes, that will be of help."

Kamito sit down on the bed, where stuff are all over the place, and started stuffing in a bag all kinds of equipments that appear to be used in rituals.

Rosaries, royal goblets, folding fans, whips, candles, and even things that look like beast ears and tails――

(Are these really equipments to use in rituals?)

Such a question suddenly flitted through his mind, however,

(Well, I'm also just a beginner when it comes to princess maidens' rituals after all.)

――That was when his hand, which reached out casually, grabbed something.

A smooth and nice touch of cloth.

(...What's this?)

Knitting his eyebrows, he tried holding it up before his eyes, and then――

"...?!"

Kamito turned stiff in that posture.

It was a glossy black piece of cloth.

A thin lace embroidery with a rose pattern on it.

The material was probably silk. There were thin strings attached at both ends of the cloth piece.

"Err..."

Cold sweats gradually emerged on Kamito's forehead.

A high class-looking black pair of underwear.

On top of that――

(Wh-Why is there a hole here?!)

It wasn't torn off. For some reason, there was an unnatural cut at the center.

(This seems to have no meaning as underwear――)

"Ka-Kamito-kun?!"

"Ah――"

Suddenly, his eyes met Fianna's, who raised her face at him.

Kamito was still unfolding the black pair of underwear in front of him.

"......"

"......"

"Um..."

Fianna's face turned bright red――

"D-Do you... hate a princess who would wear this kind of shameful underwear?"

She asked him with upturned eyes.

"N-No, I mean, my bad...!"

With his heart pounding, Kamito hurriedly put the underwear back inside the bag.

"Wh-Why do you have such underwear?"

"I went and bought it on an impulse... b-but it is indeed embarrassing."

She muttered with her face still bright red.

...It seems that she really was embarrassed.

This princess always says shocking things and teases Kamito, but she is actually a green girl, just like Claire.

"...I wonder... if that was a little too daring."

"Y-You're right. A little... yeah."

Ahem, or so Kamito coughed.

What blew away that awkward atmosphere for them was a voice which could be heard coming from outside the room.

"Geez, you're still preparing, Claire Rouge?"

A somewhat high-pitched and elegant voice.

The one who appeared in front of the room was――

Claire's rival and classmate in her Raven classroom.

It was Rinslet Laurenfrost, the demon ice spirit contractor.

She has dazzlingly beautiful platinum blond hair. Her emerald green eyes are topped by lovely eyebrows.

At a glance, she appears to be a proud ojou-sama, but Kamito knows that she is a very kind and caring girl.

"Ojou-sama, I'm sleepy~"

"Geez, Carol is always such a sleepyhead."

The one being dragged by her was Carol the maid.

"Ojou-sama, you know that unlike you, my blood pressure is low... Hwa."

Apparently she was waken up by Rinslet this morning.

...She was the same useless maid as ever.

"Rinslet, what is that thing?"

Claire, having finally revived, asked thus.

Rinslet was carrying a largish wooden box in her hands.

"Hmph, it's a tea set of highest grade. A lady of the Laurenfrost family must stay elegant at all times."

Rinslet proudly combed her platinum blond hair upward.

"You know what, we aren't going out to play."

Claire shrugged her shoulders in amazement.

And then, this time they could hear Ellis' voice coming from outside the window.

"What are you lots doing?! It's already ''one hour'' until the gathering time, you know!"

"You're just too early!"

Claire turned at the overly serious knight captain and yelled.

(...Unifying this team seems to be quite a long-term difficult task.)

Kamito shrugged his shoulders with a sense of irony while putting the baggage in order.

<center>◇</center>

One hour later.

Members of Team Scarlet gathered in front of the〈Stone Circle〉, which is their rally point.

It is a〈gate〉to {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}} located within the premises of Areisia Spirit Academy.

This historic ruin itself is something that had been in existence long before the academy was built, but it is by no means part of the Empire's technology. The status quo is that the technology which preserves the〈gates〉which opened to this world, has been lost completely excluding for such ruins, which remain at various places around the continent.

From now on, representative fighters will be moving to {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}}, and then boarding a ship prepared by〈Divine Ritual School〉, which administer the Blade Dance.

In front of the〈gate〉, the other two teams that were selected from the academy have also gathered already.

〈Team Wyvern〉, ranked first, is a team composed of only upperclassmen.

They gave each member of Team Scarlet a sharp glance, and then suddenly looked away. They have no intention of getting along――That is probably what they are declaring. Their reaction was natural. After all, although both teams were selected from the same academy, when the Blade Dance actually begins, they will become each other's rival.

(Besides――)

With that in mind, Kamito looked at Claire with a side glance.

There is another reason for the glance of the upperclassmen being prickly.

The younger sister of the {{Furigana|Calamity Queen|Spirit Princess of Calamity}}, who brought about the unprecedented disaster to the empire four years ago.

There are still many students in the academy with unpleasant thinking about her existence.

Claire does not seem to particularly care about that, but she probably is suffering in her heart.

"Mu, you guys again――"<ref>Exclamation for expressing an astonishment or showing unexpectedness�</ref>

Thus a blond girl holding a wooden staff started talking to Kamito.

"'sup, savage girl. It's been a while."

"Muu, I'm not a savage girl!"

The lovely petite girl puffed out her cheeks in anger.

This person is a member of the ranked third〈Team Cernunnos〉, whom they had fought against before.

She's from the {{Furigana|Druid|Wise Men of Evergreen Oaks}} clan, who grow up in the spirit forest and use a powerful〈Beast Swarm Spirit〉.

As an opponent whom they may fight in the future, she is quite a strong rival.

"I will be sure to crush the likes of you guys underfoot with my〈Beast Swarm Spirit〉!"

The druid girl held up her wooden staff as she snickered.

And then, heading over there――

"Hmph, so you three teams have finally gathered?"

Teacher Freya Grandol, the manager of the〈gate〉, came walking briskly.

As she cast a glance up at the clock tower of the academy,

"I'm going to transport all of you to Astral Zero after ten minutes. Now finish saying goodbye to your friends in the meantime."

Saying thus, she starts drawing a magical formation inside the〈Stone Circle〉.

Claire, Rinslet, and Fianna restlessly looked away from each other.

"Th-There's no need to say goodbye or something."

"Th-That's right. We're just leaving the academy for a mere few days after all."

"Y-Yes, that sounds exaggerating."

The three of them simultaneously nodded to one another.

(Come to think of it, all of them had no friends.)

...This ojou-sama group sure had it tough.

(Well, I'm also in no place to say so about people, though――)

Meanwhile, Ellis was surrounded and overwhelmed by a crowd of junior knights.

Her reddish brown eyes were imposing. Her blue ponytail was swaying in the gentle breeze.

Apparently Ellis will be going to the Blade Dance wearing her knight armor as well.

That is probably her expression of determination of being a representative of the academy and also the {{Furigana|Sylphid|Knight Order of the Wind King}} at the same time.

"Captain, please fight for us as well!"

"We're rooting for you!"

"Yeah, I will definitely claim victory!"

Ellis nodded at the words of Rakka and Reicia, two former teammates of hers.�

They have entrusted Ellis their dream for the Blade Dance championship.�

And then, one more person――

Kamito knows that there is a girl who has entrusted her with a dream.

Kamito whispered to Ellis, who has returned after saying goodbye to her juniors.

"Ellis, that ribbon looks good on you."

"Y-You think so...?"

Ellis blushed and fidgeted with her fingers.

What binding her ponytail was a white ribbon.

It was something which Ellis' elder foster-sister entrusted to her before leaving the academy.

"Now that I'm wearing this, I feel like aneue is watching over me."

Ellis suddenly smiled.

Seeing her defenseless face from the side, Kamito spontaneously felt his heart pounded again.

"The time has come. Everyone, get inside the〈Stone Circle〉."

Teacher Freya traced a stone pillar with her fingertips, and blue rays of light gushed forth from the earth's surface.

A〈gate〉connecting this world and {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}} emerged.

Kamito and his group nodded to each other, and then stepped inside the shining〈Stone Circle〉.

<center>◇</center>

A dazzling flash of light. And then a fleeting intoxicating sensation as though heaven and earth were turned upside-down.

"H-m..."

Opening their eyes, what first flew into their field of vision were――�

All kinds of trees in a dense forest, and a grand lake occupying a large area within it.

A lake that looks like a polished surface of a mirror, which exists only in {{Furigana|Astral Zero|Elemental Spirit World}}. At the lake shore where water plants grow thickly, countless faint, flickering light orbs were floating and creating a wondrous scenery.

"I have come to this lake before, during the academy's training camp."

Claire firmly descended on the muddy ground.

Members of other teams were also sent to the site one after another.

"By the way, where's the ship?"

Kamito looked around the surface of the lake.

A ship-like object is nowhere to be found.

"Where are you looking at? Look, over there――"

Claire shrugged her shoulders and pointed at the sky peeking through the gaps of trees.

"Hm?"

When he raised his head――

An outline of a ship floating in the sky were casting its huge shadow on the lake.

"That's... the Bellfahle-class flying ship of〈Divine Ritual School〉..."�

Kamito opened his eyes and groaned.

A state-of-the-art flying ship named after the Elemental Lord of Wind.

He has heard about it in the rumors, but this is his first time seeing the real thing.

It has the form like that of a streamlined whale. Apparently its power source is a spirit engine made in the Kingdom of Balstan, and they use an over-6000-year-old sacred tree as material for the exterior.

It is the ship which will lead spirit contractors, who will dedicate their blade dances to the Elemental Lords, to the stage of the〈Blade Dance〉.

"Kamito, we are definitely going to win the grand prize."

"Yeah."

Kamito nodded, and tightly clenched his left hand.

(...We have crawled all the way up for the sake of gaining the qualification to board that ship.)

Claire, for the sake of learning the truth related to the incident that her elder sister caused.

Kamito, for the sake of regaining the contracted spirit that he has lost.�

Then Ellis, Fianna, and Rinslet――

Everyone at this place is joining in the〈Blade Dance〉with their respective wish harbored in mind.

The flying ship caused flashy splashes as it landed on the lake.

<center>◇</center>

"――Looks like the boy has already headed over there."

Areisia Spirit Academy, office room.

Greyworth Shelmice faced the wall of the room and spoke.

There was no response――However, immediately from inside the wall, a person'
s shadow emerges as if it is seeping out.

"Yes ma'am. Just a while ago."

It was teacher Freya Grandol, the shadow spirit contractor.

She approached Greyworth's office desk, and then opened her mouth without hesitation.

"Still, I cannot understand the reason why you, the academy director, go that far to support that boy."

"What do you mean?"

"His fighting skills are certainly overwhelming, but the〈Blade Dance〉isn't something as lenient as to allow someone to win through with just that. You should be the one who knows that best."

"Yeah, it's just as you said. The boy still can't win against the strongest blade dancer as he is now. At the very least, I would like to have him awaken before the real war starts, but――"

"What do you mean?"

"Nah, just random silly talk."
<noinclude>

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

{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Prologue|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Chapter2}}</noinclude>

User talk:Code-Zero

2012-10-15T07:53:23Z

Shortykilz: /* High School DxD */

==High School DxD==
you need to have a line spacing for each line. you can check how the other translations are done.

And I'll upgrade your wiki account to translator one after you are more familiar with wiki-editing. --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 12:00, 13 November 2011 (CST)

^Thanks for all the help larethian. I will contact you if Im in trouble again.

Hi, have set up the main page for the rest of the volumes, and am planning to upload the missing illustrations. Hope this is ok, if not, just say so. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

^Please continue uploading the pictures. I didnt how to upload them so you are helping me alot. 

First of all...thanks for this amazing novel.
I wish 2 help u in editing this novel...have already done ch01 and just completed with ch02...can't wait for the next :) - [[User:Chancs|Chancs]]

^I will try to translate it much quicker then.

Once you get upto the last chapter of volume 1, I'll start setting up the pages for volume 2, so you just have to put text into them. And regarding the chapter names, feel free to translate and add them to volume 2 when you have time, or just put them on my talk page, and I can make the edits on High School DxD main page. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

^Thanks alot ff7_freak. I was wondering how to make a new pages. You have been a great help.

One suggestion for when you upload the text, try to avoid using two [ or ] next to each other cos that makes them links, thats why they appear red. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

^Okay. The novel had it like that.
Also thanks for editing my translation.

Excuse me, I was wondering if it would be better to change the term Satan for Maou in the latest chapter (vol 3 life 02), since "Satans" in plural sounds kinda awkward to me. - [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]]

Yeah, Satans does certainly sound weird so you can certainly change it.

:To display two <nowiki>[[ or ]]</nowiki> you'll need to write before those signs a nowiki in < > and there after a /nowiki also in < > --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 19:51, 2 December 2011 (CST)

Always seem to be the first to edit your translations, probably because of my timezone. My edits are only basic ones, and I will leave the major ones up to the others editing. Thanks for your translations. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

Thanks a lot for translating High School DxD !

So you take over as project Admin for HSDxD Indonesia? fine then, lets help each other from now, i realy like this series, funny but sometime tear jerking - [[User:1412|1412]]

Yeah that sounds good. Have you made the account in BT yet?

Yes i have, under same user name (1412), BTW how to lock pages like HSDxD English so only registered / Authorized user can Edit it? - [[User:1412|1412]]

Hi, first of all I would like to thank you for all your work on HighSchool DXD LN... You have recently added the list of short stories of HDXD that have been published on Dragon Magazine, so what I would like to know is if you are thinking on translating them or if you only added them on the wiki as information ? It would be great if you could also translate them ^^--[[User:LSwRl|lSwRl]] 04:27, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Eventually. Well after I finish the rest of the remaining DxD so it would be up to date then I will start it.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 05:35, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Not sure if I should reply on my talk page or here, but thanks for coming to visit! I really enjoy Highschool DxD and I should be the one thanking you for your hard work translating it! Can you check out a few problems I came up with on the Highschool DxD discussion page when you get a chance? Thanks again for all your hard work. Take care. P.S. I have no idea how my message ended up down there. Hehe. --[[User:Zalgryth|Zalgryth]] ([[User talk:Zalgryth|talk]]) 18:38, 4 September 2012 (CDT)

Do you prefer that I answer here or on my own talk page? In any case, I'll edit them when I get a chance, I'm at work at the moment. Thanks for letting me know, and sorry to hear about the whole structure change. Cheers. --[[User:Zalgryth|Zalgryth]] ([[User talk:Zalgryth|talk]]) 09:29, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

===Characters Introduction===
--------------------------------

BTW, I added a collapsable whatever to the characters introduction, so that people are informed that it might contain spoilers. Is that OK with you? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 14:37, 30 December 2011 (CST)

Thanks alot Kira

=== Illustrations ===

Moved the discussion to High School DXD Discussion page, dun wanna spam your talk ;). --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:00, 1 January 2012 (CST)

=== Registration for volume translations ===

you are being too hard with the demand to not to register for chapters but for a complete volume. This goes against the policy as on the registration instructions for each the series. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 02:06, 4 January 2012 (CST)

No, no. I'm saying I want someone who are willing to translate a volume can become a translator. If they find a person who can work with them in a single volume that will be fine. I just don't want people who just works on one chapter then finishes, if you get what I mean. I want someone with devotion to this project.

Hi, i'm wondering, what method actually you're using to translate High School DxD? I want to translate this project but i don't know how. I have a question are you using translator? Or you know Japanese good? I'm waiting for reply My user name "Damian-Uchiha20"

Just now while reading the manga, I found that 'Asia' is typed there as 'Aashia'. Does this differ from person to person who is translating? On personal note, 'Aashia' sounds better to use since 'Asia' is a continent. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:51, 13 January 2012 (CST)

In terms of pernouciation "Aashia" may sound right. However her name is based on are real actress, "Asia Argento".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Argento

Hey...why don't we put the chapter 'Revenge Knight' after the chapter 'Vol 03 Life 2' instead of before it. Then it will match the scenario better. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 15:05, 15 January 2012 (CST)

Wait, is that negociable? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 16:15, 15 January 2012 (CST)

I don't know. That is why 'am asking him about this. But at present, the chapter no where matches after the 'Life 1' chapter. If read the part 8 of chapter 'Life 2' and the 'Revenge knight', it becomes clear. I can only speculate that there might be some publicatn mistakes etc. Well, it will depend on the supervisor. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 22:54, 15 January 2012 (CST)

"Revenge Knight" happens after Life 1. Kiba kept quiet about it but reveals at to others in Life 3.

Ohhhh...it's fine then. Thanks --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 00:12, 16 January 2012 (CST)

Somehow,I hope you'll allow for some terminology to be in to english. It's kinda difficult to read if one wasn't versed in
Japanese. Especially stuff like 'oppai' and 'bishoujo', which do not have any connotations and sounds wierd in the sentences(e.g 'grope oppai' just sounds disjointed). I'd understand for Maou, Senpai, Kouhai, lolicon and endings though.

P.S. editing is painful-thank god there are other editors around --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 02:30, 20 January 2012 (CST)

The word "Oppai" is one of the theme of this series so I want to leave it as it is since there will be lots of terminology relating to it appearing afterwords.

All right... but maybe you could ref oppai for those who don't know the meaning? Just in case. -- [[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 18:58, 14 February 2012 (CST)

During most of the chapters I've read (about 2-3) there is constant tense switching, I've made a topic on the discussion page for Life 0. I want to know what tense the story should be written in.

Past for narration, present for speech --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 01:02, 22 January 2012 (CST)

will you be doing volume 7 now!? --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 08:31, 23 January 2012 (CST)

Not me. Theres someone else who mailed me earlier and said that he wishes to translate volume 7. So I set up the page for him.

great...now we will have 2x translatn :) --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 11:36, 23 January 2012 (CST)

Was this written in hiragana? Judging from the description of the beast I'm pretty sure it would be better to spell it as Cerberus, but still wanted to ask if we are allowed to change it or if the author meant it that way. [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]] 23:12, 30 January 2012 (CST)

Yeah, you can change it to "Cerberus". I received some comments from others saying "Cerberus" is better.

Would Invisibility be better than Transparency? Also, did the author really use transparency pheromone? [[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 08:12, 4 February 2012 (CST)

Well the name for one of the Excalibur is "Excalibur Transparency". I didnt translate it since the author named it like that.

K then, will keep it as is. [[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 22:09, 10 February 2012 (CST)

Edited the topic title to ask how should we go about the names of the characters. Now that we have more translators on the move, naming issues are bound to come around. I found a couple of them and wanted to know if we should just leave them as the translator for the respective volume suggests or if we should stick with the naming given by you, the project administrator. For example: "Sazechs Lucifer" and "Grefilia" on Vol 4 life 1 or "Sirzechs Lucifer" and "Grafia" as previously introduced. - [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]] 17:13, 12 February 2012 (CST)

That's why I propose that we create a Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology for High school DxD (similar to the one Toaru no Majustsu has)for this project soon. I would say go with "Sirzechs" and "Grafia" since those are the standardized names. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 18:29, 12 February 2012 (CST)

Hyoudu Issei is the official name that we are using on Baka-Tsuki, correct? And every one of Issei's friends and family (such as Bucho) call him by his nickname Ise, correct? I would like to make fix this as soon as possible when I can confirm this with you, since the translation is a bit inconsistent with the names for Issei. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 19:47, 10 February 2012 (CST)

Yeah, that's right. We keep the original Japanese name for the characters. So we also use -san, -chan, and -sama suffix is well. So just like you said it's Hyodou Issei but his nickname is Ise and everyone in the club calls him that.

I really think we should create a Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology (similar to the one Toaru no majustsu has)for this project soon. More characters are being introduced as it is being translated so we should have a consensus on the names of the other characters besides the main cast. I would like your permission to create one if possible. You can modify it later too. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 14:54, 12 February 2012 (CST)

Okay thanks a lot, I'll make some minor adjustments. I'm checking it out right now. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 16:58, 13 February 2012 (CST)

Looking back at the idea, it might be a better idea to create the character/terminology guidelines on a separate page other than the bottom of the character introduction. For now its alright since only 3 volumes are translated, but we may have to do it later. I'll do it for you now so we save the trouble. What do you think? Also, is it alright if I change "Isei Hyodo" to "Issei Hyodou" on the character introduction page, since most of the translations use that? Same with "Koneko Tojo" into "Koneko Toujou"? -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:33, 13 February 2012 (CST)

Yeah that would be great! Thanks for the help!--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 21:46, 13 February 2012 (CST)

I finished creating the page, btw I'm switching the positions of Issei Hyōdō (兵藤一誠, Hyoudou Issei) into Hyoudou Issei(兵藤一誠, Issei Hyōdō) throughout the character introduction and name/terminology guidelines page. That includes Koneko and Shidou. Also, I'm going to delete all the information from Azazel (アザゼル, Azazeru) to the bottom since we already have all that information in the other page. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:35, 13 February 2012 (CST)

There's a slight problem after I deleted those information on the character introduction page. The spoiler tag now hides majority of the project, I have no idea how to fix that. Can you take look at it when you have time? Thanks in advance. I'll finish the names/terminology page tomorrow. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:43, 13 February 2012 (CST)

Never mind I fixed it. Thankfully. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:46, 13 February 2012 (CST)

I was checking the Names and Terminology Guidelines and noticed it says Sirzechs' queen is named Grayfia, is it a minor typo or do we have to go back to the first volumes and change the name? Since in the earlier chapters it was spelled Grafia... [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]] 20:32, 18 February 2012 (CST)

Oh yes. The anime ED spelled her name as "Grayfia". Also Reyville was wrong is well so it's "Ravel", again from anime ED.

@Ajmc93 Yeah it was done very recently. I'll be going through each volume and changing the names. So don't worry about it. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 00:15, 19 February 2012 (CST)

Code-Zero, I'm sorry that I have edited your Highschool DxD page without permission. But I have something to ask you. Should we change 'senpai' into 'sempai' instead? I'm not trying to show off but that's just Japanese's way. With regards. -[[User:Erotaros|Erotaros]]

No. Senpai is the correct one and Sempai is wrong. Some non-Japanese people hear it as sempai so they mistook it and started to think that is the actual term. Even still, majority of non-Japanese people uses "Senpai'. 'Senpai' is the actual and proper term, not Sempai.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] ([[User talk:Code-Zero#top|talk]]) 04:32, 23 August 2012 (CDT)

== Foreign translations ==

Hi, I'd like to translate High School DxD in French. Can I start translating it ? -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 19:00, 18 March 2011 (GMT+1)

Excuse me, is it possible to translate High School DxD into Thai? Some of my friend wanna read it. -[[User:Kimihiro-kun|Kimihiro-kun]]

@Kimihiro-kun : That's odd but I had the same reason as yours to translate HSDxD. Right after I started translating it, some friends wanted to read it as they saw the anime version.

Since Code-Zero started HSDxD, it gained a huge popularity. Then, it will be translated in more languages. That's impressive. -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 12:50, 21 March 2011 (GMT+1)

@Misogi : very same here. they wanna know what happen before hand. but there are no thai in alt. language. so i'm asking if it's possible. -[[User:Kimihiro-kun|Kimihiro-kun]]

If you guys want create it them in baka-tsuki then go ahead. Good luck.
--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 02:25, 22 March 2012 (CDT)

Since Code-Zero started to translate HSDxD, its popularity exploded.
Now, thanks to HSDxD, about 10 French translators are coming here. That's really impressive and I don't know why. -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 21:20, 21 March 2012 (GMT+1)

Just wanted to say that the precision "Volume 11" before the Life 1 chapter is missing, which would lead to confusion. I didn't move it in fear that you might translate directly on the wiki, so...[[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 19:29, 26 March 2012 (CDT)Hey, since Akuma seems to have dropped on Highschool DxD vol4, would it be okay if I translate the rest of it if no one else wants to? I've already made a translation of Life.4 part 4 yesterday and today. I'd be willing to do the rest of the volume too, though not at the ridiculous speed I did this part. I really like this series and I want to contribute. -April 7 2012, [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=User:Eternal_Dreamer Eternal Dreamer]

Hello, sorry I was reading the fourth volume and thought i might translate it after chapter 4 (didn't see someone else was going to tl it, just thought it was dropped) and I added what I translated before I saw Eternal_Dreamer's message. If you wish to tl eternal I wont usurp your place, so please tell me if you intend to tl. Ill finish Khaos Brigade and await your answer. If not and you'd like to finish chapter 4, I'll ask you to finish that and I can take over the rest of the novel (I hate taking over partially tled chapters, always a pain to find where it cuts off) --[[User:J112|J112]] 18:10, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Whoops, didn't realize that there was someone else that was interested in translating vol 4. (I was really confused when I saw the Chaos Brigade page I made get changed to something else.) Anyway, yes, I do intend to translate the rest of vol 4, I've also registered for it on the registration page. As for the Chaos Brigade chapter, I've already finished, would it be alright if I did it? I've already finished it, so I think it's a waste to not use it. Can we talk this over? Anyway, please contact me through PM on the forum. --[[User:Eternal Dreamer|Eternal Dreamer]] 18:16, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Yeah feel free to override it if youd like, i was just reading the novel and thought that while reading it it'd be easy to tl, and at the time i didnt know there was a tler. Oh but i might want to ask if you intend to name it Chaos brigade, since the book has it printed in romaji Khaos brigade.--[[User:J112|J112]] 18:17, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Okay, thanks. And yes, for now, I will be calling it Chaos Brigade, since Code-Zero does not appear to have any problems with it. We can always change it in the future anyway. --[[User:Eternal Dreamer|Eternal Dreamer]] 18:22, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Scratch that, we'll be using Khaos Brigade, yeah. --[[User:Eternal Dreamer|Eternal Dreamer]] 18:29, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Lol, well sorry to be a bother, and nice job.--[[User:J112|J112]] 18:45, 12 April 2012 (CDT)
Hi. Since there are a lot of references about mythology, otaku culture and some names that have a sense while translated literally, it might be useful to add references. Some examples at the bottom of these pages : [[High School DxD:Tome 1 Life 1|Tome 1 Life 1]] and [[High School DxD:Tome 1 Postface|Afterword]]. What's your opinion about it? -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 18:50, 19 April 2012 (GMT+1)
Even though volumes 8,9,10,11,12.. are almost translated there are volumes 5,6,7 that are not translated and that kills or restricts to move on to the latest volumes. The effort of searching for other translated version was utterly destroyed due to the cheap or insufficient translator used to translate. This is my sincere request to show favorism towards the completion of volumes 5,6,7 '''PLEASE'''.

Well Volume 5 is translated by Eternal Dreamer, and he is translating in a good pace. Volume 6 and 7, I probably can have them is next priority after volume 12. So I might do them in June then.

good pace... you did the whole of volume 6 and he did 50% of 1 chapter

YOU!! You are Flash or what? the entire volume in, what, 15 days. Thanks for your efforts making lechers (like me) enjoy HSDxD. I'm looking forward at the Volume 7, but don't overdo it, real life first.

Even though volumes 8,9,10,11,12.. are almost translated there are volumes 5,6,7 that are not translated and that kills or restricts to move on to the latest volumes. The effort of searching for other translated version was utterly destroyed due to the cheap or insufficient translator used to translate. This is my sincere request to show favorism towards the completion of volumes 5,6,7 '''PLEASE'''.

Well Volume 5 is translated by Eternal Dreamer, and he is translating in a good pace. Volume 6 and 7, I probably can have them is next priority after volume 12. So I might do them in June then.

good pace... you did the whole of volume 6 and he did 50% of 1 chapter

YOU!! You are Flash or what? the entire volume in, what, 15 days. Thanks for your efforts making lechers (like me) enjoy HSDxD. I'm looking forward at the Volume 7, but don't overdo it, real life first.

==Other project suggestions==
Could you look into Inukami! as a possible project? Thanks Zero. [[User:Genesis|Genesis]] 19:30, 30 July 2012 (CDT)

Have you thought about doing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance or Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei. I know that they are already on BT, but thet are quite interesting.

Hey CodeZero, thanks for all of the translations so far. I was wondering if you could translate Hagure Yuusha no Estetica and Campione! and Infinite Startos (Since the author just got started again) as possible future projects. Also, I am new and am thinking about being an editor since I like few of the possible future projects along with High School DxD, so would it be possible for me to help? [[User:Genesis|Genesis]] 12:54, 10 July 2012 (CDT)

Huge tnx for all your hard work. As for possible next work I'd like to propose Dai Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu since it was really popular not so long time ago and Larethian already dropped it.
i vote for zeor no tsukaima and hidan no aria
When DxD is up to date and completed, it would be nice if you could translate "Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Maō".--[[User:LSwRl|LSwRl]] 11:28, 20 June 2012 (CDT)

First of all: You Sir, are truly a legend! Thanks for your awesome work at DxD!

I would like to see you translating Accel World (project already exists) because it's also a very good LN like DxD with a very good plot and nice chars.

Anyway, thanks a lot :-)

Thanks for the comment. Im watching Accel World anime right now since I havent read the LN yet. So far I like it but Im not sure if I will be translating the series.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 23:39, 16 June 2012 (CDT)Firstly, I want to tell you that your translating speed is awesome. I greatly appreciates your work on High School DxD. As it is one of my favorite series.
There isn't many story lines which interests me weather it is a manga or LN. But High School DxD is definitely a series which i like whole heartily and thats why i want to thank you from the bottom my heart for translating it. Thank you very much. But there is one more series which attracted me before reading High School DxD and that is 'Kaze no stigma'. This was the first LN i read because it's story plot was entirely different. although this LN will never be completed because of the death of it's author but i still want to see it translated. The male protagonists of this series is my favorite character ever. I know its really mean to plot with nice chars and some ecchi stuff, too. It would be a pity if the translation dies...
I also highly recommend the anime ;-)

An other really, really good story is Date A Live. The project already exists at BT but there isn't much progress... The LN also becomes animated this year. Maybe you could give it a try and read the first chapter - it's really funny :-)

Anyways, thanks for your awesome work!Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka?==

i think it could be great if code-zero translate this LN. i just suggest this story 'cause when i watched the anime version, i liked a lot.--[[Will_RB]]
I hope you will continue CubexCursedxCurious (a staled project.

Kaze no Stigma

Firstly, I want to tell you that your translating speed is awesome. I greatly appreciates your work on High School DxD. As it is one of my favorite series.
There isn't many story lines which interests me weather it is a manga or LN. But High School DxD is definitely a series which i like whole heartily and thats why i want to thank you from the bottom my heart for translating it. Thank you very much. But there is one more series which attracted me before reading High School DxD and that is 'Kaze no stigma'. This was the first LN i read because it's story plot was entirely different. although this LN will never be completed because of the death of it's author but i still want to see it translated. The male protagonists of this series is my favorite character ever. I know its really mean to ask you about this but please consider my request of translating it whenever you have time. I am also looking forward to the remaining volume of the High School DxD.

Oda Nobuna no Yabou...please consider translating this novel. It's the best reverse gender sengoku jidai to date as far as I know.

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for translating High School DxD and that it's a great and fun series to read, also if ever you wanted to take on another LN series may I suggest you also do Hidan no Aria?, it's already been weeks since I last saw an update, much appreciated though if you decided to translate it and again... THANK YOU!

Hey I wanted to know if you might be able to do Campione!..... Also thanks for doing the this thankless job.
\('o')/.

---First of all, thank you for your hard work. I truly appreciate all the effort you put translating so we could all enjoy this wonderful story. About the next project, could you consider translating '''Mismarca Koukoku Monogatari'''? It's an action/fantasy/ecchi/comedy/romance novel. I got introduced to it thanks to the manga adaptation, but sadly it ended and it barely adapted only 2 volumes of the light novel. If you are not sure about this, you could read the manga and see if the story is of your liking. Thank you.

How about working on Goshusho-sama Ninomiya-kun?(And I deleted my original comment and repalce it with a different suggestion since my original suggestion turned out to not have an LN but was a VN instead)--[[User:Gohankuten|Gohankuten]] 20:53, 1 August 2012 (CDT)

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica

Would you consider Kämpfer? [[User:Aleaccipiter|Aleaccipiter]] 03:29, 3 August 2012 (CDT)

Well, Kampfer was awesome in the beginning but I totally dropped it after hearing what happens at the end lol.

I'm not sure if the name is right, but ore ga heroine o tasukesugite sekai ga little mokushiroku!? seems like it is a great light novel series.

Okay. I will add to the lists. Hope the scan is out somewhere.

Greetings. Firstly i want to express my gratitude for your godspeed translation (Seriously, finishing Vol 11+12 in less than a month? Is N0m@n a translating robot?). I have a suggestion. Would you consider Kokoro Connect? It has unique theme (swapping bodies) and powerful heartwarming scenes. I personally am not very fond of stories that mostly rely on ecchi+harem situations (just like most of your Future projects), instead i love stories with more emotional scenes, so please consider this one. Thanks a lot - [[User:SATRIA|SATRIA]] 10 August 2012 (CDT)

I really like Tsuki Tsuki. It has a lot funny and ecchi moments like HS DxD and is really interesting. I've only read the first two volume and the manga online, but I really recommend this for those who like HS DxD too. [[User:Xanga|Xanga]]

You are my buddy men Xagan. Tsuki Tsuki really hit my heart for its main male character and funny heroines. When i heard there would be a translation poll i held my hope really high about the fact it must have been in the poll. But my hope had benn shatered >< .Anyway since Code Zero havent started any new projects yet so i recommended it for you Code Zero. Well although its up to you to decide whether you ll do it or not i still respect you very much for your extremely hard efforts on High School Dxd and other series. Thanks alot!!! [[User:DoomCalibur|DoomCalibur]]

The poll already ended long time ago, you know? Please don't bug N0m@n with unnecessary thought anymore and let him focus on FMP since it's already been his choice - [[User:SATRIA|SATRIA]]

Oh. So his choice is FMP. That s a very famous series. Well i will respect his choice then. [[User:DoomCalibur|DoomCalibur]]

i wanted to propose the light novel "dark mage" . i don t know if you know about it but it a very good novel

== Random ==

Did you do this http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=User:Code-Zero&curid=18507&diff=171687&oldid=171670 or that wasn't you? --[[User:KuroiHikari|KuroiHikari]] ([[User_talk:KuroiHikari|Talk]] | ) 18:41, 23 July 2012 (CDT)

Just wanted to thank you for all your hard work. [[User:Aleaccipiter|Aleaccipiter]] 08:09, 26 July 2012 (CDT)

Wondering since you translated most of Highschool DxD. What exactly is Kiba's Scared Gear? The swrod handle or does it reside in him?

Well his Sacred Gear abilities allows him to create swords. Saying that he can recreate sword from the sword handle he is holding to and also even create a whole new sword. He can even create the sword on his foot.

Since the other editors said OK to my request to help, I would still like to. I'm not looking to edit with intent to adapt to english like I know someone will eventually but I'd like to help proofread and fix some of the grammer in the unadapted sections. I won't add my name to the editors list either. If you're OK with that much let me know. Thanks. [[User:Fallton13|Fallton13]] 06:00, 6 August 2012 (EDT)

All good then. If the editors said okay,　then thats all you need. Thanks for the help.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 05:02, 6 August 2012 (CDT)

Excuse me Code-Zero. Do you perhaps have 'Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai' raw for volume 1 and 2? Or place where I can find raw of light novel. Thank you. -0 [[User:Ero-kun|Ero-kun]] 20:43, 23 Aug 2012 [GMT+7]

== Oda Nobuna no Yabou ==

Thanks for uploading those image files, I didn't know how to do that tbh >.>

Also, hop by and pick up a volume of this series when you're done with DxD, I would love to have you there to make it lively ^^ --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] 09:17, 8 August 2012 (CDT)

I thought he's gonna make a poll on what to translate next, once DxD is up-to-date, and let the readers decide? or I may be wrong :)

no you're right he was planning to make a poll.....Akuma is just using good fishing bait --[[User:RikiNutcase|RikiNutcase]] 09:58, 8 August 2012 (CDT)

Yeah Im putting a poll soon as I finish volume 7, and start it after I do volume 13. I will do Oda Nobuna if it gets many votes.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 02:35, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Che... You guys just had to butt in and remind him of the poll >.> I was going to have him sneakily take up Oda Nobuna :P --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] 08:56, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

User talk:Code-Zero

2012-10-07T07:24:51Z

Shortykilz: /* High School DxD */

==High School DxD==
you need to have a line spacing for each line. you can check how the other translations are done.

And I'll upgrade your wiki account to translator one after you are more familiar with wiki-editing. --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 12:00, 13 November 2011 (CST)

^Thanks for all the help larethian. I will contact you if Im in trouble again.

Hi, have set up the main page for the rest of the volumes, and am planning to upload the missing illustrations. Hope this is ok, if not, just say so. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

^Please continue uploading the pictures. I didnt how to upload them so you are helping me alot. 

First of all...thanks for this amazing novel.
I wish 2 help u in editing this novel...have already done ch01 and just completed with ch02...can't wait for the next :) - [[User:Chancs|Chancs]]

^I will try to translate it much quicker then.

Once you get upto the last chapter of volume 1, I'll start setting up the pages for volume 2, so you just have to put text into them. And regarding the chapter names, feel free to translate and add them to volume 2 when you have time, or just put them on my talk page, and I can make the edits on High School DxD main page. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

^Thanks alot ff7_freak. I was wondering how to make a new pages. You have been a great help.

One suggestion for when you upload the text, try to avoid using two [ or ] next to each other cos that makes them links, thats why they appear red. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

^Okay. The novel had it like that.
Also thanks for editing my translation.

Excuse me, I was wondering if it would be better to change the term Satan for Maou in the latest chapter (vol 3 life 02), since "Satans" in plural sounds kinda awkward to me. - [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]]

Yeah, Satans does certainly sound weird so you can certainly change it.

:To display two <nowiki>[[ or ]]</nowiki> you'll need to write before those signs a nowiki in < > and there after a /nowiki also in < > --[[User:Darklor|Darklor]] 19:51, 2 December 2011 (CST)

Always seem to be the first to edit your translations, probably because of my timezone. My edits are only basic ones, and I will leave the major ones up to the others editing. Thanks for your translations. - [[User:Ff7_freak|ff7_freak]]

Thanks a lot for translating High School DxD !

So you take over as project Admin for HSDxD Indonesia? fine then, lets help each other from now, i realy like this series, funny but sometime tear jerking - [[User:1412|1412]]

Yeah that sounds good. Have you made the account in BT yet?

Yes i have, under same user name (1412), BTW how to lock pages like HSDxD English so only registered / Authorized user can Edit it? - [[User:1412|1412]]

Hi, first of all I would like to thank you for all your work on HighSchool DXD LN... You have recently added the list of short stories of HDXD that have been published on Dragon Magazine, so what I would like to know is if you are thinking on translating them or if you only added them on the wiki as information ? It would be great if you could also translate them ^^--[[User:LSwRl|lSwRl]] 04:27, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Eventually. Well after I finish the rest of the remaining DxD so it would be up to date then I will start it.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 05:35, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Not sure if I should reply on my talk page or here, but thanks for coming to visit! I really enjoy Highschool DxD and I should be the one thanking you for your hard work translating it! Can you check out a few problems I came up with on the Highschool DxD discussion page when you get a chance? Thanks again for all your hard work. Take care. P.S. I have no idea how my message ended up down there. Hehe. --[[User:Zalgryth|Zalgryth]] ([[User talk:Zalgryth|talk]]) 18:38, 4 September 2012 (CDT)

Do you prefer that I answer here or on my own talk page? In any case, I'll edit them when I get a chance, I'm at work at the moment. Thanks for letting me know, and sorry to hear about the whole structure change. Cheers. --[[User:Zalgryth|Zalgryth]] ([[User talk:Zalgryth|talk]]) 09:29, 6 September 2012 (CDT)

===Characters Introduction===
--------------------------------

BTW, I added a collapsable whatever to the characters introduction, so that people are informed that it might contain spoilers. Is that OK with you? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 14:37, 30 December 2011 (CST)

Thanks alot Kira

=== Illustrations ===

Moved the discussion to High School DXD Discussion page, dun wanna spam your talk ;). --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:00, 1 January 2012 (CST)

=== Registration for volume translations ===

you are being too hard with the demand to not to register for chapters but for a complete volume. This goes against the policy as on the registration instructions for each the series. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 02:06, 4 January 2012 (CST)

No, no. I'm saying I want someone who are willing to translate a volume can become a translator. If they find a person who can work with them in a single volume that will be fine. I just don't want people who just works on one chapter then finishes, if you get what I mean. I want someone with devotion to this project.

Hi, i'm wondering, what method actually you're using to translate High School DxD? I want to translate this project but i don't know how. I have a question are you using translator? Or you know Japanese good? I'm waiting for reply My user name "Damian-Uchiha20"

Just now while reading the manga, I found that 'Asia' is typed there as 'Aashia'. Does this differ from person to person who is translating? On personal note, 'Aashia' sounds better to use since 'Asia' is a continent. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:51, 13 January 2012 (CST)

In terms of pernouciation "Aashia" may sound right. However her name is based on are real actress, "Asia Argento".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asia_Argento

Hey...why don't we put the chapter 'Revenge Knight' after the chapter 'Vol 03 Life 2' instead of before it. Then it will match the scenario better. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 15:05, 15 January 2012 (CST)

Wait, is that negociable? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 16:15, 15 January 2012 (CST)

I don't know. That is why 'am asking him about this. But at present, the chapter no where matches after the 'Life 1' chapter. If read the part 8 of chapter 'Life 2' and the 'Revenge knight', it becomes clear. I can only speculate that there might be some publicatn mistakes etc. Well, it will depend on the supervisor. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 22:54, 15 January 2012 (CST)

"Revenge Knight" happens after Life 1. Kiba kept quiet about it but reveals at to others in Life 3.

Ohhhh...it's fine then. Thanks --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 00:12, 16 January 2012 (CST)

Somehow,I hope you'll allow for some terminology to be in to english. It's kinda difficult to read if one wasn't versed in
Japanese. Especially stuff like 'oppai' and 'bishoujo', which do not have any connotations and sounds wierd in the sentences(e.g 'grope oppai' just sounds disjointed). I'd understand for Maou, Senpai, Kouhai, lolicon and endings though.

P.S. editing is painful-thank god there are other editors around --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 02:30, 20 January 2012 (CST)

The word "Oppai" is one of the theme of this series so I want to leave it as it is since there will be lots of terminology relating to it appearing afterwords.

All right... but maybe you could ref oppai for those who don't know the meaning? Just in case. -- [[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 18:58, 14 February 2012 (CST)

During most of the chapters I've read (about 2-3) there is constant tense switching, I've made a topic on the discussion page for Life 0. I want to know what tense the story should be written in.

Past for narration, present for speech --[[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 01:02, 22 January 2012 (CST)

will you be doing volume 7 now!? --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 08:31, 23 January 2012 (CST)

Not me. Theres someone else who mailed me earlier and said that he wishes to translate volume 7. So I set up the page for him.

great...now we will have 2x translatn :) --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 11:36, 23 January 2012 (CST)

Was this written in hiragana? Judging from the description of the beast I'm pretty sure it would be better to spell it as Cerberus, but still wanted to ask if we are allowed to change it or if the author meant it that way. [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]] 23:12, 30 January 2012 (CST)

Yeah, you can change it to "Cerberus". I received some comments from others saying "Cerberus" is better.

Would Invisibility be better than Transparency? Also, did the author really use transparency pheromone? [[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 08:12, 4 February 2012 (CST)

Well the name for one of the Excalibur is "Excalibur Transparency". I didnt translate it since the author named it like that.

K then, will keep it as is. [[User:Pryun|Pryun]] 22:09, 10 February 2012 (CST)

Edited the topic title to ask how should we go about the names of the characters. Now that we have more translators on the move, naming issues are bound to come around. I found a couple of them and wanted to know if we should just leave them as the translator for the respective volume suggests or if we should stick with the naming given by you, the project administrator. For example: "Sazechs Lucifer" and "Grefilia" on Vol 4 life 1 or "Sirzechs Lucifer" and "Grafia" as previously introduced. - [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]] 17:13, 12 February 2012 (CST)

That's why I propose that we create a Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology for High school DxD (similar to the one Toaru no Majustsu has)for this project soon. I would say go with "Sirzechs" and "Grafia" since those are the standardized names. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 18:29, 12 February 2012 (CST)

Hyoudu Issei is the official name that we are using on Baka-Tsuki, correct? And every one of Issei's friends and family (such as Bucho) call him by his nickname Ise, correct? I would like to make fix this as soon as possible when I can confirm this with you, since the translation is a bit inconsistent with the names for Issei. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 19:47, 10 February 2012 (CST)

Yeah, that's right. We keep the original Japanese name for the characters. So we also use -san, -chan, and -sama suffix is well. So just like you said it's Hyodou Issei but his nickname is Ise and everyone in the club calls him that.

I really think we should create a Project-Specific Guidelines: Format, Names, and Terminology (similar to the one Toaru no majustsu has)for this project soon. More characters are being introduced as it is being translated so we should have a consensus on the names of the other characters besides the main cast. I would like your permission to create one if possible. You can modify it later too. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 14:54, 12 February 2012 (CST)

Okay thanks a lot, I'll make some minor adjustments. I'm checking it out right now. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 16:58, 13 February 2012 (CST)

Looking back at the idea, it might be a better idea to create the character/terminology guidelines on a separate page other than the bottom of the character introduction. For now its alright since only 3 volumes are translated, but we may have to do it later. I'll do it for you now so we save the trouble. What do you think? Also, is it alright if I change "Isei Hyodo" to "Issei Hyodou" on the character introduction page, since most of the translations use that? Same with "Koneko Tojo" into "Koneko Toujou"? -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:33, 13 February 2012 (CST)

Yeah that would be great! Thanks for the help!--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 21:46, 13 February 2012 (CST)

I finished creating the page, btw I'm switching the positions of Issei Hyōdō (兵藤一誠, Hyoudou Issei) into Hyoudou Issei(兵藤一誠, Issei Hyōdō) throughout the character introduction and name/terminology guidelines page. That includes Koneko and Shidou. Also, I'm going to delete all the information from Azazel (アザゼル, Azazeru) to the bottom since we already have all that information in the other page. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:35, 13 February 2012 (CST)

There's a slight problem after I deleted those information on the character introduction page. The spoiler tag now hides majority of the project, I have no idea how to fix that. Can you take look at it when you have time? Thanks in advance. I'll finish the names/terminology page tomorrow. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:43, 13 February 2012 (CST)

Never mind I fixed it. Thankfully. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 22:46, 13 February 2012 (CST)

I was checking the Names and Terminology Guidelines and noticed it says Sirzechs' queen is named Grayfia, is it a minor typo or do we have to go back to the first volumes and change the name? Since in the earlier chapters it was spelled Grafia... [[User:Ajmc93|Ajmc93]] 20:32, 18 February 2012 (CST)

Oh yes. The anime ED spelled her name as "Grayfia". Also Reyville was wrong is well so it's "Ravel", again from anime ED.

@Ajmc93 Yeah it was done very recently. I'll be going through each volume and changing the names. So don't worry about it. -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 00:15, 19 February 2012 (CST)

Code-Zero, I'm sorry that I have edited your Highschool DxD page without permission. But I have something to ask you. Should we change 'senpai' into 'sempai' instead? I'm not trying to show off but that's just Japanese's way. With regards. -[[User:Erotaros|Erotaros]]

No. Senpai is the correct one and Sempai is wrong. Some non-Japanese people hear it as sempai so they mistook it and started to think that is the actual term. Even still, majority of non-Japanese people uses "Senpai'. 'Senpai' is the actual and proper term, not Sempai.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] ([[User talk:Code-Zero#top|talk]]) 04:32, 23 August 2012 (CDT)

On life 3 part 1 of volume 10 the text says "S-So that bastard said something like that! That bastard sure likes to look down from a high position! But the reason why it feels reassuring having Vali say that means that I acknowledge his strength."
Rather than "I acknowledge his strength." in context it seems like it should be "he acknowledges my strength" ? Can you give some confirmation on that? [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] ([[User talk:Shortykilz|talk]]) 02:24, 7 October 2012 (CDT)

== Foreign translations ==

Hi, I'd like to translate High School DxD in French. Can I start translating it ? -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 19:00, 18 March 2011 (GMT+1)

Excuse me, is it possible to translate High School DxD into Thai? Some of my friend wanna read it. -[[User:Kimihiro-kun|Kimihiro-kun]]

@Kimihiro-kun : That's odd but I had the same reason as yours to translate HSDxD. Right after I started translating it, some friends wanted to read it as they saw the anime version.

Since Code-Zero started HSDxD, it gained a huge popularity. Then, it will be translated in more languages. That's impressive. -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 12:50, 21 March 2011 (GMT+1)

@Misogi : very same here. they wanna know what happen before hand. but there are no thai in alt. language. so i'm asking if it's possible. -[[User:Kimihiro-kun|Kimihiro-kun]]

If you guys want create it them in baka-tsuki then go ahead. Good luck.
--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 02:25, 22 March 2012 (CDT)

Since Code-Zero started to translate HSDxD, its popularity exploded.
Now, thanks to HSDxD, about 10 French translators are coming here. That's really impressive and I don't know why. -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 21:20, 21 March 2012 (GMT+1)

Just wanted to say that the precision "Volume 11" before the Life 1 chapter is missing, which would lead to confusion. I didn't move it in fear that you might translate directly on the wiki, so...[[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 19:29, 26 March 2012 (CDT)Hey, since Akuma seems to have dropped on Highschool DxD vol4, would it be okay if I translate the rest of it if no one else wants to? I've already made a translation of Life.4 part 4 yesterday and today. I'd be willing to do the rest of the volume too, though not at the ridiculous speed I did this part. I really like this series and I want to contribute. -April 7 2012, [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=User:Eternal_Dreamer Eternal Dreamer]

Hello, sorry I was reading the fourth volume and thought i might translate it after chapter 4 (didn't see someone else was going to tl it, just thought it was dropped) and I added what I translated before I saw Eternal_Dreamer's message. If you wish to tl eternal I wont usurp your place, so please tell me if you intend to tl. Ill finish Khaos Brigade and await your answer. If not and you'd like to finish chapter 4, I'll ask you to finish that and I can take over the rest of the novel (I hate taking over partially tled chapters, always a pain to find where it cuts off) --[[User:J112|J112]] 18:10, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Whoops, didn't realize that there was someone else that was interested in translating vol 4. (I was really confused when I saw the Chaos Brigade page I made get changed to something else.) Anyway, yes, I do intend to translate the rest of vol 4, I've also registered for it on the registration page. As for the Chaos Brigade chapter, I've already finished, would it be alright if I did it? I've already finished it, so I think it's a waste to not use it. Can we talk this over? Anyway, please contact me through PM on the forum. --[[User:Eternal Dreamer|Eternal Dreamer]] 18:16, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Yeah feel free to override it if youd like, i was just reading the novel and thought that while reading it it'd be easy to tl, and at the time i didnt know there was a tler. Oh but i might want to ask if you intend to name it Chaos brigade, since the book has it printed in romaji Khaos brigade.--[[User:J112|J112]] 18:17, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Okay, thanks. And yes, for now, I will be calling it Chaos Brigade, since Code-Zero does not appear to have any problems with it. We can always change it in the future anyway. --[[User:Eternal Dreamer|Eternal Dreamer]] 18:22, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Scratch that, we'll be using Khaos Brigade, yeah. --[[User:Eternal Dreamer|Eternal Dreamer]] 18:29, 12 April 2012 (CDT)

Lol, well sorry to be a bother, and nice job.--[[User:J112|J112]] 18:45, 12 April 2012 (CDT)
Hi. Since there are a lot of references about mythology, otaku culture and some names that have a sense while translated literally, it might be useful to add references. Some examples at the bottom of these pages : [[High School DxD:Tome 1 Life 1|Tome 1 Life 1]] and [[High School DxD:Tome 1 Postface|Afterword]]. What's your opinion about it? -[[User:Misogi|Misogi]] 18:50, 19 April 2012 (GMT+1)
Even though volumes 8,9,10,11,12.. are almost translated there are volumes 5,6,7 that are not translated and that kills or restricts to move on to the latest volumes. The effort of searching for other translated version was utterly destroyed due to the cheap or insufficient translator used to translate. This is my sincere request to show favorism towards the completion of volumes 5,6,7 '''PLEASE'''.

Well Volume 5 is translated by Eternal Dreamer, and he is translating in a good pace. Volume 6 and 7, I probably can have them is next priority after volume 12. So I might do them in June then.

good pace... you did the whole of volume 6 and he did 50% of 1 chapter

YOU!! You are Flash or what? the entire volume in, what, 15 days. Thanks for your efforts making lechers (like me) enjoy HSDxD. I'm looking forward at the Volume 7, but don't overdo it, real life first.

Even though volumes 8,9,10,11,12.. are almost translated there are volumes 5,6,7 that are not translated and that kills or restricts to move on to the latest volumes. The effort of searching for other translated version was utterly destroyed due to the cheap or insufficient translator used to translate. This is my sincere request to show favorism towards the completion of volumes 5,6,7 '''PLEASE'''.

Well Volume 5 is translated by Eternal Dreamer, and he is translating in a good pace. Volume 6 and 7, I probably can have them is next priority after volume 12. So I might do them in June then.

good pace... you did the whole of volume 6 and he did 50% of 1 chapter

YOU!! You are Flash or what? the entire volume in, what, 15 days. Thanks for your efforts making lechers (like me) enjoy HSDxD. I'm looking forward at the Volume 7, but don't overdo it, real life first.

==Other project suggestions==
Could you look into Inukami! as a possible project? Thanks Zero. [[User:Genesis|Genesis]] 19:30, 30 July 2012 (CDT)

Have you thought about doing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance or Mahouka Koukou no Rettousei. I know that they are already on BT, but thet are quite interesting.

Hey CodeZero, thanks for all of the translations so far. I was wondering if you could translate Hagure Yuusha no Estetica and Campione! and Infinite Startos (Since the author just got started again) as possible future projects. Also, I am new and am thinking about being an editor since I like few of the possible future projects along with High School DxD, so would it be possible for me to help? [[User:Genesis|Genesis]] 12:54, 10 July 2012 (CDT)

Huge tnx for all your hard work. As for possible next work I'd like to propose Dai Densetsu no Yuusha no Densetsu since it was really popular not so long time ago and Larethian already dropped it.
i vote for zeor no tsukaima and hidan no aria
When DxD is up to date and completed, it would be nice if you could translate "Ichiban Ushiro no Dai Maō".--[[User:LSwRl|LSwRl]] 11:28, 20 June 2012 (CDT)

First of all: You Sir, are truly a legend! Thanks for your awesome work at DxD!

I would like to see you translating Accel World (project already exists) because it's also a very good LN like DxD with a very good plot and nice chars.

Anyway, thanks a lot :-)

Thanks for the comment. Im watching Accel World anime right now since I havent read the LN yet. So far I like it but Im not sure if I will be translating the series.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 23:39, 16 June 2012 (CDT)Firstly, I want to tell you that your translating speed is awesome. I greatly appreciates your work on High School DxD. As it is one of my favorite series.
There isn't many story lines which interests me weather it is a manga or LN. But High School DxD is definitely a series which i like whole heartily and thats why i want to thank you from the bottom my heart for translating it. Thank you very much. But there is one more series which attracted me before reading High School DxD and that is 'Kaze no stigma'. This was the first LN i read because it's story plot was entirely different. although this LN will never be completed because of the death of it's author but i still want to see it translated. The male protagonists of this series is my favorite character ever. I know its really mean to plot with nice chars and some ecchi stuff, too. It would be a pity if the translation dies...
I also highly recommend the anime ;-)

An other really, really good story is Date A Live. The project already exists at BT but there isn't much progress... The LN also becomes animated this year. Maybe you could give it a try and read the first chapter - it's really funny :-)

Anyways, thanks for your awesome work!Kore wa Zombie Desu Ka?==

i think it could be great if code-zero translate this LN. i just suggest this story 'cause when i watched the anime version, i liked a lot.--[[Will_RB]]
I hope you will continue CubexCursedxCurious (a staled project.

Kaze no Stigma

Firstly, I want to tell you that your translating speed is awesome. I greatly appreciates your work on High School DxD. As it is one of my favorite series.
There isn't many story lines which interests me weather it is a manga or LN. But High School DxD is definitely a series which i like whole heartily and thats why i want to thank you from the bottom my heart for translating it. Thank you very much. But there is one more series which attracted me before reading High School DxD and that is 'Kaze no stigma'. This was the first LN i read because it's story plot was entirely different. although this LN will never be completed because of the death of it's author but i still want to see it translated. The male protagonists of this series is my favorite character ever. I know its really mean to ask you about this but please consider my request of translating it whenever you have time. I am also looking forward to the remaining volume of the High School DxD.

Oda Nobuna no Yabou...please consider translating this novel. It's the best reverse gender sengoku jidai to date as far as I know.

Firstly, I'd like to thank you for translating High School DxD and that it's a great and fun series to read, also if ever you wanted to take on another LN series may I suggest you also do Hidan no Aria?, it's already been weeks since I last saw an update, much appreciated though if you decided to translate it and again... THANK YOU!

Hey I wanted to know if you might be able to do Campione!..... Also thanks for doing the this thankless job.
\('o')/.

---First of all, thank you for your hard work. I truly appreciate all the effort you put translating so we could all enjoy this wonderful story. About the next project, could you consider translating '''Mismarca Koukoku Monogatari'''? It's an action/fantasy/ecchi/comedy/romance novel. I got introduced to it thanks to the manga adaptation, but sadly it ended and it barely adapted only 2 volumes of the light novel. If you are not sure about this, you could read the manga and see if the story is of your liking. Thank you.

How about working on Goshusho-sama Ninomiya-kun?(And I deleted my original comment and repalce it with a different suggestion since my original suggestion turned out to not have an LN but was a VN instead)--[[User:Gohankuten|Gohankuten]] 20:53, 1 August 2012 (CDT)

Hagure Yuusha no Estetica

Would you consider Kämpfer? [[User:Aleaccipiter|Aleaccipiter]] 03:29, 3 August 2012 (CDT)

Well, Kampfer was awesome in the beginning but I totally dropped it after hearing what happens at the end lol.

I'm not sure if the name is right, but ore ga heroine o tasukesugite sekai ga little mokushiroku!? seems like it is a great light novel series.

Okay. I will add to the lists. Hope the scan is out somewhere.

Greetings. Firstly i want to express my gratitude for your godspeed translation (Seriously, finishing Vol 11+12 in less than a month? Is N0m@n a translating robot?). I have a suggestion. Would you consider Kokoro Connect? It has unique theme (swapping bodies) and powerful heartwarming scenes. I personally am not very fond of stories that mostly rely on ecchi+harem situations (just like most of your Future projects), instead i love stories with more emotional scenes, so please consider this one. Thanks a lot - [[User:SATRIA|SATRIA]] 10 August 2012 (CDT)

I really like Tsuki Tsuki. It has a lot funny and ecchi moments like HS DxD and is really interesting. I've only read the first two volume and the manga online, but I really recommend this for those who like HS DxD too. [[User:Xanga|Xanga]]

You are my buddy men Xagan. Tsuki Tsuki really hit my heart for its main male character and funny heroines. When i heard there would be a translation poll i held my hope really high about the fact it must have been in the poll. But my hope had benn shatered >< .Anyway since Code Zero havent started any new projects yet so i recommended it for you Code Zero. Well although its up to you to decide whether you ll do it or not i still respect you very much for your extremely hard efforts on High School Dxd and other series. Thanks alot!!! [[User:DoomCalibur|DoomCalibur]]

The poll already ended long time ago, you know? Please don't bug N0m@n with unnecessary thought anymore and let him focus on FMP since it's already been his choice - [[User:SATRIA|SATRIA]]

Oh. So his choice is FMP. That s a very famous series. Well i will respect his choice then. [[User:DoomCalibur|DoomCalibur]]

i wanted to propose the light novel "dark mage" . i don t know if you know about it but it a very good novel

== Random ==

Did you do this http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=User:Code-Zero&curid=18507&diff=171687&oldid=171670 or that wasn't you? --[[User:KuroiHikari|KuroiHikari]] ([[User_talk:KuroiHikari|Talk]] | ) 18:41, 23 July 2012 (CDT)

Just wanted to thank you for all your hard work. [[User:Aleaccipiter|Aleaccipiter]] 08:09, 26 July 2012 (CDT)

Wondering since you translated most of Highschool DxD. What exactly is Kiba's Scared Gear? The swrod handle or does it reside in him?

Well his Sacred Gear abilities allows him to create swords. Saying that he can recreate sword from the sword handle he is holding to and also even create a whole new sword. He can even create the sword on his foot.

Since the other editors said OK to my request to help, I would still like to. I'm not looking to edit with intent to adapt to english like I know someone will eventually but I'd like to help proofread and fix some of the grammer in the unadapted sections. I won't add my name to the editors list either. If you're OK with that much let me know. Thanks. [[User:Fallton13|Fallton13]] 06:00, 6 August 2012 (EDT)

All good then. If the editors said okay,　then thats all you need. Thanks for the help.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 05:02, 6 August 2012 (CDT)

Excuse me Code-Zero. Do you perhaps have 'Dakara Boku wa H ga Dekinai' raw for volume 1 and 2? Or place where I can find raw of light novel. Thank you. -0 [[User:Ero-kun|Ero-kun]] 20:43, 23 Aug 2012 [GMT+7]

== Oda Nobuna no Yabou ==

Thanks for uploading those image files, I didn't know how to do that tbh >.>

Also, hop by and pick up a volume of this series when you're done with DxD, I would love to have you there to make it lively ^^ --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] 09:17, 8 August 2012 (CDT)

I thought he's gonna make a poll on what to translate next, once DxD is up-to-date, and let the readers decide? or I may be wrong :)

no you're right he was planning to make a poll.....Akuma is just using good fishing bait --[[User:RikiNutcase|RikiNutcase]] 09:58, 8 August 2012 (CDT)

Yeah Im putting a poll soon as I finish volume 7, and start it after I do volume 13. I will do Oda Nobuna if it gets many votes.

--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 02:35, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Che... You guys just had to butt in and remind him of the poll >.> I was going to have him sneakily take up Oda Nobuna :P --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] 08:56, 9 August 2012 (CDT)

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume16 Chapter2

2012-07-28T02:22:35Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter 2 - Searching for a Residence */

===Chapter 2 - Searching for a Residence===

At the countryside Tristania of the Kingdom of Tristain......, a corner past the '''Rosroll'''forest.

Wales was an estate agent running a business in Tristania, his customers either rich entreprenures or nobles. Today, he was scratching his head in frustration. Though he deals with nobles, the estate he handles are not "territories" and has nothing to do with title. They are mere "lands" any rich merchant and aristocrats can purchase.

Which very much explains why when today's customer's appeared, he was overjoyed. However one looks at it, these customers must be one of the top nobles of this country.

If someone as famed as them becomes his customers, sooner or later his shop will also rise to fame accordingly.

If he is able to make a successful deal, this customer may very likely introduce other new customers. Imagining how big his business could become, Wales actively searched for all sorts of estates.

But, this master and servant......

"This isn't my cup of tea"
Both hands crossed in front of her chest, critizing Wales's estates, was the third child of the Valliere family, Louise Valliere.

This morning, around 8 a.m. they came to Wales's office. Without much ado, they had already asked
"Introduce us to a house"
describing how their future home should be made for two, how it wouldn't matter even if it were smaller. Looks like it's a pair of young lover trying to avoid the eyes of the world, preparing a temporary residence before their marriage.

Couples seeking refuge because of their difference in statuses like them are common. According to their situation, Wales quickly picked out a few estates for them.

But, it seems like their dream house has still yet to show up. The third lady of the duke's family, this pinked-haired beauty could not stop her grumbles against any of Wales's suggestions.

"What's wrong with it, tell me"
said the frowning servant of Miss Valliere, a black haired teen. Just by the looks of his clothing, it was obvious that he was not any teen. From the silver coat of arms of a Chevalier, he should be the legendary knight of a civilian's background - co-captain Hiraga Saito.

Because of his civilian background, he was by far a much easier customer to communicate with. So far, he had shown much interest in moust of the houses suggested by Wales.

"This place isn't so bad, is it?"

In contrast, everytime he says so, Miss Valliere's eyebrows springs into action. Using either the colour of the exterior wall, or the worn out structure, how the room faces a bad direction, even going about how the trees planted in the gardens aren't good enough and so on so on, all sorts of reasons to send him off.

Wales is also a person with his own dignity. Taking them to the last house possible, it would seem quite unreasonable if they complained even about this one. Well Wales definitely in for a surprise
"Young m'lady, what don't you like about this one? The one who designed this house was a famous architect, Sir Rosa Venturini. Under the invitation of an artistic noble, he designed every single inch of this building!"

It was true that this house was filled with an artistic atmosphere.

Compared to the other buildings they have seen so far, this one certianly looked very outstanding.

Piled into a hemispherical shell with stones, at the centre was a grand staircase and a courtyard. In the courtyard grew an enormous tree, running through the entire house.

Its walls were decorated with flowerbeds, planted with all sorts of flowers. The entire house seemed to be cut out from part of the forest itself.

"Incredible, how should I say it, it feels like it is merged with the nature itself. This sure is incredible"
Saito praised while nodding. Wales nodded affirmatively towards Saito's words.

"Isn't it? As expected of the Highness's knight, you see things differently! For this one, you only need 10,000 Ecu, it's the absolute exception out of all exceptions! Houses better than this one, you won't be able to find any throughout the entire Kingdom of Tristain!"

''He's got a point'', Saito thought, trying to urge Louise
"Take a look, no matter from which angle this looks very nice, doesn't it?"

"You're annoying, I ask you, how is this good? Which part of it looks good. This entire building is a vase"

"that's what makes it interesting"

With a displeased look, Louise sighed
"Are you dumb? Choosing a home just because of this reason alone, it's no wonder you have such bad taste!"

"What?"

Seeing them fight, the black haired girl behind them suggested
"Well well, calm down both of you! Since we're here to search for a good home.... let's not fight, OK?"

"How annoying, how does this have anything to do with you anyway?"

"Of course it does, it's because I'm the caretaker, it's my duty to help choose carefully right now"
Countered the black haired girl with a calm expression. Seeing this incident, Wales began to worry.

From the looks of it..... the only reason this pinked-haired aristocrat is unhappy is because of the black-haired girl. The more she praises the house, the worse Miss Valliere's expressions will look, eventually complaining here and there, such as how the colour of the wall looks bad. If the teen knight comforts, she mood will take another turn for the worse. Seeing how the pattern has cycled many times, Wales became very frustrated over this.

"Saito! Come and look! This kitchen, is so big, hurray<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>!"
she screamed happily. Saito and Siesta began wandering around the house for more.

Behind them, Louise kept a gloomy expression for the whole time.
"......although I said I didn't need maids"

Just like what happened last night, Siesta followed them in broad daylight. If Louise complains to Saito, he would then say "where could you find a better helper than Siesta?"

Certainly, on closer inspection one would realise how it's almost impossible to find a maid quicker and more efficient than Siesta for housework. Moreover, the idea of not hiring a maid at all was incomplete to begin with. There are work that cannot be handed to a male after all.

Rather than hiring an unknown maid, Siesta was certainly a better choice.

On the other hand..... these things cannot be decided with reason. The bright coloured future Louise originally imagined began to turn grey.

"Incredible, I never knew a stove could be so big! This way we can cook anything<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>! Would you like to make your order, Mister Saito?"

"Well..... as long as it's made by Siesta, any food would taste great"

Louise gritted her teeth to the degree where she could rip her hankerchief into shreds. What is this! This is as if a conversation between a newly wed couple! Who exactly does he want to live with<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>!

Feeling as if she lost very badly, Louise began to fight. After searching around herself, Louise discovered an excellent item.

"Hey--, ahem, ahem ahem"

"Hmm? What's wrong?"
Saito noticed this side. Keeping a calm expression as much as possible, Louise pointed to a corner on the ceiling.

"This is an excellent chandelier don't you think, as expected of something built by an artistic noble, an avant-garde design, but you can feel its elegance through its simplicity"
Louise nodded with a straight face.

".....but that's only a basket used to dry vegetables"
Siesta chuckled, making Louise go red all the way to her neck.

"Please Louise, don't joke around, even I can see that it's only a basket"

"Ha, if the job was given to Miss Valliere, I'm sure we'll never be able to choose a suitable house"

"nobles don't have much common sense, it can't be helped"

Finding it hard to swallow, Louise swung open a trapdoor on the floor
"L-look, there's a basement"

"A storage room, I guess?"

"Possible. Say, Saito, shall we take a look around?

"Nah"
Saito swiftly rejected, soon turning back to Siesta's presentations. With the choice completely in the other's hands, Louise was out of ideas and snuck into that storage room, sitting down and hugging her knees.

"Look, Mister Saito! This is the ultimate oven! It's the newest product! Look how much effort they spent even on the vents!"

"Although I don't really get it, if Siesta says so then it must be very incredible!"

Hmm--hmm--hmm--hmm.
Louise hummed a song alone, but no one heard it. Suddenly in front of her eyes,

something popped out.

"F-frog--!"
Louise who have always had a genuine dislike for frogs panicked, unconsiously casting spells. The house was quickly filled with surprised cries and smoke....

After the smoke have finally cleared, Wales told them
"My deep apologies, but it would be impossible for me to suggest a house that is able to satisify Miss Valliere"

"Then, in the end you didn't find a single thing?"
The shopkeep Scarron sighed. After Wales have completely given up, to clear up their gloomy emotions, Louise and the rest came to Tristainia's "Charming Fairies" inn.

"That's what happened, all because of her, saying only selfish things. In addition, even magic was used. Just the repair bill alone was 200 Ecu"

Saito complained grumpily. Louise hung her head in shame
"I-it's not completely my fault either"

"And? Exactly what kind of house will you be pleased with?"
Saito asked exhaustedly from the bottom of his heart.

Actually, all she wants is for the maid to be gone, but directly saying so would mean admitting her own defeat.

With no choice, Louise began listing one by one, saying how the position of each room should be like, where the sunlight should reach, so on so on.

Standing next to Scarron, Jessica nodded from watching Louise.
"In short, Louise feels uncomfortable living with Siesta, right?"

Instantly the atmosphere froze. Well that was to be expected. Realising so, Saito couldn't help but turn pale. It felt as if the thing he feels most guilty about has been placed under the spotlight.

On the other hand......, he had always felt that Louise and Siesta had an understanding on this. After all, the one he likes is Louise. Plus, even after clarifying it with Siesta, Siesta was still willing to be a maid..... Siesta completely sees his charming points, the way she feels for him has already surpassed love.....

Just by looking at Louise and Siesta, in addition to the embarrasing atmosphere, one can feel the cold chilly air hanging between them.

"Recently your relationship with each other seemed to have improved"
Saito mumbled casually. Scarron patted Saito's shoulders and said
"Saito-kun really doesn't understand the heart of a woman<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki> well, this has been the way it was from the start"

"Eh? Eh? Eh eh?"

Scarron continued, wiggling his waist
"After purchasing a house, that's when your real life begins, isn't it? Cute little Louise wants to settle down, but so does cute little Siesta"

Saito noticed how both Louise and Siesta have been staring at him for some time.

Wincing their eyes, they seemed to be appealing on something.

''What do you plan to do?''
Questioned their looks.

Which would be the best way out of this...?

Only recently have Saito begun to sense Louise being attracted to himself, which makes perfect sense why he had no desire to consider the feelings of girls other than Louise. Of course, every now and then his body act on its own accord......

As for Siesta, he likes her a lot too. But this kind of fondness is completely different from the one he feels for Louise. Yet even so, Siesta never complained. Just considering the things she have done for him, he cannot thank her enough.

If she says she wants to become Saito's maid, Saito will not be able to refuse no matter what. If he did, it would feel as if he had forsaken an important thing that defines human.

All sorts of thoughts tangled in Saito's mind, refusing to let Saito reach any conclusion.

Looking at the three of them like this, Scarron clapped his hands
"If that's so, then let's solve it using the adult's way"

"The adult's way?"

"Mhm. If this goes on, we'll never produce any result"

The three of them blushed in embarrasment.

"I would suggest Saito-kun buy a house all by himself, live with cute little Louise, hire little Siesta, then all's solved"

Siesta's face glowed brightly; Louise's eyes shot daggers; Saito facepalmed.

"Why does it always end up like that!"
Louised yelled. Scarron answered Louise coldly
"Say, little Louise. Saito-kun is a national hero right now"

This Louise have also noticed. Even right now, outside the shop there's a band of people fighting to get a glimpse of the "heroic charisma"...... even earlier on their way to town, they were often stared in the same way by other pedestrians.

And all of those looks were aimed towards.....

From the visiting crowd, a middle-aged female jumped forward and knelt in front of Saito.

"Eh? What! What's going on!"
Saito flustered.

"Excuse me....., you must be the co-captain of her majesty's Water Spirit Ondine Knights, Sir Hiraha...."

"Erm, it's Hiraga....."
Hearing Saito's response, the visiting crowd boiled. Enthusiastically. Feeling a natural sense of fear towards this disturbance, Louise and the others shuddered.

"Being able to meet you in person, I'm so, so touched~! Although commoner, you made so many great achievements! You are our pride! Please, you must must must name this child!"

Behind this hysterical female, a seemingly businessman also jumped forward and forcefully shook Saito's hand. The crowd began to list Saito's achievements.

"The retreat of Albion"

"His active performance at the Tiger's Highway!"

"And then he defeated hundreds at the Lelion river! After hearing fantastic stories about you, we Tristania citizens could not be more proud!"

"Well, it was only around ten....."

"It's already difficult enough! Defeating ten nobles! But now you're a noble yourself!"

Looks like other than Saito's activities, various pointless chatter were also included. Now that Louise thinks of it, if he is well known throughout the Gallian nobles, it wouldn't be so surprising if Saito's heroic stories were spread around Tristainia.

Before this, Saito's name had already been well-known from his performance at Albion. The war with Gallia can only make him even more famous.

Saito shook his head, too embarrased to know what else to do. The treatment he already gets at the Magic Academy has evolved to a city-wide phenomenon, no, perhaps even a country-wide phenomenon.

With a low voice, Scarron whispered to the Louise who was pushed away by the crowd.

"Little Louise, do you understand now? Saito's popularity is now sky high in Tristainia, he will barely be able to walk alone on the streets"

"How, how did he suddenly turn so popular....."

Ahem, Scarron coughed, pointing towards the poster on the walls of the inn. It was the advertisement of the Tarbes '''Garbo's''' Troupe. Louise examined the repertoire with round eyes.

"......Albion's swordsman?"

On the poster was a picture of a man holding a sword, facing a bunch of scary looking Albion soldiers. The man was dressed in leather, handsome looking and tall. Looks like somebody somewhere, but not so much in other places.

But, this..... unless......

"Since we have a chance, why don't we all go and have a look?"

Louise nodded with cold sweat on her forehead.

"Cruel ruthless Albion army! Come at me!"

Watching the opera on the stage, Saito and the others were wordless.

The black haired actor with a sword was facing a dummy dragon and actors dressed up as nobles.

"There are 70,000 enemies! I am alone! But God and Founder Brimir will never abandon Tristian!"

Saito muttered quietly
"There's only 7 of them"

"How do you suppose they put so many people on stage"
Scarron calmly replied.

"To save our kingdom, our dearest Queen sent me here! Swordsman of the wind, Hiraha Siago!"

"Swordsman of the wind"

"His title changed!"

The actor portraying Saito waved the sword in his hand, using it to block the attacks of the dummy dragon and the enemy actors, then defeating them one by one.

For each enemy defeated, the audience will burst into wild cheers. On closer inspection, must of the audience were commoners.

During this process, a basket carrying the diva slowly descended from above, singing the song of praise about the swordsman

"Hero of Tristain<nowiki>~~~~~~~</nowiki>

My hero<nowiki>~~~~~~</nowiki>"

Accompanying the song, was the fight one would expect to see in talent shows.

"Such overly swordsmen drama......"
Saito expressed his thoughts in sorrow.

"Although this play has been under heavy criticism from critics, it is very popular in the hearts of us citizens"

Even this kind of lame story content cannot stop the wild cheers from the audience.

Everyone was chanting "Swordsmen Hiraha" in unison.

Saito buried his face deep into his scarf. Without his sword and with his black hair hidden, no one would recognize that this is the real Saito.

Siesta looked at the play, then looked at Saito, her face full of admiration.

"There's Mister Saito! Look, look look. Ohh...... my Saito, finally appeared on stage!"

"That's not me.... it's someone else...."

"Waa, that's soo cool! That's what you looked like when you defeated the Albion army....."

Siesta took no notice of Saito's words, deeply mesmerized in the play.

On the stage, swordsman Hiraha finally defeated the enemy captain. Seeing this, the heated audience all stood up whooping.

"Bravo--! Swordsman Hiraha! Bravo--!" echoed throughout the theatre. Usually, stories about achievements of a swordsman wouldn't be allowed to be on a stage as large as this, only performed on small puppet theaters or plays on the streets. Most likely, this only passed the test since this swordsman Hiraha is based on a national hero.

Overwhelmed by the audience's enthusiasm, Louise muttered simply
"In-incredible....."

It was as if he was as popular as the Pope himself. In fact, in the eyes of a peasant, Saito's fame precedes even the king himself.

"Hey, take a look on that side"
Scarron pointed to a corner of the audience. There, a large number of females stood blushing. Their excited voices could be heard all the way to Louise and the others.

"Incredible...., a mere swordsman being able to take down the enemy captain. Too bad it's only a story."

"What are you talking about! The hero for this story actually exists. Thanks to him, the army of Tristain was saved."

"I even heard that he received a medal this time in Gallia."

Really wanting to be with that kind of person, the girls all nodded dreamily.

Louise shivered. No..... she unconsciously acknowledges Saito's achievements at Albion and Gallia. Only after seeing it happen in person does she realise how she had ignored these things.

"Do you understand now? Whether or not you hire a maid, nothing will change. Nowadays, the number of ladies who have their eyes on Saito are as uncountable as flies around a pie. He did, after all, make all of these things happen, he even became the co-captain of a squadron."
Afterwards, Scarron tuned down to a low voice
"Not only so."

"Eh?"

"Look over there."

Right where Scarron indicated with his head, was the balcony seats on the second floor reserved usually for grand nobles enjoying operas.

From the gaps of the curtains, one can see how unpleasant the noble's face looked. As a noble, watching how a knight of a commoner's background defeated a noble, even if enemy, must be painfully boring.

Louise couldn't help but laugh.

"I know, right? Do you understand? Popularity also brings unhappy people like them. Randomly hiring an unknown person, who knows what will be mixed into your food. That's how the brother of the Gallian king died, in case you forgot. That Earl Oscar died from poisoned bread. For someone like Saito, a trusty maid like little Siesta is definitely needed. What you need is a true friend who can report to you any suspicious activities from the people you've hired."

Louise finally understood the reason why Scarron insisted they hire Siesta.

True. As admirers increase, so do enemies. From now on, Saito and Louise can't let their guard down while defending themselves against these enemies.

"Shopkeep Scarron is right"

Drawing death just because of some stupid jealousy would be a hell of a way to die. Thinking so while watching the Siesta crying out hysterically along with the rest of the crowd, Louise suddenly felt how important this ally is. If it's her, no matter under whatever circumstances, she would never betray Saito.

While Louise kept adjusting her thoughts, she could almost read the thoughts of the Saito on this play modeled after him.

''Wow, I'm slowly becoming famous.... I wonder what would my family and friends on Earth would say if they saw this?

Surprised, or happy....?''

After the opera ended, with his head completely covered in his scarf, Saito hurried out of the theater. Louise and the others surrounded Saito, cautiously watching their surroundings. Just like how celebrities are treated, from the situation Saito is in currently, it was as if he was a star back on Earth.

Around them, civilians who have just finished the opera could not hold back their enthusiasm, still chattering about the opera.

Hurriedly leaving this place, arriving on the streets.....

"Oh my! If it isn't Louise!"
A familiar voice called out. Turning their heads around, they instantly recogonised Guiche in his brand new Chevalier cape. Beside him were the rest of the Water Spirit Ondine knights.

Best not to make a fuss around here. Just as she was about to push Saito and leave this dangerous area, Guiche closed the distance between them, smiling
"Hey hey! Where are you going! There's something I want to ask! Where did Saito go? That guy, I haven't spotted him since this morning!"

Pushing his glasses up his nose, Reinard whispered
"Louise, tell us if you know. We must hurry. But don't get shocked! We found a pretty amazing castle!"

Hearing that name, it began to draw some of the people's attentions. Bad! Although in the show they used some weird name Hiraha Saigo, or was it Hirama? Anyhow, it still sounds similar to Saito.

Saito pulled his scarf even tighter, covering almost his entire face. Meanwhile, Louise began to shoo them away
"D-don't know, I don't know that kind of guy...."

"What are you talking about? Don't tell me you lost your memory again? Lemme remind you? You know, the retreat from Albion? The man who replaced someone to stop the army?"

"Sh-shut up!"

More and more citizens began to gather. Unfortunately, Guiche is the kind of teen who excitement grows with the size of his audience. A 100% match. Still not knowing how Saito's legends is already widespread, he began his speech, waving his hands exaggeratedly
"Not only that! He singled handly fought on the Lelion river! The first to come forth was the so-called undefeatable '''Duke Socarton'''! But Saito couldn't care less! Easily chasing Duke '''Socarton''' all over the place, beautifully slicing his staff in two!"

The crowd began to heat up. Mistakenly believing that their reaction was because of his charisma, he puffed up his voice
"The second opponent had good skills! But we, as the Water Spirit Ondine Knights..... wah, ah!"

Louise sprang towards Guiche, clamping his mouth shut.
"You, enough"

"Huh? What's wrong! How's it bad to talk about that guy's achievements!"

That's right that's right, the crowd booed. Just as Siesta, Scarron and Jessica was about to bring Saito away from these dangerous grounds..... an amazingly sharp-sighted Malicorne found the hidden Saito.

"Oh heey! You were here all along Saito! Why hide your face? Such a weird fellow!"
Then ran next to Saito, unwrapping his carefully concealed face. The gathered crowd turned wild like a thunderstorm.

"Th-this gentleman, is the co-captain of the Water Spirit Ondine Knights, Hiraha Saigo?"

"Right you are"
Malicorne nodded. The people crammed towards Saito like a flash flood. The disturbance caused in the "Charming Faries'" Inn was incomparable to this one.

"Pl-please bless us!"

"Please touch my hand!"

"What's going on?"

What's going on, asked the still completely clueless about Saito popular to the degree where they have made him into an opera, Guiche. Saito was engulfed by the incoming wave of civilians.

"Oi! Where, where are you touching! Stop!"

Somewhat surprised, the Water Spirit Ondine Knights also joined in the crowd amusingly.
"Wahahahaa! Popularity ahoy! Say, Saito, you haven't used the ransom you saved yet, right? Stop looking for tiny little dollhouses, let's get a castle! We found a pretty good one! A piece of land as large as 60 '''Allubon''', it's an ancient castle with quite some history! They even claim there's ghosts or something, but those things are nothing in front of our bravery!"

"Don't want those kind of castles! Besides, I already split the money with you guys!"

"It's only 2,000 ecus! Tell you what, take your wallet out!"

"Wait.... I earned that......oof! Waah!"

Trapped in between the castle-hungry Water Spirit Knights and the "Hiraha" chanting crowd, Saito situation has become too difficult for anyone to save. Things already so, no one will be able to stop it. It's as if being dragged into a tsunami.

Louise watched this scene, shocked; Siesta watched with fascination; Jessica and Scarron stood by chuckling to themselves.

"Hey! What's with the disturbance! Disband yourselves at once!"
Crying out so was a team of cavalry from the other end of the street.

"Or what! You should back off!"

"Say what?"
The leading female knight drew her sword.
"We are her highness' Musketeer Corps! Disobey and I'll have you all arrested!"

Just the mention of her highness' personal Musketeer corps was enough to quiet even a crying baby.

Because their members were made up entirely of young females, none of them feels that they should be looked down upon. Due to their furiosity, they became widely known almost instantly.

"Good! Take them all to the '''Shelbourne''' jail!"

Hearing the word '''Shelbourne''' plus Agnes's thunderous bellow, the citizens scattered without a trace.

Seeing Saito kneeling on the ground coughing, Agnes said
"Oh, it's you guys. Perfect."

"Thanks for helping..... eh? Perfect?"

Agnes unmounted her horse and handed Saito a scroll.

"Perfect so that I can hand this to you. So you were at Tristania. Sure saves my time"

"What's this?"

Saito gulped. On it was the seal of the royal family of Tristain.

"Her majesty requests me. Immediately, at the palace."

Talk:High School DxD

2012-07-24T08:29:59Z

Shortykilz: /* New series? */

This project requires a '''synopsis''' and '''registration page''' before it can be submitted for approval; that aside, we're still waiting for the higher-ups to come back of course --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 23:33, 14 November 2011 (CST)

Very nice ! Thanks a lot for translating the novel Code-Zero.

Tnanks for translation. Plot is very interesting and main hero is not narrow-minded japan schoolboy. It looks like Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi but more interesting than the last. (Palert)

Huh? I dare you to say that again after reading every volume after volume 5 of Itsuten :D --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 10:02, 2 December 2011 (CST)

Hahaha, I sure would love that opportunity Larethian. So translated faster! :p jk [[User:Starkiller4299|Starkiller4299]] 13:39, 2 December 2011 (CST)

IMO, Ise and Taito should meet though. That Dragon Booster or whatever it's name is would be awesome on Taito, considering his overall cockroach status (going by hardness to perma-kill). --[[Special:Contributions/188.64.204.90|188.64.204.90]] 16:07, 2 December 2011 (CST)

I don't think you know what you've just started... Ise/Taito ship!

Feel like spoiling, but better not, just check out some of the later illustrations in Itsuten. Taito is pretty badass from v6 onwards. He is the Dark Rabbit after all. Volumes 1 to 4 of Itsuten is just a prologue that sets up the stage and student council characters, so they are a little slow. Every volume after v5 ends with a stunning revelation. --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 20:10, 2 December 2011 (CST)

== Title 7,2 Amendment ==
I think the "arrival of the shit-geezer from the north" has been misstranslated. Kuzou jiji = shitty geezer. Its not like he is made of fecal matter, but rather is a shitty ( damn ) old bat.

== Thank you! ==

This is such a great read!! Thanks to the translators and everyone else who are working to make the rest of us able to read this =]

Seconded.

Me three --[[User:Novium|Novium]] 21:17, 25 December 2011 (CST)

A big thanks to the translators , keep up the good work guys!

Code-Zero and editors staff, thanks a lot for your work. Hope, all we will see final volumes with you :)

~I am really enjoying reading this novel. Many Many Thanks to the translators, editors & all other stuffs for their hard work. Please keep up the good work, we all want to see final volumes with you guys !! =)
--[[User:RuMz|RuMz]] 00:55, 14 February 2012 (UTC+6)

You guys are awesome :)

==Characters description on the Main Page==

For the characters description, I think the rank (bishop, knight, etc.) should be more emphasized on, personally, if it'S possible... Andis it possible to bake it collapsible like in Infinite Stratos, since there's a lot of names? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 21:41, 29 December 2011 (CST)

Yeah you are right. So I will add a terminology section is well afterward to make it easier.
Code-Zero

Please change " yondai" into "great four" in Rias desc. Dunno why we left that untranslated....--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:12, 2 January 2012 (CST)

Just now while reading the manga, I found that 'Asia' is typed as 'Aashia'. Does this differ from person to person who is translating? On personal note, 'Aashia' sounds better since 'Asia' is a continent. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:49, 13 January 2012 (CST)

Depends on how you pronounce it. If my knowledge on kanas is right (which I doubt but should be fine), the "si" turns into a "shi" in Japanese. There's no "si" sound. [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 16:18, 15 January 2012 (CST)

The Italian actress Asia Argento's name is pronounced ah-ZEE-ah so Asia's name is most likly pronounced similarly. Their is another name spelled Asia of middle eastern origin and is pronounced differently. (Anon)

I think you can make a si sound in katakana like　セィ but it does really matter since it is spelt　アーシア. It is probably translated as Asia because that is a legitimate Italian name. --[[User:J112|J112]] 17:37, 15 January 2012 (CST)

== New Characters ==

I think 'Irina Shido' and 'Azazel' might be Isei's servants!...since Rias has already filled all her required positions. What do you say? --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 23:57, 29 December 2011 (CST)

do you think azazel leader of the fallen angel will become a (lowly) devil?--[[User:TheRenegade94|TheRenegade94]] 11:08, 12 February 2012 (CST)

1 and half months ago,I was not aware of his kind. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 01:51, 13 February 2012 (CST)

I dont think so... [[User:Just4fun|Just4fun]]

== Excalibur ==

'''...Church along with Irina to destroy or retrieve the stolen swords of Exicaliburs'''....according to mythology, isn't there only one 'Excalibur' weilded by King Arthur?

Excalibur. Or as it really was named; caliburn.
But yes, you are correct.--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:16, 2 January 2012 (CST)

Now we all know there are a lot of "Excalibur" in this story but shouldn't we say "the holy swords Excalibur" (without the "s") and "the Excaliburs" (with the "s") and not "the holy swords of Excaliburs" (in the characters' description)?--[[User:MaerisCrisis|MaerisCrisis]] 16:50, 15 January 2012 (CST)

I would agree with using "the Holy Swords Excalibur", and "the Excaliburs" since Excalibur in the former context is more of a title given to the set of swords fashioned from the shards of the original. Also, with reference to Caliburn, hopefully we won't have to conflate it with Clarent the way modern legends usually do.--[[User:Ikepuska|Ikepuska]] 20:42 12 April 2012 (EST)

According to mythology, King Arthur pulled Caliburn out of the stone, and when he did an unchivalrous act he lost Caliburn. In replacement he got Excalibur. Full details, I have no idea, but yea... Anyway, this IS just a story, and although there are references to other mythological systems, it's not like it has to be correct right? [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] 03:04, 9 June 2012 (CDT)

== Illustrations ==

What do you think of fixing High School DxD illustrations with photoshop, the way manga editing does? I have some free time on my hands.

What i am talking about is something like [http://i44.tinypic.com/s5y4w1.png This]. If you want me to do it, just reply and ill fix it up asap. And if you need any graphical editing assistance just call one me. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:20, 31 December 2011 (CST)

Volume 1, 2, 3 and 4 are done, fixed the black and white illustrations, and redrawed, joined the spreads (double pages) for awesomeness. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:02, 1 January 2012 (CST)

What about the color page with Ise and Asia in volume 1--24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

I didn't touch the volume 1, also i don't see a page like that... there's one blank page, you might be refering to it, but i have no idea whats up with it, as i said, i havn't edited anything in volume 1 illustrations, also... whose comment is that? --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 16:35, 1 January 2012 (CST)

I was talking about the color pages at the beginning of the book and it's the two page one that shows Ise grabbing Asia's hand but it has a grey line where the pages meet. You don't have to do anything about it just mentioning it.-- 24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

I see, my point is that i can't access that image, it's a white blank page for me, thus i thought yer asking about that (figured that its that way for everyone), i have no problem redrawing it, in fact, i already finished it(since i can't access it i found HSDxD vol 1 raws and used those). --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 17:43, 1 January 2012 (CST)

Sorry if I was being a nuisance but I didn't know you couldn't access it or that you were working on it.-- 24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

No need to worry, about that, i wasn't working on it until you asked me about it, i was just unaware of that page (since i couldn't access it) and i had no idea what yer talking about. Thanks for letting me know of it. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:02, 1 January 2012 (CST)

== anime discussion thread? ==

Koneko-boobies in ending ^_^ !!!! Along with everybody elses, but I just thought that koneko-boobs were more important/rare(?). Seeing as she's mostly tsun-tsun, and not dere in the story-so-far.

== Narration ==

What tenses should the narration in this light novel be? Past tense? -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:16, 7 January 2012 (CST)
good question. i noticed alot of inconsistencies, like "i am so happy..." and "i was about to dance..." in the same paragraph.
i'm not super skilled in grammar, but imho, the past tense reads more smoothly. books tend to use it alot for narration.
P.S. wow, so many editors for this project. well, honestly it needs them. --[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 15:47, 13 January 2012 (CST)

Just an opinion here, but present tense tends to work better for this novel.
This is because the main character's narration merges seamlessly with his thoughts and instant reactions. Flipping back and forth between present and past tense is particularly cumbersome and prone to inconsistencies, especially since thoughts are expressed directly.

For example, there's no {"xyz", I think to myself} kind of construction where you can change the action (thinking) to past tense.

"I thought to myself" would the past tense form of that. I believe this issue has been discussed about in the Baka-Tsuki forum, if not then just post it there. The forum link is found on the main page for High School DxD, under the heading Feedback. The general consensus is that past tense should be used. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:09, 8 March 2012 (CST)

Although there some exceptions to that rule where present can be used, but for the most part past tense is the default tense. Once again feel free to post this in the forums if you feel strongly about it. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:12, 8 March 2012 (CST)

Writing in past tense makes much more sense to this story line up. Present tense is rarely used. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 00:00, 9 March 2012 (CST)

I realize it is just a matter of style and either present or past tense are acceptable as long as it is consistent.
However, when the narration says things like "today is a holiday" I get the sense the original is in present tense. Today was a holiday? "That day was a holiday" would be changing the text.

' "I thought to myself" would the past tense form of that.' Exactly my point. IF the author used such descriptions, it would be possible to write/rewrite thoughts into past tense without changing the content of the thoughts. However, the narrator does NOT use these types of constructions. Precisely because the narration states the character's thoughts directly without specifying the action of thinking, to change it to past tense will be altering the contents of the thoughts. When the narrator goes "this is great!" do you change it to "it was great"?

Anyway, I'm not calling for action but just stating an opinion here. After all, if the original question of past vs present was asked, there exists an argument for both sides. It would take a lot of work (and wasted effort) to rewrite everything at this point. Especially if editors have been actively correcting present tense to past tense all this time. -- 14:15 9 March 2012 (EST)

THe narration is changed to the past tense while all the dialogues are kept the same as it is wether in past or present. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 01:41, 9 March 2012 (CST)

== Volume 11 Life... ==

Did the main Character Die ? If so I lost my intrest in this novel --[[User:DarksBG|DarksBG]]

Don't loose ur patience...vol 12 is the continuation of it. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 22:57, 25 January 2012 (CST)

I was just about to ask the same thing... Did vol 11 just come out? Meaning, expect to see vol 12 in like 6+ months? -007

vol 11 came out on 20th while the 12th will come out in near april. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 05:38, 26 January 2012 (CST)

Can I ask for a favor ... let me know if he survives tnx --[[User:DarksBG|DarksBG]] 26 January 2012, at 22:33. {CST}

go look for spoilers on the forum if u wanna know...this is not the correct place 2 ask this pal --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 23:49, 26 January 2012 (CST)

I have read the translated chapters available but am just curious what is Samael’s curse?
Sorry if this is a spoiler request. -- [[User:Baillie444|Baillie444]] 6 March 2012, 20:33.

Samael is the killer of dragons. The curse is a sort of killing curse for dragons. Use this link if you want to read a detailed summary of volume 11 http://forums.animesuki.com/group.php?do=discuss&discussionid=1967 - Cataccountant

== Errors ??? ==

I have been reading NEW KNIGHT & NEW RIVAL and i found some thing like this : [Red-one. Your hostility is incredibly low is well.]
should it be [ low as well ] ??

There's no need 2 report. U can edit it by ur self. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 09:04, 5 February 2012 (CST)

== Vol 3 ==

when new life and friend are coming out? --[[User:TheRenegade94|TheRenegade94]] 11:17, 12 February 2012 (CST)
it's out, better del this post

== volume 4+ ==

when will vol:4 and onwards be translated , hope its soon ^_^

have patience...translator is on a week break --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:43, 5 March 2012 (CST)

== Devils vs Demons ==

It might be a little late, but in Volume 10 the author reveals the existence of "Extra Demons" 番外の悪魔（エキストラ・デーモン）, which are top class families not listed among the 72 Pillars.
This suggests that Akuma (悪魔) is probably better translated as "demon" as opposed to "devil."

It sure gives an 'evil' touch to it as 'demon'. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 13:29, 7 March 2012 (CST)

== Devil Classes ==

Just a simple question of consistency (there is no correct answer). Is it better to use top, mid, bottom or high, mid, low to describe the different classes of devils?

== Fallen Angel leader Azazel ==

Just throwing out some thoughts for discussion.

There is a standardization issue on Azazel's title (堕天使の総督), which has been variously translated as Governor, Governor-General and Viceroy. These terms are all acceptable since they have been used to translate historical official positions (but translations should stick to one for consistency). However, one caveat is that these terms imply Azazel is ruling on someone's behalf, which isn't really the case. In particular, viceroy means royal representative and implies some sort of king as a superior. (Of course, it can be explained as a title inherited from his days under God's service, but that would be mere speculation.)

Commander-in-chief might work, though it emphasizes the military aspect over civil administration. President, Premier or Chancellor would seem too civil. Fuhrer and dictator, on the other hand, may have too much of a Nazi connotation.

== Translation taken ==

Who the f*ck is copy-pasting BT's translations??? I didn't know that it could be actually done. [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 20:45, 10 April 2012 (CDT)

Having been on this site for a long time, I am ashamed to think [fans] would do such a thing. Seeing as it is now 2012, there are just some really scandalous people out there who are willing to go the extra mile. For example, zzhk?'s detailed summaries are all over the place on disgusting ad supported/money-making file-hosting sites. I am not pointing any fingers, but if you just google the right term they pop up unanimously. I did that search around January? Wouldn't be surprised if BT's are lurking around... maybe it's time BT changes its policies? After all, that big NOTE just doesn't work because there is no honor among thieves.

== Volume 4+ questions ? ==

I was just wondering as to what was happening with volume four and up, i'm not trying to antagonize or bother or anything it's just that someone was working on it then the work just stopped midway. I'm curious as too why that happened.
Sorry to bother you all!- [[User:Angels Requiem|Angels Requiem]] 15:48, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

I wouldnt take any translation as stopped until atleast a month has past since a viable update. But in response to your question, yes, we are still translating, but no one translates on a schedule--[[User:J112|J112]] 17:52, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

Okay thanks sorry to be a bother--[[User:Angels Requiem|Angels Requiem]] 20:01, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

Well, I suppose that now that V12 is done, the ones translating it will switch to earlier ones. Or so I hope. --[[User:Kemm|Kemm]] 08:42, 16 June 2012 (CDT)

==Popular==
"This page was last modified on 1 May 2012, at 10:44.
This page has been accessed 2,053,083 times."
Banzai.

This page was last modified on 12 June 2012, at 01:49.
This page has been accessed 3,046,158 times.
One month later...

== a suggestion ==

you should give the following links as a mirror reference for all those 'life' parts you havn't yet translated.

http://dxd.wikia.com/wiki/Summaries

Also could you please hurry up with the translations??

Meanwhile you could post their translations or something like that ,i.e, a rough plot sketch of your own translations if you don't want to be see as Plagiarists!!

And Plz l Plz atleast post some more summaries of volumes and spoilers.....we love to be spoilt!!!

Begging for translations aren't going to make them come out faster, these types of demands only irritate the translators and staff. As per Baka-Tsuki policy, translations come out when they come out. Translation are time consuming. Posting summaries here are not permissible, except in very very very rare circumstances like for Shakugan no Shana. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 13:06, 10 May 2012 (CDT)

To the anonymous person.
Like Hiro said we cant post summaries here. Also my first priority is translation. Not summaries. There are people who read summaries and who wants to know about the latest volume. But there are people who dont read summaries because they want to read the proper translation.
Congratulation. Because of you, I am now resolved to translate the earlier volumes first because readers whom follows the translation can catch up to the latest volumes much more quicker.
--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 06:24, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

/\ What he said. I approve this message. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 06:33, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

Just one thing to say...I really hate the kind of people who keeps demanding things (like ''please hurry up'' or ''at least do this or that'' like before), not that I don´t THINK alike sometimes,but,I am not paying,nor helping on the translations,so which right do I have to complain?Nearly none,I know this well. STOP acting this way, it´s really irritant to see you destroying the pleasure of others,let them work on their pace,they don´t have any obligation of soothing your impatience to wait...
And thanks for the hard-work on the tranlations,specially on DxD. (I don´t know if here is a proper place to say all this,so... sorry,if this is the case...)

Well well, I'll just say, n0m@n, don't worry about the fags, they get jittery the moment they don't get their daily treat (which has run dry due to everyone's exams). For the impatient ones out there: begging for more just makes the translator work at a slower pace, so try it at your own risk. N0m@n isn't obliged to work for you, neither should you try to make him (that includes shifting his work in a particular direction). --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] 13:25, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

== Xenovia ?? ==

'''Xenovia''' (ゼノヴィア, '''Zenovia''') so which one is her name ??--[[User:Seroja|Seroja]] 19:51, 12 May 2012 (CDT)

'''Zenovia''' is the literal romaji converted directly from the katakana. '''Xenovia''' is the actual translation decided.

It's like the way リアス is read "Riasu," but we write it in English as "Rias."
--[[User:Zzhk|Zzhk]] 19:56, 12 May 2012 (CDT)

== Uncomplete Full Text on Volume 11 ==

Er, hi Code-Zero. First of all, thank you for your unwavering dedication all this time to get the project done. Really appreciate it.
Second, well, I really don't wanna bother you with this problem, but it seems like there's some parts missing on the full text of vol.11
Just giving you some info in case you didn't notice it. Sorry for being nosy, don't mean any harm. --[[User:Silvertone|Silvertone]] 15:54, 14 May 2012 (CDT)

The images also isn't inserted, I don't know where to insert the images in text -- [[User:LiTTleDRAgo|LiTTleDRAgo]] ([[User_talk:LiTTleDRAgo|Talk]]) 04:40, 15 May 2012 (CDT)

^you may wanna look at pdf version of this volume on simon's download page. I already put the pictures and added the missing parts there. I wanna do that here, but thought that i better not, since there are editors responsible for that. So, best i can do just to make notice of it.

== recent changes ==

[http://img6.imagebanana.com/img/twkmlqw9/us.png topic related image]

As far as I know, Baka-Tsuki may not be a standard Wikimedia project (and it will probably never be). However, one (lit: me) might find the changes made in the above list kind of - to put it simply - chaotic. The complete change was [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=High_School_DxD&action=historysubmit&diff=166122&oldid=166076 this], but [[User:LSwRl|LSwRl]] made 20 edits in total, "wasting" 20 times the memory a single edit may have needed (~ 20*23kB) As for me, who I am not familiar with BT standards, it is just confusing to see that happening, as users (as for example at Wikipedia) are advised to use the "preview"-function to avoid unnecessary edits. On the other hand, the changes themselves seem quite strange to me, because the pictures used the display the volumes should better be the cover pages, if any should be used in the first place. Well, I'm out here. --[[User:Unkalibriert|Unkalibriert]] 14:43, 2 July 2012 (CDT)

These are just my thoughts on it, but if you look carefully, of those edits that you listed in the pic, there are 12 different volumes that he put edits in, only a few were multiples in a single volume, but not many. Aside from volume one anyway.
Even if he did do preview, he can only see the section he's working on, NOT other sections.
And secondly, most people, aside from dedicated editors, just kind of edit as we read if we find a mistake. 
Anyway, those are just my thoughts on the matter. [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] 03:23, 24 July 2012 (CDT)

== Short stories ==

Previously there was a "short stories" section, and checking the author's blog, there are some short stories featuring side characters and other events. Since the section was removed, were they included in volumes 7 and 13?

As far I know, there are 2 volumes featuring the short stories. Vol 8 & 13 contains this stories, and they are still available (the ones that are translated of course). I checked the history and never Baka-Tsuki provided translations for anything else but the volumes of HSDxD. If you are talking about the calendar of publications of Dragon Magazine, those its more informative than useful to the project, in my opinion. --[[User:Braiam|Braiam]] 15:09, 3 July 2012 (CDT)

== Volume 10 New Life ==

I want to know why does volume 10 new life consist of only part 4.

[[User:DayDreamer 7|DayDreamer 7]]

Because the rest of it hasn't been translated yet. [[User:Tng88|Tng88]] 22:15, 19 July 2012 (CDT)

== Provide Pdf Please... ==

will someone provide the Pdf version? Much appreciate -[[User:zerocrack|zerocrack]]

There is already a [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=4814 link] on the page to all the downloads. --[[User:Zzhk|Zzhk]] 06:43, 20 July 2012 (CDT)

Somehow that area on the forum (High School DxD section) is the only one that it is closed for non registered users. 
You don't have access to the High School DxD PDF's unless you are registered on the forums.

== New series? ==

The author mentioned in the volume 8 afterword that he is writing a new series, on the same universe as DxD. Has any info about it been disclosed? --[[User:Kemm|Kemm]] 09:34, 23 July 2012 (CDT)

I wouldn't take it too seriously. Most afterwards I've read, the authors just write it to talk to us readers. They joke, express thanks, and etc. in the afterwards, unless they talk about the series in which the afterward is in, for example... if he were saying something about volume 9 then that might be something you could believe. I kind of digressed, but I'll just say again, unless he says it in multiple afterwards... don't take it too seriously until the series ends in the far distant(?) future.

Talk:High School DxD

2012-07-24T08:29:14Z

Shortykilz: /* New series? */

This project requires a '''synopsis''' and '''registration page''' before it can be submitted for approval; that aside, we're still waiting for the higher-ups to come back of course --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 23:33, 14 November 2011 (CST)

Very nice ! Thanks a lot for translating the novel Code-Zero.

Tnanks for translation. Plot is very interesting and main hero is not narrow-minded japan schoolboy. It looks like Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi but more interesting than the last. (Palert)

Huh? I dare you to say that again after reading every volume after volume 5 of Itsuten :D --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 10:02, 2 December 2011 (CST)

Hahaha, I sure would love that opportunity Larethian. So translated faster! :p jk [[User:Starkiller4299|Starkiller4299]] 13:39, 2 December 2011 (CST)

IMO, Ise and Taito should meet though. That Dragon Booster or whatever it's name is would be awesome on Taito, considering his overall cockroach status (going by hardness to perma-kill). --[[Special:Contributions/188.64.204.90|188.64.204.90]] 16:07, 2 December 2011 (CST)

I don't think you know what you've just started... Ise/Taito ship!

Feel like spoiling, but better not, just check out some of the later illustrations in Itsuten. Taito is pretty badass from v6 onwards. He is the Dark Rabbit after all. Volumes 1 to 4 of Itsuten is just a prologue that sets up the stage and student council characters, so they are a little slow. Every volume after v5 ends with a stunning revelation. --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 20:10, 2 December 2011 (CST)

== Title 7,2 Amendment ==
I think the "arrival of the shit-geezer from the north" has been misstranslated. Kuzou jiji = shitty geezer. Its not like he is made of fecal matter, but rather is a shitty ( damn ) old bat.

== Thank you! ==

This is such a great read!! Thanks to the translators and everyone else who are working to make the rest of us able to read this =]

Seconded.

Me three --[[User:Novium|Novium]] 21:17, 25 December 2011 (CST)

A big thanks to the translators , keep up the good work guys!

Code-Zero and editors staff, thanks a lot for your work. Hope, all we will see final volumes with you :)

~I am really enjoying reading this novel. Many Many Thanks to the translators, editors & all other stuffs for their hard work. Please keep up the good work, we all want to see final volumes with you guys !! =)
--[[User:RuMz|RuMz]] 00:55, 14 February 2012 (UTC+6)

You guys are awesome :)

==Characters description on the Main Page==

For the characters description, I think the rank (bishop, knight, etc.) should be more emphasized on, personally, if it'S possible... Andis it possible to bake it collapsible like in Infinite Stratos, since there's a lot of names? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 21:41, 29 December 2011 (CST)

Yeah you are right. So I will add a terminology section is well afterward to make it easier.
Code-Zero

Please change " yondai" into "great four" in Rias desc. Dunno why we left that untranslated....--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:12, 2 January 2012 (CST)

Just now while reading the manga, I found that 'Asia' is typed as 'Aashia'. Does this differ from person to person who is translating? On personal note, 'Aashia' sounds better since 'Asia' is a continent. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:49, 13 January 2012 (CST)

Depends on how you pronounce it. If my knowledge on kanas is right (which I doubt but should be fine), the "si" turns into a "shi" in Japanese. There's no "si" sound. [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 16:18, 15 January 2012 (CST)

The Italian actress Asia Argento's name is pronounced ah-ZEE-ah so Asia's name is most likly pronounced similarly. Their is another name spelled Asia of middle eastern origin and is pronounced differently. (Anon)

I think you can make a si sound in katakana like　セィ but it does really matter since it is spelt　アーシア. It is probably translated as Asia because that is a legitimate Italian name. --[[User:J112|J112]] 17:37, 15 January 2012 (CST)

== New Characters ==

I think 'Irina Shido' and 'Azazel' might be Isei's servants!...since Rias has already filled all her required positions. What do you say? --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 23:57, 29 December 2011 (CST)

do you think azazel leader of the fallen angel will become a (lowly) devil?--[[User:TheRenegade94|TheRenegade94]] 11:08, 12 February 2012 (CST)

1 and half months ago,I was not aware of his kind. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 01:51, 13 February 2012 (CST)

I dont think so... [[User:Just4fun|Just4fun]]

== Excalibur ==

'''...Church along with Irina to destroy or retrieve the stolen swords of Exicaliburs'''....according to mythology, isn't there only one 'Excalibur' weilded by King Arthur?

Excalibur. Or as it really was named; caliburn.
But yes, you are correct.--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:16, 2 January 2012 (CST)

Now we all know there are a lot of "Excalibur" in this story but shouldn't we say "the holy swords Excalibur" (without the "s") and "the Excaliburs" (with the "s") and not "the holy swords of Excaliburs" (in the characters' description)?--[[User:MaerisCrisis|MaerisCrisis]] 16:50, 15 January 2012 (CST)

I would agree with using "the Holy Swords Excalibur", and "the Excaliburs" since Excalibur in the former context is more of a title given to the set of swords fashioned from the shards of the original. Also, with reference to Caliburn, hopefully we won't have to conflate it with Clarent the way modern legends usually do.--[[User:Ikepuska|Ikepuska]] 20:42 12 April 2012 (EST)

According to mythology, King Arthur pulled Caliburn out of the stone, and when he did an unchivalrous act he lost Caliburn. In replacement he got Excalibur. Full details, I have no idea, but yea... Anyway, this IS just a story, and although there are references to other mythological systems, it's not like it has to be correct right? [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] 03:04, 9 June 2012 (CDT)

== Illustrations ==

What do you think of fixing High School DxD illustrations with photoshop, the way manga editing does? I have some free time on my hands.

What i am talking about is something like [http://i44.tinypic.com/s5y4w1.png This]. If you want me to do it, just reply and ill fix it up asap. And if you need any graphical editing assistance just call one me. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:20, 31 December 2011 (CST)

Volume 1, 2, 3 and 4 are done, fixed the black and white illustrations, and redrawed, joined the spreads (double pages) for awesomeness. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:02, 1 January 2012 (CST)

What about the color page with Ise and Asia in volume 1--24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

I didn't touch the volume 1, also i don't see a page like that... there's one blank page, you might be refering to it, but i have no idea whats up with it, as i said, i havn't edited anything in volume 1 illustrations, also... whose comment is that? --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 16:35, 1 January 2012 (CST)

I was talking about the color pages at the beginning of the book and it's the two page one that shows Ise grabbing Asia's hand but it has a grey line where the pages meet. You don't have to do anything about it just mentioning it.-- 24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

I see, my point is that i can't access that image, it's a white blank page for me, thus i thought yer asking about that (figured that its that way for everyone), i have no problem redrawing it, in fact, i already finished it(since i can't access it i found HSDxD vol 1 raws and used those). --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 17:43, 1 January 2012 (CST)

Sorry if I was being a nuisance but I didn't know you couldn't access it or that you were working on it.-- 24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

No need to worry, about that, i wasn't working on it until you asked me about it, i was just unaware of that page (since i couldn't access it) and i had no idea what yer talking about. Thanks for letting me know of it. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:02, 1 January 2012 (CST)

== anime discussion thread? ==

Koneko-boobies in ending ^_^ !!!! Along with everybody elses, but I just thought that koneko-boobs were more important/rare(?). Seeing as she's mostly tsun-tsun, and not dere in the story-so-far.

== Narration ==

What tenses should the narration in this light novel be? Past tense? -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:16, 7 January 2012 (CST)
good question. i noticed alot of inconsistencies, like "i am so happy..." and "i was about to dance..." in the same paragraph.
i'm not super skilled in grammar, but imho, the past tense reads more smoothly. books tend to use it alot for narration.
P.S. wow, so many editors for this project. well, honestly it needs them. --[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 15:47, 13 January 2012 (CST)

Just an opinion here, but present tense tends to work better for this novel.
This is because the main character's narration merges seamlessly with his thoughts and instant reactions. Flipping back and forth between present and past tense is particularly cumbersome and prone to inconsistencies, especially since thoughts are expressed directly.

For example, there's no {"xyz", I think to myself} kind of construction where you can change the action (thinking) to past tense.

"I thought to myself" would the past tense form of that. I believe this issue has been discussed about in the Baka-Tsuki forum, if not then just post it there. The forum link is found on the main page for High School DxD, under the heading Feedback. The general consensus is that past tense should be used. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:09, 8 March 2012 (CST)

Although there some exceptions to that rule where present can be used, but for the most part past tense is the default tense. Once again feel free to post this in the forums if you feel strongly about it. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:12, 8 March 2012 (CST)

Writing in past tense makes much more sense to this story line up. Present tense is rarely used. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 00:00, 9 March 2012 (CST)

I realize it is just a matter of style and either present or past tense are acceptable as long as it is consistent.
However, when the narration says things like "today is a holiday" I get the sense the original is in present tense. Today was a holiday? "That day was a holiday" would be changing the text.

' "I thought to myself" would the past tense form of that.' Exactly my point. IF the author used such descriptions, it would be possible to write/rewrite thoughts into past tense without changing the content of the thoughts. However, the narrator does NOT use these types of constructions. Precisely because the narration states the character's thoughts directly without specifying the action of thinking, to change it to past tense will be altering the contents of the thoughts. When the narrator goes "this is great!" do you change it to "it was great"?

Anyway, I'm not calling for action but just stating an opinion here. After all, if the original question of past vs present was asked, there exists an argument for both sides. It would take a lot of work (and wasted effort) to rewrite everything at this point. Especially if editors have been actively correcting present tense to past tense all this time. -- 14:15 9 March 2012 (EST)

THe narration is changed to the past tense while all the dialogues are kept the same as it is wether in past or present. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 01:41, 9 March 2012 (CST)

== Volume 11 Life... ==

Did the main Character Die ? If so I lost my intrest in this novel --[[User:DarksBG|DarksBG]]

Don't loose ur patience...vol 12 is the continuation of it. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 22:57, 25 January 2012 (CST)

I was just about to ask the same thing... Did vol 11 just come out? Meaning, expect to see vol 12 in like 6+ months? -007

vol 11 came out on 20th while the 12th will come out in near april. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 05:38, 26 January 2012 (CST)

Can I ask for a favor ... let me know if he survives tnx --[[User:DarksBG|DarksBG]] 26 January 2012, at 22:33. {CST}

go look for spoilers on the forum if u wanna know...this is not the correct place 2 ask this pal --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 23:49, 26 January 2012 (CST)

I have read the translated chapters available but am just curious what is Samael’s curse?
Sorry if this is a spoiler request. -- [[User:Baillie444|Baillie444]] 6 March 2012, 20:33.

Samael is the killer of dragons. The curse is a sort of killing curse for dragons. Use this link if you want to read a detailed summary of volume 11 http://forums.animesuki.com/group.php?do=discuss&discussionid=1967 - Cataccountant

== Errors ??? ==

I have been reading NEW KNIGHT & NEW RIVAL and i found some thing like this : [Red-one. Your hostility is incredibly low is well.]
should it be [ low as well ] ??

There's no need 2 report. U can edit it by ur self. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 09:04, 5 February 2012 (CST)

== Vol 3 ==

when new life and friend are coming out? --[[User:TheRenegade94|TheRenegade94]] 11:17, 12 February 2012 (CST)
it's out, better del this post

== volume 4+ ==

when will vol:4 and onwards be translated , hope its soon ^_^

have patience...translator is on a week break --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:43, 5 March 2012 (CST)

== Devils vs Demons ==

It might be a little late, but in Volume 10 the author reveals the existence of "Extra Demons" 番外の悪魔（エキストラ・デーモン）, which are top class families not listed among the 72 Pillars.
This suggests that Akuma (悪魔) is probably better translated as "demon" as opposed to "devil."

It sure gives an 'evil' touch to it as 'demon'. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 13:29, 7 March 2012 (CST)

== Devil Classes ==

Just a simple question of consistency (there is no correct answer). Is it better to use top, mid, bottom or high, mid, low to describe the different classes of devils?

== Fallen Angel leader Azazel ==

Just throwing out some thoughts for discussion.

There is a standardization issue on Azazel's title (堕天使の総督), which has been variously translated as Governor, Governor-General and Viceroy. These terms are all acceptable since they have been used to translate historical official positions (but translations should stick to one for consistency). However, one caveat is that these terms imply Azazel is ruling on someone's behalf, which isn't really the case. In particular, viceroy means royal representative and implies some sort of king as a superior. (Of course, it can be explained as a title inherited from his days under God's service, but that would be mere speculation.)

Commander-in-chief might work, though it emphasizes the military aspect over civil administration. President, Premier or Chancellor would seem too civil. Fuhrer and dictator, on the other hand, may have too much of a Nazi connotation.

== Translation taken ==

Who the f*ck is copy-pasting BT's translations??? I didn't know that it could be actually done. [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 20:45, 10 April 2012 (CDT)

Having been on this site for a long time, I am ashamed to think [fans] would do such a thing. Seeing as it is now 2012, there are just some really scandalous people out there who are willing to go the extra mile. For example, zzhk?'s detailed summaries are all over the place on disgusting ad supported/money-making file-hosting sites. I am not pointing any fingers, but if you just google the right term they pop up unanimously. I did that search around January? Wouldn't be surprised if BT's are lurking around... maybe it's time BT changes its policies? After all, that big NOTE just doesn't work because there is no honor among thieves.

== Volume 4+ questions ? ==

I was just wondering as to what was happening with volume four and up, i'm not trying to antagonize or bother or anything it's just that someone was working on it then the work just stopped midway. I'm curious as too why that happened.
Sorry to bother you all!- [[User:Angels Requiem|Angels Requiem]] 15:48, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

I wouldnt take any translation as stopped until atleast a month has past since a viable update. But in response to your question, yes, we are still translating, but no one translates on a schedule--[[User:J112|J112]] 17:52, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

Okay thanks sorry to be a bother--[[User:Angels Requiem|Angels Requiem]] 20:01, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

Well, I suppose that now that V12 is done, the ones translating it will switch to earlier ones. Or so I hope. --[[User:Kemm|Kemm]] 08:42, 16 June 2012 (CDT)

==Popular==
"This page was last modified on 1 May 2012, at 10:44.
This page has been accessed 2,053,083 times."
Banzai.

This page was last modified on 12 June 2012, at 01:49.
This page has been accessed 3,046,158 times.
One month later...

== a suggestion ==

you should give the following links as a mirror reference for all those 'life' parts you havn't yet translated.

http://dxd.wikia.com/wiki/Summaries

Also could you please hurry up with the translations??

Meanwhile you could post their translations or something like that ,i.e, a rough plot sketch of your own translations if you don't want to be see as Plagiarists!!

And Plz l Plz atleast post some more summaries of volumes and spoilers.....we love to be spoilt!!!

Begging for translations aren't going to make them come out faster, these types of demands only irritate the translators and staff. As per Baka-Tsuki policy, translations come out when they come out. Translation are time consuming. Posting summaries here are not permissible, except in very very very rare circumstances like for Shakugan no Shana. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 13:06, 10 May 2012 (CDT)

To the anonymous person.
Like Hiro said we cant post summaries here. Also my first priority is translation. Not summaries. There are people who read summaries and who wants to know about the latest volume. But there are people who dont read summaries because they want to read the proper translation.
Congratulation. Because of you, I am now resolved to translate the earlier volumes first because readers whom follows the translation can catch up to the latest volumes much more quicker.
--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 06:24, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

/\ What he said. I approve this message. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 06:33, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

Just one thing to say...I really hate the kind of people who keeps demanding things (like ''please hurry up'' or ''at least do this or that'' like before), not that I don´t THINK alike sometimes,but,I am not paying,nor helping on the translations,so which right do I have to complain?Nearly none,I know this well. STOP acting this way, it´s really irritant to see you destroying the pleasure of others,let them work on their pace,they don´t have any obligation of soothing your impatience to wait...
And thanks for the hard-work on the tranlations,specially on DxD. (I don´t know if here is a proper place to say all this,so... sorry,if this is the case...)

Well well, I'll just say, n0m@n, don't worry about the fags, they get jittery the moment they don't get their daily treat (which has run dry due to everyone's exams). For the impatient ones out there: begging for more just makes the translator work at a slower pace, so try it at your own risk. N0m@n isn't obliged to work for you, neither should you try to make him (that includes shifting his work in a particular direction). --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] 13:25, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

== Xenovia ?? ==

'''Xenovia''' (ゼノヴィア, '''Zenovia''') so which one is her name ??--[[User:Seroja|Seroja]] 19:51, 12 May 2012 (CDT)

'''Zenovia''' is the literal romaji converted directly from the katakana. '''Xenovia''' is the actual translation decided.

It's like the way リアス is read "Riasu," but we write it in English as "Rias."
--[[User:Zzhk|Zzhk]] 19:56, 12 May 2012 (CDT)

== Uncomplete Full Text on Volume 11 ==

Er, hi Code-Zero. First of all, thank you for your unwavering dedication all this time to get the project done. Really appreciate it.
Second, well, I really don't wanna bother you with this problem, but it seems like there's some parts missing on the full text of vol.11
Just giving you some info in case you didn't notice it. Sorry for being nosy, don't mean any harm. --[[User:Silvertone|Silvertone]] 15:54, 14 May 2012 (CDT)

The images also isn't inserted, I don't know where to insert the images in text -- [[User:LiTTleDRAgo|LiTTleDRAgo]] ([[User_talk:LiTTleDRAgo|Talk]]) 04:40, 15 May 2012 (CDT)

^you may wanna look at pdf version of this volume on simon's download page. I already put the pictures and added the missing parts there. I wanna do that here, but thought that i better not, since there are editors responsible for that. So, best i can do just to make notice of it.

== recent changes ==

[http://img6.imagebanana.com/img/twkmlqw9/us.png topic related image]

As far as I know, Baka-Tsuki may not be a standard Wikimedia project (and it will probably never be). However, one (lit: me) might find the changes made in the above list kind of - to put it simply - chaotic. The complete change was [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=High_School_DxD&action=historysubmit&diff=166122&oldid=166076 this], but [[User:LSwRl|LSwRl]] made 20 edits in total, "wasting" 20 times the memory a single edit may have needed (~ 20*23kB) As for me, who I am not familiar with BT standards, it is just confusing to see that happening, as users (as for example at Wikipedia) are advised to use the "preview"-function to avoid unnecessary edits. On the other hand, the changes themselves seem quite strange to me, because the pictures used the display the volumes should better be the cover pages, if any should be used in the first place. Well, I'm out here. --[[User:Unkalibriert|Unkalibriert]] 14:43, 2 July 2012 (CDT)

These are just my thoughts on it, but if you look carefully, of those edits that you listed in the pic, there are 12 different volumes that he put edits in, only a few were multiples in a single volume, but not many. Aside from volume one anyway.
Even if he did do preview, he can only see the section he's working on, NOT other sections.
And secondly, most people, aside from dedicated editors, just kind of edit as we read if we find a mistake. 
Anyway, those are just my thoughts on the matter. [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] 03:23, 24 July 2012 (CDT)

== Short stories ==

Previously there was a "short stories" section, and checking the author's blog, there are some short stories featuring side characters and other events. Since the section was removed, were they included in volumes 7 and 13?

As far I know, there are 2 volumes featuring the short stories. Vol 8 & 13 contains this stories, and they are still available (the ones that are translated of course). I checked the history and never Baka-Tsuki provided translations for anything else but the volumes of HSDxD. If you are talking about the calendar of publications of Dragon Magazine, those its more informative than useful to the project, in my opinion. --[[User:Braiam|Braiam]] 15:09, 3 July 2012 (CDT)

== Volume 10 New Life ==

I want to know why does volume 10 new life consist of only part 4.

[[User:DayDreamer 7|DayDreamer 7]]

Because the rest of it hasn't been translated yet. [[User:Tng88|Tng88]] 22:15, 19 July 2012 (CDT)

== Provide Pdf Please... ==

will someone provide the Pdf version? Much appreciate -[[User:zerocrack|zerocrack]]

There is already a [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=61&t=4814 link] on the page to all the downloads. --[[User:Zzhk|Zzhk]] 06:43, 20 July 2012 (CDT)

Somehow that area on the forum (High School DxD section) is the only one that it is closed for non registered users. 
You don't have access to the High School DxD PDF's unless you are registered on the forums.

== New series? ==

The author mentioned in the volume 8 afterword that he is writing a new series, on the same universe as DxD. Has any info about it been disclosed? --[[User:Kemm|Kemm]] 09:34, 23 July 2012 (CDT)

I wouldn't take it too seriously. Most afterwards I've read, the authors just write it to talk to us readers. They joke, express thanks, and etc. in the afterwards, unless they talk about the series in which the afterward is in, for example... if he were saying something about volume 9 then that might be something you could believe. I kind of digressed, but I'll just say again, unless he says it in multiple afterwards... don't take it too seriously until the series ends in the far distant(?) future.

Talk:High School DxD

2012-07-24T08:23:11Z

Shortykilz: /* recent changes */

Talk:High School DxD

2012-06-09T08:04:21Z

Shortykilz: /* Excalibur */

This project requires a '''synopsis''' and '''registration page''' before it can be submitted for approval; that aside, we're still waiting for the higher-ups to come back of course --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 23:33, 14 November 2011 (CST)

Very nice ! Thanks a lot for translating the novel Code-Zero.

Tnanks for translation. Plot is very interesting and main hero is not narrow-minded japan schoolboy. It looks like Itsuka Tenma no Kuro Usagi but more interesting than the last. (Palert)

Huh? I dare you to say that again after reading every volume after volume 5 of Itsuten :D --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 10:02, 2 December 2011 (CST)

Hahaha, I sure would love that opportunity Larethian. So translated faster! :p jk [[User:Starkiller4299|Starkiller4299]] 13:39, 2 December 2011 (CST)

IMO, Ise and Taito should meet though. That Dragon Booster or whatever it's name is would be awesome on Taito, considering his overall cockroach status (going by hardness to perma-kill). --[[Special:Contributions/188.64.204.90|188.64.204.90]] 16:07, 2 December 2011 (CST)

I don't think you know what you've just started... Ise/Taito ship!

Feel like spoiling, but better not, just check out some of the later illustrations in Itsuten. Taito is pretty badass from v6 onwards. He is the Dark Rabbit after all. Volumes 1 to 4 of Itsuten is just a prologue that sets up the stage and student council characters, so they are a little slow. Every volume after v5 ends with a stunning revelation. --[[User:Larethian|larethian]] 20:10, 2 December 2011 (CST)

== Title 7,2 Amendment ==
I think the "arrival of the shit-geezer from the north" has been misstranslated. Kuzou jiji = shitty geezer. Its not like he is made of fecal matter, but rather is a shitty ( damn ) old bat.

== Thank you! ==

This is such a great read!! Thanks to the translators and everyone else who are working to make the rest of us able to read this =]

Seconded.

Me three --[[User:Novium|Novium]] 21:17, 25 December 2011 (CST)

A big thanks to the translators , keep up the good work guys!

Code-Zero and editors staff, thanks a lot for your work. Hope, all we will see final volumes with you :)

~I am really enjoying reading this novel. Many Many Thanks to the translators, editors & all other stuffs for their hard work. Please keep up the good work, we all want to see final volumes with you guys !! =)
--[[User:RuMz|RuMz]] 00:55, 14 February 2012 (UTC+6)

You guys are awesome :)

==Characters description on the Main Page==

For the characters description, I think the rank (bishop, knight, etc.) should be more emphasized on, personally, if it'S possible... Andis it possible to bake it collapsible like in Infinite Stratos, since there's a lot of names? [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 21:41, 29 December 2011 (CST)

Yeah you are right. So I will add a terminology section is well afterward to make it easier.
Code-Zero

Please change " yondai" into "great four" in Rias desc. Dunno why we left that untranslated....--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:12, 2 January 2012 (CST)

Just now while reading the manga, I found that 'Asia' is typed as 'Aashia'. Does this differ from person to person who is translating? On personal note, 'Aashia' sounds better since 'Asia' is a continent. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:49, 13 January 2012 (CST)

Depends on how you pronounce it. If my knowledge on kanas is right (which I doubt but should be fine), the "si" turns into a "shi" in Japanese. There's no "si" sound. [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 16:18, 15 January 2012 (CST)

The Italian actress Asia Argento's name is pronounced ah-ZEE-ah so Asia's name is most likly pronounced similarly. Their is another name spelled Asia of middle eastern origin and is pronounced differently. (Anon)

I think you can make a si sound in katakana like　セィ but it does really matter since it is spelt　アーシア. It is probably translated as Asia because that is a legitimate Italian name. --[[User:J112|J112]] 17:37, 15 January 2012 (CST)

== New Characters ==

I think 'Irina Shido' and 'Azazel' might be Isei's servants!...since Rias has already filled all her required positions. What do you say? --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 23:57, 29 December 2011 (CST)

do you think azazel leader of the fallen angel will become a (lowly) devil?--[[User:TheRenegade94|TheRenegade94]] 11:08, 12 February 2012 (CST)

1 and half months ago,I was not aware of his kind. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 01:51, 13 February 2012 (CST)

I dont think so... [[User:Just4fun|Just4fun]]

== Excalibur ==

'''...Church along with Irina to destroy or retrieve the stolen swords of Exicaliburs'''....according to mythology, isn't there only one 'Excalibur' weilded by King Arthur?

Excalibur. Or as it really was named; caliburn.
But yes, you are correct.--[[User:Novium|Novium]] 20:16, 2 January 2012 (CST)

Now we all know there are a lot of "Excalibur" in this story but shouldn't we say "the holy swords Excalibur" (without the "s") and "the Excaliburs" (with the "s") and not "the holy swords of Excaliburs" (in the characters' description)?--[[User:MaerisCrisis|MaerisCrisis]] 16:50, 15 January 2012 (CST)

I would agree with using "the Holy Swords Excalibur", and "the Excaliburs" since Excalibur in the former context is more of a title given to the set of swords fashioned from the shards of the original. Also, with reference to Caliburn, hopefully we won't have to conflate it with Clarent the way modern legends usually do.--[[User:Ikepuska|Ikepuska]] 20:42 12 April 2012 (EST)

According to mythology, King Arthur pulled Caliburn out of the stone, and when he did an unchivalrous act he lost Caliburn. In replacement he got Excalibur. Full details, I have no idea, but yea... Anyway, this IS just a story, and although there are references to other mythological systems, it's not like it has to be correct right? [[User:Shortykilz|Shortykilz]] 03:04, 9 June 2012 (CDT)

== Illustrations ==

What do you think of fixing High School DxD illustrations with photoshop, the way manga editing does? I have some free time on my hands.

What i am talking about is something like [http://i44.tinypic.com/s5y4w1.png This]. If you want me to do it, just reply and ill fix it up asap. And if you need any graphical editing assistance just call one me. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:20, 31 December 2011 (CST)

Volume 1, 2, 3 and 4 are done, fixed the black and white illustrations, and redrawed, joined the spreads (double pages) for awesomeness. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:02, 1 January 2012 (CST)

What about the color page with Ise and Asia in volume 1--24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

I didn't touch the volume 1, also i don't see a page like that... there's one blank page, you might be refering to it, but i have no idea whats up with it, as i said, i havn't edited anything in volume 1 illustrations, also... whose comment is that? --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 16:35, 1 January 2012 (CST)

I was talking about the color pages at the beginning of the book and it's the two page one that shows Ise grabbing Asia's hand but it has a grey line where the pages meet. You don't have to do anything about it just mentioning it.-- 24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

I see, my point is that i can't access that image, it's a white blank page for me, thus i thought yer asking about that (figured that its that way for everyone), i have no problem redrawing it, in fact, i already finished it(since i can't access it i found HSDxD vol 1 raws and used those). --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 17:43, 1 January 2012 (CST)

Sorry if I was being a nuisance but I didn't know you couldn't access it or that you were working on it.-- 24.23.225.22; 1 January 2012 (CST)

No need to worry, about that, i wasn't working on it until you asked me about it, i was just unaware of that page (since i couldn't access it) and i had no idea what yer talking about. Thanks for letting me know of it. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 18:02, 1 January 2012 (CST)

== anime discussion thread? ==

Koneko-boobies in ending ^_^ !!!! Along with everybody elses, but I just thought that koneko-boobs were more important/rare(?). Seeing as she's mostly tsun-tsun, and not dere in the story-so-far.

== Narration ==

What tenses should the narration in this light novel be? Past tense? -[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:16, 7 January 2012 (CST)
good question. i noticed alot of inconsistencies, like "i am so happy..." and "i was about to dance..." in the same paragraph.
i'm not super skilled in grammar, but imho, the past tense reads more smoothly. books tend to use it alot for narration.
P.S. wow, so many editors for this project. well, honestly it needs them. --[[User:Idiffer|Idiffer]] 15:47, 13 January 2012 (CST)

Just an opinion here, but present tense tends to work better for this novel.
This is because the main character's narration merges seamlessly with his thoughts and instant reactions. Flipping back and forth between present and past tense is particularly cumbersome and prone to inconsistencies, especially since thoughts are expressed directly.

For example, there's no {"xyz", I think to myself} kind of construction where you can change the action (thinking) to past tense.

"I thought to myself" would the past tense form of that. I believe this issue has been discussed about in the Baka-Tsuki forum, if not then just post it there. The forum link is found on the main page for High School DxD, under the heading Feedback. The general consensus is that past tense should be used. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:09, 8 March 2012 (CST)

Although there some exceptions to that rule where present can be used, but for the most part past tense is the default tense. Once again feel free to post this in the forums if you feel strongly about it. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 21:12, 8 March 2012 (CST)

Writing in past tense makes much more sense to this story line up. Present tense is rarely used. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 00:00, 9 March 2012 (CST)

I realize it is just a matter of style and either present or past tense are acceptable as long as it is consistent.
However, when the narration says things like "today is a holiday" I get the sense the original is in present tense. Today was a holiday? "That day was a holiday" would be changing the text.

' "I thought to myself" would the past tense form of that.' Exactly my point. IF the author used such descriptions, it would be possible to write/rewrite thoughts into past tense without changing the content of the thoughts. However, the narrator does NOT use these types of constructions. Precisely because the narration states the character's thoughts directly without specifying the action of thinking, to change it to past tense will be altering the contents of the thoughts. When the narrator goes "this is great!" do you change it to "it was great"?

Anyway, I'm not calling for action but just stating an opinion here. After all, if the original question of past vs present was asked, there exists an argument for both sides. It would take a lot of work (and wasted effort) to rewrite everything at this point. Especially if editors have been actively correcting present tense to past tense all this time. -- 14:15 9 March 2012 (EST)

THe narration is changed to the past tense while all the dialogues are kept the same as it is wether in past or present. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 01:41, 9 March 2012 (CST)

== Volume 11 Life... ==

Did the main Character Die ? If so I lost my intrest in this novel --[[User:DarksBG|DarksBG]]

Don't loose ur patience...vol 12 is the continuation of it. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 22:57, 25 January 2012 (CST)

I was just about to ask the same thing... Did vol 11 just come out? Meaning, expect to see vol 12 in like 6+ months? -007

vol 11 came out on 20th while the 12th will come out in near april. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 05:38, 26 January 2012 (CST)

Can I ask for a favor ... let me know if he survives tnx --[[User:DarksBG|DarksBG]] 26 January 2012, at 22:33. {CST}

go look for spoilers on the forum if u wanna know...this is not the correct place 2 ask this pal --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 23:49, 26 January 2012 (CST)

I have read the translated chapters available but am just curious what is Samael’s curse?
Sorry if this is a spoiler request. -- [[User:Baillie444|Baillie444]] 6 March 2012, 20:33.

Samael is the killer of dragons. The curse is a sort of killing curse for dragons. Use this link if you want to read a detailed summary of volume 11 http://forums.animesuki.com/group.php?do=discuss&discussionid=1967 - Cataccountant

== Errors ??? ==

I have been reading NEW KNIGHT & NEW RIVAL and i found some thing like this : [Red-one. Your hostility is incredibly low is well.]
should it be [ low as well ] ??

There's no need 2 report. U can edit it by ur self. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 09:04, 5 February 2012 (CST)

== Vol 3 ==

when new life and friend are coming out? --[[User:TheRenegade94|TheRenegade94]] 11:17, 12 February 2012 (CST)
it's out, better del this post

== volume 4+ ==

when will vol:4 and onwards be translated , hope its soon ^_^

have patience...translator is on a week break --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 10:43, 5 March 2012 (CST)

== Devils vs Demons ==

It might be a little late, but in Volume 10 the author reveals the existence of "Extra Demons" 番外の悪魔（エキストラ・デーモン）, which are top class families not listed among the 72 Pillars.
This suggests that Akuma (悪魔) is probably better translated as "demon" as opposed to "devil."

It sure gives an 'evil' touch to it as 'demon'. --[[User:Chancs|Chancs]] 13:29, 7 March 2012 (CST)

== Devil Classes ==

Just a simple question of consistency (there is no correct answer). Is it better to use top, mid, bottom or high, mid, low to describe the different classes of devils?

== Fallen Angel leader Azazel ==

Just throwing out some thoughts for discussion.

There is a standardization issue on Azazel's title (堕天使の総督), which has been variously translated as Governor, Governor-General and Viceroy. These terms are all acceptable since they have been used to translate historical official positions (but translations should stick to one for consistency). However, one caveat is that these terms imply Azazel is ruling on someone's behalf, which isn't really the case. In particular, viceroy means royal representative and implies some sort of king as a superior. (Of course, it can be explained as a title inherited from his days under God's service, but that would be mere speculation.)

Commander-in-chief might work, though it emphasizes the military aspect over civil administration. President, Premier or Chancellor would seem too civil. Fuhrer and dictator, on the other hand, may have too much of a Nazi connotation.

== Translation taken ==

Who the f*ck is copy-pasting BT's translations??? I didn't know that it could be actually done. [[User:Kira0802|Kira]] ([[User_talk:Kira0802|Talk]]) 20:45, 10 April 2012 (CDT)

Having been on this site for a long time, I am ashamed to think [fans] would do such a thing. Seeing as it is now 2012, there are just some really scandalous people out there who are willing to go the extra mile. For example, zzhk?'s detailed summaries are all over the place on disgusting ad supported/money-making file-hosting sites. I am not pointing any fingers, but if you just google the right term they pop up unanimously. I did that search around January? Wouldn't be surprised if BT's are lurking around... maybe it's time BT changes its policies? After all, that big NOTE just doesn't work because there is no honor among thieves.

== Volume 4+ questions ? ==

I was just wondering as to what was happening with volume four and up, i'm not trying to antagonize or bother or anything it's just that someone was working on it then the work just stopped midway. I'm curious as too why that happened.
Sorry to bother you all!- [[User:Angels Requiem|Angels Requiem]] 15:48, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

I wouldnt take any translation as stopped until atleast a month has past since a viable update. But in response to your question, yes, we are still translating, but no one translates on a schedule--[[User:J112|J112]] 17:52, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

Okay thanks sorry to be a bother--[[User:Angels Requiem|Angels Requiem]] 20:01, 17 April 2012 (CDT)

==Popular==
"This page was last modified on 1 May 2012, at 10:44.
This page has been accessed 2,053,083 times."
Banzai.

== a suggestion ==

you should give the following links as a mirror reference for all those 'life' parts you havn't yet translated.

http://dxd.wikia.com/wiki/Summaries

Also could you please hurry up with the translations??

Meanwhile you could post their translations or something like that ,i.e, a rough plot sketch of your own translations if you don't want to be see as Plagiarists!!

And Plz l Plz atleast post some more summaries of volumes and spoilers.....we love to be spoilt!!!

Begging for translations aren't going to make them come out faster, these types of demands only irritate the translators and staff. As per Baka-Tsuki policy, translations come out when they come out. Translation are time consuming. Posting summaries here are not permissible, except in very very very rare circumstances like for Shakugan no Shana. --[[User:Hiro Hayase|Hiro Hayase]] 13:06, 10 May 2012 (CDT)

To the anonymous person.
Like Hiro said we cant post summaries here. Also my first priority is translation. Not summaries. There are people who read summaries and who wants to know about the latest volume. But there are people who dont read summaries because they want to read the proper translation.
Congratulation. Because of you, I am now resolved to translate the earlier volumes first because readers whom follows the translation can catch up to the latest volumes much more quicker.
--[[User:Code-Zero|Code-Zero]] 06:24, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

/\ What he said. I approve this message. --[[User:Krytyk|Krytyk]] 06:33, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

Just one thing to say...I really hate the kind of people who keeps demanding things (like ''please hurry up'' or ''at least do this or that'' like before), not that I don´t THINK alike sometimes,but,I am not paying,nor helping on the translations,so which right do I have to complain?Nearly none,I know this well. STOP acting this way, it´s really irritant to see you destroying the pleasure of others,let them work on their pace,they don´t have any obligation of soothing your impatience to wait...
And thanks for the hard-work on the tranlations,specially on DxD. (I don´t know if here is a proper place to say all this,so... sorry,if this is the case...)

Well well, I'll just say, n0m@n, don't worry about the fags, they get jittery the moment they don't get their daily treat (which has run dry due to everyone's exams). For the impatient ones out there: begging for more just makes the translator work at a slower pace, so try it at your own risk. N0m@n isn't obliged to work for you, neither should you try to make him (that includes shifting his work in a particular direction). --[[User:Akuma|Akuma]] 13:25, 11 May 2012 (CDT)

== Xenovia ?? ==

'''Xenovia''' (ゼノヴィア, '''Zenovia''') so which one is her name ??--[[User:Seroja|Seroja]] 19:51, 12 May 2012 (CDT)

'''Zenovia''' is the literal romaji converted directly from the katakana. '''Xenovia''' is the actual translation decided.

It's like the way リアス is read "Riasu," but we write it in English as "Rias."
--[[User:Zzhk|Zzhk]] 19:56, 12 May 2012 (CDT)

== Uncomplete Full Text on Volume 11 ==

Er, hi Code-Zero. First of all, thank you for your unwavering dedication all this time to get the project done. Really appreciate it.
Second, well, I really don't wanna bother you with this problem, but it seems like there's some parts missing on the full text of vol.11
Just giving you some info in case you didn't notice it. Sorry for being nosy, don't mean any harm. --[[User:Silvertone|Silvertone]] 15:54, 14 May 2012 (CDT)

The images also isn't inserted, I don't know where to insert the images in text -- [[User:LiTTleDRAgo|LiTTleDRAgo]] ([[User_talk:LiTTleDRAgo|Talk]]) 04:40, 15 May 2012 (CDT)

^you may wanna look at pdf version of this volume on simon's download page. I already put the pictures and added the missing parts there. I wanna do that here, but thought that i better not, since there are editors responsible for that. So, best i can do just to make notice of it.

User:Shortykilz

2012-06-09T07:56:02Z

Shortykilz:

User:Shortykilz

2012-05-31T07:41:03Z

Shortykilz: /* Shortykilz */

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter.

User:Shortykilz

2012-05-31T07:38:08Z

Shortykilz: /* Shortykilz */

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter.

User:Shortykilz

2012-05-26T07:00:18Z

Shortykilz: /* Shortykilz */

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say? 
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. 
That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter.

User:Shortykilz

2012-05-26T06:59:40Z

Shortykilz: Created page with "== Shortykilz == Well, what can I say? I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find. That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter."

== Shortykilz ==
Well, what can I say?
I read quite a few novels on the site, and try to fix whatever errors I find.
That's pretty much all I have to say on the matter.

Talk:High School DxD

2012-05-11T06:55:11Z

Shortykilz:

Talk:High School DxD

2012-05-11T06:53:25Z

Shortykilz:

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume15 Chapter2

2012-02-07T02:49:16Z

Shortykilz: /* The Knight Contest of the Sandbank */

==The Knight Contest of the Sandbank==

Across the river of Lelion flowing north of Carcassonne, the Romalian and Gallian army have been at a stalemate for the last 3 days. In this period of time, flying across the banks of this narrow river reaching less that 200 metres, are not flying arrows or bullets, nor is it magic spells, but "words".

"Hey, Gallian suckers, convey a message to your damned old man!?"

A Romalian soldier yelled.

"Which stinking disciple is screaming all around!?"

Someone in the Gallian camps responded.

"Which wasted country is this, there's nothing to eat at all! Bread is no different from clay, and drinking wine is more like drinking vinegar!"

"How would any stinking disciple know taste! Just wait here a while, I'll make you full from eating lead cannonballs!"

"Hey, what is that person afraid of even crossing a river talking about?"

"Does no one on your side know how to swim? Go back to your home and come back after you learn how to splash in water!"

Endless cries of both sides swearing at each other, occasionally one or two hot-headed noble would wade into the center of the river and chop at each other on an small rock.

The winner would always wave his army's flag around, enjoying his faction's cheers, boosting morale. The loser would hang their head in shame, until another unsatisfied challenger came forth..... and the loop goes on again and again.

Whenever a noble is wounded, or even dead in the challenge, two small boats, one from each faction will go and take them back. A unanimous rule of "allowing to attack that boat," is currently getting knights of both factions excited.

Right now, waving in the winds on the island, is the flag of the Gallian army. The cheering Gallian army sent out cries of provocation. In the middle of the Romalian army, viewing the other side of the bank, Gimili said without thinking

"What, compared to when we were on Albion's island, this is more relaxing"

"The strength is always highest at the start"

Malicorne concluded as if understanding philosophical.

Hearing him say so, Reinard said

"It must be because everyone felt a hint of guilt."

"Guilt?"

Saito asked, and Reinard nodded to him.

"Well, although this is a 'Crusade', but the enemy aren't exactly heretics, nor do they belong to any new religion. We are all followers of Brimir. No one knows what are we actually fighting for. They claim they have allied with the elves, yet so far we haven't seen a single one. In addition, being ex-Gallian warriors, half of Gallia are supporting us without knowing our cause for war. They themselves must be very muddled right now."

"Hmm....."

"Yet still, despite all the reasons here, the description 'Crusade' has already been announced, it would be impossible to change it now. In their eyes, we are considered as invading their territory, the name of a 'Crusade' is none other than an excuse to conquer Gallia."

"Therefore, this awkward stalemate continues. God, if this war ends here right now then it would be the dumbest decision ever, not a single one of the dead soldiers will be able to rest in peace."

After Saito has pointed out his own views, Reinard revealed a stern face and corrected

"No, the longer this is, the worse it will be for us. We are, after all, inside enemy territory. Suppose the Gallian Southern Vassals on our side right now find themselves at a disadvantage. If they turn against us, it would be troublesome."

"You don't mean trouble, but destroyed, right?"

"My points exactly"

As straightforward as possible, Reinard answered.

"Is there any way to prevent this from happening?"

"In the next battle we must obtain a decisive victory. Simply said, no matter what, we must entirely defeat those guys on the other side of the river."

''Looks like I should've insisted on bringing the Panzer here'' Saito thought

The energetic Panzer which defeated the Golomontas in battle was left behind in the streets of Aquileia.

But then again, even if he had insisted, things won't go his way either. Just moving that Tank is a task difficult enough. If forcefully driven, some parts might actually go haywire.

If this fries up, then it's done for. There's no backup support, making a temporary one using Alchemy would take too much time.

Even under the help of this world's best mechanic -- genius engineer Colbert, driving the Panzer from Romalia borders 800 miles to here is impossible. There would not be enough fuel, not to mention that you have to be extremely lucky to prevent damage to the parts.

Transporting it with the "Orient" is also out of the question. Every time the battlefield changes, repeatedly "Loading and Unloading" will spend more energy than it's worth.

Just by having the tank in its hanger, the consumption of Wind rocks will increase exponentially. Also remember that there would need to be 20 experienced wind mages. All of that trouble for only a small Knight's branch. Being at a disadvantage themselves already, to spend too much time and energy would not be the best solution. Therefore, Saito eventually had to agree to leave it there.

Different from airplanes, in this world without roads or rails, to transport a tank without it being bashed up is a daunting challenge indeed. Well, the challenge here is currently taken up by Colbert, thinking like hell in the company of the Orient in the streets of Aquileia.

Because of the short notice, there was not enough time to ask Colbert the overall idea on how to prepare this. Even for a person like Colbert, an effective method to transport a tank, isn't really some idea one can easily grasp hold of.

Then again, if the tank is magically in front of Saito right now, facing an army of 10,000, what on earth do you think a tank can do?

Moreover....., even towards the enemy, Saito did not want to point those large guns at somebody made out of blood and flesh.

The only thing he can rely on right now, is Henrietta. She had sworn to stop this war as she was about to begin her journey back to Tristain

"Please do not do anything rash, stall as much as possible"

And so, Saito and the others, sitting in the middle of the Romalian camps, are electrocuting their gray matter right now, trying desperately to buy time....

''What if another horde of Golomontas appeared again?''

''--Then we might as well flee. It's worth a try using the AK-47 or Derflinger, I guess.'' Saito suddenly felt a shiver sent down his spine.

"So the is the tremor of excitement from the legendary warrior when preparing a battle?"

"No, out of fear. Speaking of which, where's Guiche?"

Malicorne extended out his finger.

Tracing the direction of his grubby finger, Guiche was inside a dinghy rowing to the small island, carrying a face smiling like a kid's. The Romalian army released ground-breaking cheers and applause.

"That idiot!"

"Our captain really likes the attention doesn't he...... it looks like, he had a few sips of wine."

Gimili said in a depressed tone.

"The noble he's going to face already defeated 3 of our best men."

"That certainly is, a knight of the '''four hundred flower beds, Duke Socaron (西百合花壇騎士，索瓦松男爵).''' He's a noble considered as a famous hero around here. Either way, this is going to end up bad...."

Reinard sighed, watching the bald, muscle covered man waving his flag high on the island.

Saito urgently pushed away the gathered soldiers and nobles, rushing into the river.

Wading through the flowing water, Saito climbed aboard Guiche's dinghy. The soldier at the bow immediately moved away to give him a spot.

"Oh, Saito. Here to cheer for me?"

There was no need to say more, Guiche is dead drunk. His red face can be seen regardless of the layers of make up one can apply on him. Another obvious hint is the wine bottle in his left hand.

"What are you doing! 'You must control yourselves when I'm away', didn't the Queen advise us before she left!"

Saito yelled at the drunk. Guiche twisted his body a little, then hugged his knees.

"That's right, that is quite possible.... But, see here, Saito. Look at the arrogance the Romalian and Gallian army are boasting. Here we should give them a good performance of the Ondine Water Spirit Knight's bravery and power, and our names will be praised on forever and ever by our grandchildren and their grandchildren!"

"Who's going to be your grandchild when you die!"

"Hmm. Well, you're here as well. Things won't turn out so bad."

Saito cowered his head in anguish. He thought this guy have changed to some extent, but now it looks like that he is the same Guiche down to his roots. Always wanting to show off and brag, this guy will probably never change for the rest of his life.

This scene on the dinghy was observed by the bald enemy. Yells of curses began to rang again

"What, expecting defeat so you want to fight two on one? As expected of the cowardly Romalia!"

Guiche put on a fearless smile and yelled back

"We are from Tristain, and are here to teach you ruthless Gallian about etiquette!"

"That thought never came across me."

Saito mumbled. Of course, his voices of complaint were covered by the shouts of provocation on both sides.

"Tristain? Good, dogs of Romalia, show me everything you've got! Knight of the Gallian Flower Beds , Piero '''Flanders (弗蘭馬玖•頓•索瓦鬆) awaits you here! Who's first? Or do you wish to fight me together? Whatever you want!"

Guiche nodded deeply at Saito.

"Vice Captain, it's about time."

"Me!? You don't want to look cool anymore?"

"My apologies, I seemed to have drank too much."

Guiche shamelessly burped. Sounds of jeering and provocation continued to fly everywhere. Having no choice, Saito stepped forward.

"Name and rank!"

"Kingdom of Tristain, Ondine Water Spirit Knights, Saito Chevalier De Hiraga."

Hearing that, the strong bald-headed man showed a look of surprise.

"The Hiraga who stopped an army of 70,000 alone in Albion?"

"Correct."

Duke Socaron turned his head around.

"Hey! Everybody! Listen up, this guy seems to be the rumored 'Albion's Hero'!"

Deafening cheers sounded from the Gallian army. Looks like Saito is pretty famous even on enemy ground. Whichever side the cheers came from, they were probably out of respect towards a hero.

"To be able to cross swords with you, it is my honor. Please!"

The smile of Duke Socaron's face vanished, as if saying he had not given all he's got in the previous battles.

Saito voiced thoughts of despair in his brain. Gallia really is as incredible as people say, having such
chivalrous knights. They will have to face an army containing even more of these knights.

Saito unsheathed Derflinger. Simultaneously, the Romalian soldiers roared deafening cheers again.

"Oi, partner. From when did you become the protagonist on the stage? What an incredible audience!"

"No choice. Since we're already here, we might as well drive those guys on the other side of the river into despair."

Duke Socaron quickly finished his chant, forming blades of winds flying straight at Saito.

Saito has long gotten used to a magician's battle, swiftly dodging it and charged into the enemy.

Duke Socaron was not slow either, beautifully levitating above the edge of Saito's sword and jumped behind him. Again, Saito continued to approach him under the non-stopping blades of wind. Even if his opponent is only a swordsman, Duke Socaron did not let down his guard or underestimate him. He knows that his opponent is not simple at all.

"Can't believe this large body can be so agile!"

Between the bellows of both armies, Saito was unable to get close to his opponent's body. In his chase, a wrong step into sand and stones caused him to lose balance, throwing Saito to the ground.

"Chance!"

Duke Socaron made his move at Saito and unleashed his ice bolts. Although fast, but not fast enough. Saito used Derflinger to defend himself, and subsequently absorbed the spell.

"What?"

The stunned Duke Socaron's wand was shattered in an instant. At another glance, Saito's AK-47 held single-handed was fairly smoking.

"Th-the gun hit the wand?"

At that distance? A gun which an accuracy like this, it was the first time Duke Socaron have ever heard or seen. Stunned to the core he unconsciously knelt down.

"....I'm sorry, but, you also used flying tools, so we're even."

Romalian army burst out with thunders of cheers. The soldier on the dinghy immediately handed Saito their flag.

"I will be planting my flag on here, as some sort of prize for winning. Take your flag back with you. Thanks for your hard work."

Facing the still dumbfounded Duke Socaron, Saito comforted. Guiche, on the other hand ran over and started tying him up.

"Wh, what are you doing?"

"Hey hey, he is now captured by you, which idiot would honestly return him back."

Between Guiche and the tied up duke, a negotiation suddenly began.

"2000!"

"Too high, 1000."

"1500!"

".....Hmm, well, ok, deal!"

Duke Socaron waved his hand to the people on the Gallia side.

Very soon, a dinghy full of bags was rowing towards this way. The dressed men coming ashore seemed to be servants, and made difficult effort in placing 3 large leather bags in front of Saito. After confirming the contents of the bags, Guiche released the ropes tying the duke up.

Duke Socaron boarded the dinghy filled with large bags just now, and rowed back to his side.

"What does this mean?"

Saito couldn't help but ask.

"What else could it be, of course it's ransom."

"Ransom?"

"Ah, the loser is the prisoner, if he wants to be released he must, of course, pay ransom. This time he is a duke, in the markets they are worth in units of thousands. Wahh, this time we're going to be rich~"

Guiche patted Saito's shoulders laughing. So the bags were filled with shining gold coins. Saito was unable to accept this in such a short moment, and shook his head.

"Well, since we've already profited from it, let's go back. Standing here feels weird."

"Hey hey, this can't end like this."

Guiche pointed to the Gallian army across the river. Hot-headed commanders were crying out

"Take down that guy! Whoever it is! Taken him down and I'll pay him 3000 '''Igo''' gold coins."

The soldiers were just as excited, pushing each other away from the dinghy crying "Me! Me!"

"Oh, Oh, duke, earl..., That's the Father of Marquis '''Honbaleui (康芭蕾)'''!....You, keep it up! I believe after tonight we can build a city!"

And so, Saito being forced and blinded by money and glory had countless fights with Gallian nobles.

The Ondine Water Spirit Knights began to gather around and do their own work.

Reinard flicked away on his abacus, calculating ransom fees.

Malicorne and Gimili were busy queuing up the competitors. Others started a gambling stall, using the dinghy to transport large amounts of money to and fro between the shores of Gallia and Romalia camp, displaying gleeful grins.

It wasn't long before the bounty on Saito's head in the Gallia camp has already risen to 10,000 Igot. Ten or more nobles have challenged Saito and came back in tatters.

"Let me take a break...."

Saito huffed and puffed, already at his bodily limit. Although no one may know, there is a time limit for Saito to become Gandalfr.

Guiche yelled towards the Gallia camp:

"Lunch break!"

Delievering to the Romalian camp on a dinghy were a bountiful of delicacies and exquisite wine. A table was put up by the soldiers who suddenly changed into waiters. All of the teens couldn't be merrier, and in a crowd mixed with people from both armies, a happy lunch began.

Reinard told Saito with a serious face

"Saito. Listen, just win two more times. This way, the 80 '''Alubon (阿魯鎊)''' (1 Alubon ) castle on Tristain's countryside will be ours!"

A faint dollar sign emerged from his eyes, Saito unwillingly sighed. His comrades in charge of the gambling stall begged

"Saito, please, don't lose, even if you die, you Must win, the odds are at 30 to 1, if you lose we'll go bankrupt[[Special:Contributions/99.244.4.43|99.244.4.43]]"

The terribly excited boys cheerfully started sing Tristain's antics:

[Translator's Note: <Worst nightmare. The lyrics never rhyme if you translate directly. They already sound like crap in Chinese so..... I'll skip the lyrics]

"I quit."

Saito suddenly said, interrupting the plain, dull melody. The boys exchanged looks with each other

"Huhhh???!"

"Huh yourself. Why don't you go yourself, I have no time to act in these kind of farces! I'm not a bulldog!"

Saito slammed his hand down on the table.

Saito only agreed to take up the challenge intending to lower Gallia's will to fight. What a joke, now they are even more eager to do so. Besides, there was no reason to make enemies at this kind of place, and less to say, popularity...although it was already a bit too late....

"We are here to defeat Gallia's King and help Tabitha, not make a living."

"What would these fights be worth if they didn't make money"

Guiche claimed. The others echoed with "Exactly exactly".

"Moreover, other than earning money you can get famous and popular, a whole different world from now!"

"I don't want to be famous, Louise would be angry as well."

"Idiot, that Louise, just gift her with delicate dresses and shining jewelry and she will open warms arms to anything. She would think 'it can't be helped' even if you did something like having fun with other girls."

Saito's shoulders unconsciously moved a little. It was not missed by Guiche.

"I understand, totally understand, you are an good honest person, but occasionally even you would like other girls"

"Ack!"

Saito covered his face with both palms supported by the table.

"Oi Oi, this isn't something that can be helped! It's not your fault! This is, the so called, instinct, like 'when you go hungry you would' that kind of nature! It may be difficult for most women to understand, but there is one way to relieve yourself to a certain degree...... that is money."

Shamelessly moving his silver tongue, Guiche pushed Saito into his own belief.

"Really?....That."

"Uhh, I swear on it, under the name of "

Guiche grabbed Saito's hand tightly. Saito would have normally ignored it, but at this moment under the threat of Louise's jealousy, he painfully replied

".....I understand, then, just one more time. No matter what you say, I am already at my limit."

The boys stuck out their thumb and exchanged looks, nodding their heads. Guiche stood up, faced the Gallian camps and yelled

"Heeyy! Gallian nobles, our hero says, he will only be taking one more fight. Send out your best, the higher status the better~~!"

The organized Gallian nobles turned into instant chaos again, quarreling again with yells of "I'll do it, I'll do it".

"You really are a celebrity now, Saito"

".... Seriously, then the next match would be even more difficult, wouldn't it?"

"How's that bad, wasn't that what you wanted?"

"Oh, looks like they have reached a decision."

Standing out on the opposite shore, is a tall noble wearing a black mask, a whole body covered in rough leather. If he weren't wearing a cape, one could barely recognize his status as a noble.

"What, don't just get anyone if you can't pay the ransom!"

"At least he's still wearing a cape."

"A poor noble, I guess"

"-Sigh, just our luck, it's this kind of skillful but poor kind of person. They are hard to deal with."

The Ondine Knights all displayed disappointment. Unfortunately, it's the last match and forfeiting is not a choice. Saito plucked out his sword and made himself ready.

The opponent calmly climbed down from the dinghy, then gave a small bow.

Gimili called out

"Name!"

"I don't have a name worth speaking of."

"What? Are you here to show off?"

Malicorne may have considered him as nothing, but Saito still prepared himself for anything, just in case. After "training" with hundreds of magicians, the true strength of this opponent can be spotted just by observing his stance.

This guy was even more powerful than Duke Socaron. Out of all the matches so far, he is undoubtedly the strongest.

Stress and tension filled Saito up completely, a drop of sweat trickled down his forehead.

Like so...., much time passed.

"What's wrong, Saito, beat him up already."

Calls of condemns came from his lazy teammates.

Still, Saito was unable to make a move,....use gun, probably shouldn't.

"Not coming? Then here I go."

The man didn't bother to chant spells, lifting up his wand and charged at Saito. Looks like he wants to fight Saito as a swordsman fair and square.

Like a sabre used by the army, one appeared from his wand in an instant, giving off a bright lime glow. It's the "blade" spell, something mages use to procure a sword from their wands when going through close combat. Of course, the feel and weight of that would be different from a real one.

Because of his mask, Saito was unable to determine if he was chanting or not, and suddenly came the "blade" spell.

Surprised so suddenly, Saito had no time to evade the slash but to directly block it with Derflinger.

Lime sparks flashed everywhere, making Saito feel as if he was about to be crushed.

"Saito!"

Being held down by a magician at swordsmanship, it's the first time for Saito. Looks like the opponent is quite confident at close battles.

Saito felt a wave of fear for a second. As figured, the world is large..... Stalling an army of 70,000 had made him think too highly of himself. In Gallia, Duke Socaron just now or the mysterious man in front of him at the moment have really.... made Saito feel ashamed at his confidence in himself.

Anyhow, losing is not an option for Saito in this one to one fight. Saito caught his opponent's pressure and diverted it to the ground on one side, and raised his own sword.

Yet, by the time he had realized, the opponent has disappeared.

Lifting his head up urgently, he saw the man floating in the air as if weightless. Utilizing the gravity downwards, he smashed his entire weight downwards with his wand.

CLANG!!!

A sharp metal colliding sound pierced the air, Saito had again caught the opponent's slash, but was pushed backwards by the opponent's weight. The man did not miss this chance, continuing to push forward.

The man with a metal mask kept closing the gap between himself and Saito, almost touching each other's face. Apparently a mage, yet refusing to use magic, is he attempting to win through strength? What a weird man.

In the standoff with this un-mage-like mage, Saito was overflowed with sweat full of anxiety and confusion plus fear...

"Keep holding it at me like that!"

A small voice from deep inside the mask said. Saito couldn't respond to his sudden conversation.

"Wha--"

".....Quiet down, you said you are from Tristain?"

".....Ye,yes."

Trying not to display much change in his expression, Saito replied to his questions without much thinking. "....Then, Charlotte,.....No, Chevalier Tabitha is someone you know right?"

As soon as he finished, Saito understood the situation.

He is a spy of Marquis '''Othellion''' planted in the Gallian army!

"....now, just in time for us to arrive."

The man distanced himself with a jump. Following his lead, Saito also jumped towards him, pretending to swing his sword with all his force.

The man also gave an imitation of catching the smash with effort, to the crowd's eyes, this looks very much like a standard fight to the death.

"....Inside the bag for ransom is a letter, please relay it."

"....Yes."

Without hesitation, the man lost his strength, letting Saito fling away his wand above their heads and stabbing into the ground again.

"I lose!"

The man knelt to admit defeat.

"Phew! Saito, for one second I feared the outcome!"

Guiche and the others rushed consequentially.

"Now the remaining is the ransom"

Guiche said. Saito pointed something out for him.

"Huh?"

"It's already done, just take it and leave."

The servant dropped the leather bag in front of Saito. After checking its interiors, Guiche exclaimed

"Hey hey, why are they all copper coins! How is this supposed to be ransom? You may not look very generous, but you are still a noble, carrying the title of one. How would someone as good as you be worth this much?"

"Enough already, shut up!"

Saito gave the man a standard knight's bow, and the man returned with a Gallian bow then left.

"It's finally done."

Using a telescope on top of a small hill somewhat south of Carcassonne to monitor the returning Ondine Knights on a dinghy, Kirche claimed, her side accompanied by Louis, Tabitha and Tiffania.

These 4 have been observing them from since the start.

"Louise, your knight really is something, as far as I can see he has already won against more than 10 people in a row, reaping lots and lots of money. You should occasionally let him buy you a dress or whatever."

Kirche advised Louise beside her, the latter turned her face away

"I don't want these things!"

"Oh, what wrong?"

"....Because, he would definitely give it to others as well."

"Of course he won't, he's obsessed with you."

"Not true! That guy, in dreams...."

Louise cut off her own sentence, for what reason did she had to honestly answer Kirche's question.

"Dream? Hmm, that sounds interesting, share it with us?"

"Noth, there's nothing to share about!"

Kirche grabbed Louise and started her full body tickling attack.

"Tiffania, Tabitha, hurry up and help"

After some considerations, Tiffania eventually joined in, thinking that Louise would feel better if she said it out.

Tabitha, on the other hand...., turned around and walked away.

"Tabitha?"

Kirche was still for a moment, then returned to reality and started seriously tickling Louise. If Tabitha's strange attitude is due to Louise's familiar...., more the reason she should spit everything related out.

Kirche's tickling techniques were godlike, after continuous invasions into Louise's most sensitive body part, she finally gave in and begged

"I'll talk, I'll talk!"

After hearing what Louise had to offer, Kirche bursted out with giggles.

"What's so funny!"

"Because, it Is funny. Thinking about others in fantasies, cheating, these you should forgive him, it's not like he really did that."

"It's even worse than what he did in reality! Doesn't this imply he was dreaming about other girls while with me?"

"I say, Louise"

"What"

"The creature so-called men, is something that no matter how much they love someone, they would still uncontrollably look at other girls. Getting so angry over all of these small issues, you body might not be able to handle it."

Listening to Kirche blatantly lecturing on the subject of boys and girls, Tiffania blushed and turned away.

"This theorem I also understand....."

"Then change them into actions."

Louise replied "Uhh10:04, 28 January 2012 (CST)~" thoughtfully for quite some time before pouting. Seeing Louise like that, Kirche started to notice Tabitha.

''If, my assumptions are right...., whose side should I support? Isn't that obvious, although I must say sorry to Louise, Tabitha is my closest friend. But then again, other than Saito, Louise has no one in her eyes, if he was really taken away, giving up her life isn't exactly impossible in her case, and I bet no one would want to see that.''

''This is one tricky case'', Seldomly doing so, Kirche joined her hands and started getting frustrated.

"This-and-this-and-that, that guy...... always makes these kind of dreams, he must be hoping to, with girls other than me,.... do that, that kind of things."

Continuing in this direction, Louise began to get all fired up, squeezing her small fists and biting her lips. Looking at Louise acting this way, Kirche was reminded of what she used to be, mad in love...., heartbroken when breaking up....

"Louise."

"Must have also done that kind of thing to Her Highness, who knew that similarly as a woman even I am awed by gorgeous Tiffania's what was also there as well, you better start speaking honestly how many times have you used those pair of large breasts to appear in that dog's dreams, it must have been a superb, incredible night for him....."

"Louise!"

"What!"

Louise fixed her deadly stare at Kirche.

"Say, I want to talk to you for a little bit."

"Go on"

"It's that, the Saito you wish for and the real Saito is different, do you understand?"

"What do you mean?"

"Saito is also, a normal boy, he does not exist to thinking of you 24 hours a day, be here when you want him to be. Yes, he may be your knight, but he is not one of your 'items'"

"I know"

"No you don't, that's why after seeing true self you discovered he is not what you imagined and is furious over that, am I wrong?"

"What, don't say it as if you know everything."

"But I Do know, because I was in your position before, if he wasn't thinking about me with the same intensity, I would also unconsciously become irritated."

"Ugu...."

"However this is wrong, whether it's his defects or points he's lacking you must accept all of it, like all of it, That is real love. I believe it myself."

Kirche exclaimed, an expression on her face as if looking at a distant place.

From a pasture extending from the river of Lelion to the streets of Carcassone, one must go through a steep valley of length around 100 '''Merios (玫魯)'''.

Using magic or Sylphid, she could have went over this in one leap, but indulged in her own thoughts, she decided to take a walk, climbing the twisting roads constructed on the cliff.

While climbing step by step on the limestone staircase, Sylphid was circling above, lightly poking at Tabitha's hair, her eyes as if talking "why don't you use me".

Ignored by Tabitha completely, Sylphid flew around again above her for a few circles, then mumbled

"Climbing stairs so long will tire you to death sooner or later, ride on Sylphid and you can fly over it in a second."

Yet still, Tabitha gave no reaction at all, silently walking step by step on her way.

Spotting a man waiting in the resting spot halfway of the stairs, Sylphid immediately flew away, it can't let anyone see itself speaking.

Standing on the flight of stairs around the corner, is a Romalian priest, Pope Vittorio's familiar, Julio of Windalfr.

"Oho, Tabitha."

Two eyes glittering of different colors, Julio greeted towards Tabitha. Looks like he knew Tabitha would pass this area and was waiting long ago.

Any normal female would have long been mesmerized by this handsome face and eyes sealing up a lake of intriguing secrets. This, however, had no effect on Tabitha. With giving any kind of a response, she passed by him.

"My apologies, there was a mistake in addressing, Princess Charlotte your highness."

Tabitha stayed still and turned her head around

"You know?"

"Uh, this grand land of Halkeginia, there is nothing we Romalia does not know of."

"Nor is there any conspiracy you can't do?"

"How so?"

"Treason of the Southern lords, if it wasn't prepared a few months ago, an invasion this fast is impossible to be realized."

"The wise eye spots these things, you are absolutely correct, then, the following content I am about to suggest, I suppose you already guessed as well."

Tabitha's eyes suddenly emerged a tiny glow of light.

"If you think all is under your control, it will be the biggest mistake you've ever made."

"At least all is still under expectations, including camping here at Carcassone, as well as how to break through the enemy across the river and march all the way to Lutis...."

"Want me to become your puppet?"

"No, we're just helping a country of long history welcome her master home."

"You only want to defeat my Uncle, not to help me."

Tabitha coldly described.

"This would be difficult, you wouldn't let us help you avenge no matter what?"

"Because it's personal."

Julio sent Tabitha's shadow off with a warm smile, in an environment that makes one irresistible to hum a song, he scratched his head.

To finish the Crusade, King Joseph must be defeated as he can never be an ally, and to do that, it is inevitable to ask for "the destined one's" help, the one supposed to be the next King, orphaned offspring of King '''Othelion (Tabitha's dad, I guess 奧爾里昂公)'''....

If she is willing to reclaim the title as King, standing at Romalia's front lines....., there would be nothing more effective than having "the destined one". If so, even the Southern Gallian lords superficially joining our army yet no will to fight at all may really start to put an effort in it. The ones currently still struggling to make a clear choice and is observing from one side would likely join the Romalians, plus another rebellion within the enemy's army is something of high possibility as well.....

Right here facing each other at Carcassonne, will be the best stage to unveil "the destined one".

Yet unfortunately, Tabitha had no intention to help them at all.

"Sigh....., Why are all Halkeginia Princesses so stubborn? Fortunately, no matter how it turns out, I swear you would eventually dance to our Romalia praises, Princess Charlotte your majesty."

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

CubexCursedxCurious:Volume1 Chapter2

2010-02-16T00:38:10Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter Two: When the Contents of the Cube are Exposed */

===Chapter Two: When the Contents of the Cube are Exposed===

"Look at your plate when you're eating! The morsels are falling off the plate!"

Fear answered yes. Again. She'd answered the same word several times already but her eyes were fixed upon the square box that was placed on the corner of the room.

"Hmmmm. I'd thought that you'd say something cliched like, 'What are those small people doing inside that box?!'."

"D-Don't take me for a fool. I know how that thing works. This box just shows a place far from here. And the power of electricity makes it possible to record the past.
It's true that this is the first time I actually saw it but, uh, just like what I imagined. There wasn't much surprise with it, ahaha-haha-haha..."

She let out a false laugh while making a serious face. Her fork wandered around her plate, though it was empty.
The news caster on the television said, "Good morning, everyone! Let's do our best for this day!" and Fear answered, "Yes. I don't know you but I wish you luck," with unnecessary
politeness.

"Hey, Fear, try this one out. I'll teach you how to operate the television."

"What is that thing?"

"Try pushing that prominent red button. Face it towards the television."

Fear received the remote control. She looked a bit tense as she tried to push the red button just as she was told.

"Wha---! The image disappeared!"

She looked astounded as she reported what happened to Haruaki. He told her to try pushing the button again.

"I-It, I mean, the image restored!"

She reported again with exactly the same expression.

"That's the On/Off button. Keep the television off when you're not using it. There are lot of other buttons but you don't have to use them. The only buttons that you could
touch are the buttons with numbers written on it. "

"Are you sure it's alright? I'm gonna push it? You hear me, I'm going to!"

The channel changed to a different news program doing a report about sports. It was about the F1 Race so F1 cars passed in front of the camera.
Fear, being a bit ignorant about these things, shouted "It's coming towards us! Look out!" and crouched on the floor. It was just as how Haruaki expected her to react.

"So, that's how it is. If you push the buttons, the channel would change. Whatever happens, the images won't come out from the television so you don't need to worry."

"I-I knew that! It's just that... er... yes! It's just that you have to be prepared for the unexpected! No one knows what'll happen next, uh-huh."

Fear tried pushing other buttons. Haruaki noticed that a faint pink shaded her white cheeks.
She only stopped pushing different buttons when the channel switched to a weather report. Her finger went still and her eyes stared at the television in awe.

"Is that the... sea?"

Haruaki answered affirmatively and she whispered softly, her eyes still fixed on the monitor,

"...I never had a chance to see it. I didn't think that it would be so big."

Different shades were behind those eyes. There was the shade of admiration... and there was also a bit of disappointment.

"It looks a lot colder and darker than what I expected..."

"That's because there are some rain clouds over there. It's completely different in summer."

"Is that so."

"We also have that here in our town. It's on the opposite side though. You could go someday if you want to."

Fear shook her head in a vague manner. Haruaki wasn't able to decide whether it was an affirmation or a rejection.

The doorbell rang and Haruaki went to the front door carrying his bag. Konoha was waiting behind the door, smiling.
Konoha usually went to school together with him when she didn't have work on student council or club activities.

"Good morning!"

"Okay, let's go."

"Hmmm... What's the meaning of this?"

"We're going to school. Didn't I tell you that we have to go to school during weekdays?"

"With her?"

"Well, yeah. We're in the same year, after all."

Haruaki finished putting on his shoes, stood up and pointed at Fear.

"I have an order for you today. It's about your work while I'm away at school."

"...Tell me."

"First, turn the television on like I told you earlier. Watch any program that you like. When you get hungry, there is some food in the kitchen. When you feel sleepy,
go sleep. That would be all. I wish you luck."

"Only that?!"

"Yeah. Hey, I'm gonna teach you household chores later so be patient for today, okay?"

Fear expanded her cheeks like a balloon. Haruaki was puzzled. He can't think of any reason why Fear would be dissatisfied with his order.
Konoha peeked over the front door, smiling like a saint.

"Don't tell me you can't take care of yourself alone because you're lonely?"

"W-Why you?! Who told you that I'm lonely?! I'd be glad that there won't be any more annoyance like you two! Oh, I'm so excited. The world on the television is waiting for me now!"

"You'll be fine alone then. Great. Splendid. Well, let's go now, Haruaki-kun. To the happy place called school. TOGETHER."

"A happy place you say? Hmph! I'd bet that you'll just use those great tits of yours to flirt with him! How shameless! C'mon, go now, go! I can't wait to be alone, you know!"

"Er--- I'm kinda worried about Fear but I'll be late for school at this rate. It can't be helped. Let's go, Konoha."

They went out of the gate, towards the road. Konoha moved with light steps and Haruaki scratched his head.
Fear was letting out a fierce snort as she watched their backs disappear from her vision. When she felt that they were gone, she let out a deep sigh.
She sat down in front of the door.
It was silent. Everything around her was unmoving. The wooden ornament above the shoe rack. The patterns on the wooden ceiling. The mirror on the wall. The calendar besides it.
She felt that the cold silence of those inanimate objects welcomed her---As if they knew that she used to be an inanimate object just like them.

She embraced her knees and slightly bowed her head. She looked at her silver hair as she observed it sliding between her knees, while she whispered with an empty voice.

"Fool... Did you really have to leave me alone...?"

<center>* * *</center>

He was used to taking up weird passengers. It was natural since he worked in a place where different people come and go. He was a taxi driver stationed in front of the airport.
In the past, he had black passengers who used the word FUCK in almost every sentence they used. He also had Chinese people who carried imitations of popular game consoles. He
even had passengers of a Japanese family who asked to be brought to a forest or swamp where no one else lived. If he were to think back about every passenger he had, it would
take forever.
But---This passenger was the weirdest among all the passengers he had.
The driver moved his eye over the back mirror to check again at the lady passenger he picked up earlier.
She was a blonde Caucasian beauty who wore an elegant gown. That was normal. But, other than that, everything else about her was strange. Too strange. He wondered
how she was able to board a public plane wearing THAT thing.

"I have this feeling that I am being watched."

The woman who mouthed a thin cigarette spoke in a fluent Japanese while she kept her view toward the window. He wondered if the woman was intentionally ignoring the "No Smoking"
sign on the glass. The woman shrugged, and the faint sound of creaking metal echoed.

"Er, excuse me, miss...?"

"Oh. Not you too."

Who else was she talking about? There wasn't anyone else in the taxi but them two. The driver trembled lightly as he thought about his passenger looking more ominous as the
time passed by.
There was still some distance from the hotel that they were heading for. The driver thought that he had to make a lighter atmosphere for both of them. After all, she was still
a customer despite her eerie impression.

"You speak the Japanese language very well. I've had many passengers from different countries but you're the most---"

"Weirdest passenger?"

The driver felt as if an icicle passed through his body, from his mouth out to his anus. Somehow, he was able to regain his composure and replied.

"Aside from the fact that you're the best Japanese language speaker among the passengers that I've had, you're also the, um---most beautiful, ma'am."

"Hmm. I wonder if all the taxi drivers in this country are all educated about etiquette. I say it is just what you may expect from Japan, the polite country. It is indeed a
great thing."

It seemed that the driver answered right. He calmed down a bit hearing the soft laughter coming from his passenger.

"It's not just a flattery, ma'am, not at all."

"Haha, I don't really mind if it was a flattery. My favorite author said in one of his books that 'You should bear in mind that a lie is the key to every happiness,
benefit, reputation, and wealth.'---It is an anti-social statement though."

"Er, never heard of it before, ma'am... I suppose he's a foreign author?"

"Indeed. Duke Jonathan Alphonse Francois de Sade is known for his anti-socialism."

After the passenger explained that to the driver, she started to laugh again. The driver wondered what was so funny.

"Did you come here to Japan for a vacation?"

"Unfortunately, no. It is about a matter concerning my work."

"I see that you're dedicated to your work, ma'am. May I ask about your occupation?"

The strange beauty raised her face, looked at the driver through the back mirror, and smiled.
That moment when the driver's eye met the passenger's, all the calm that he accumulated during their recent conversations vanished.
A strong need to get far away as soon as possible from this passenger made the driver kick the accelerator hard.
It was, after all, just as he thought. There was no way that woman having that kind of eyes is sane. Those eyes filled with cold disdain, as if they were used to look down upon
the people around her...

"Oh, my work? I came here for a little trash-cleaning."

<center>* * *</center>

A few hours had passed since Fear was left alone in the house. She quickly lost interest in watching television.

"Phew, I have nothing else to do... ."

It was the same word that she said yesterday. A thought suddenly came into her mind. If she was bored inside the house, She should go outside.
She wore the sandals that were left on the porch and walked around the garden.

"....boring."

Fear walked around the outside of the house a few times, making a wry face. The outer building of the house where Konoha was staying came into her view. The ground floor was
covered with silver shutter. She thought that it was a garage or something. Her eyes went up to the second floor window, and she remembered what happened this morning.

"Er what can I say...Isn't Haruaki being a little bit biased to that cowtits? That shameless brat...I also don't like the fact that cowtits got her own proper room while I have
none. Talk about being unfair. Doesn't he even think that I also have things that I wanted to do? He always say 'Don't do this' and 'Don't do that'..."

She mumbled complaints and started to walk back toward the main house---but stopped.

"Oh yeah, he didn't say that I shouldn't do THAT. Hmm, I suppose there's no problem with me doing THAT so he didn't mention anything about it. Yes, it must be so."

Fear nodded to herself. But, there was one little problem.

"So, what should I do now...?"

Fear looked up at the sky and tried to think about what she had to do. The next moment, she realized that the answer was simple. She grinned.

She looked up again at the outer building. There she saw the vast sky...and the little window on the second floor of the outer building, peeking from the corner of her eyes.

Taizo came back from his trip to the nearest vending machine to buy their drinks since he lost in the rock-scissors-paper game. But, he came back without carrying any
juice, shadowed by his dark expression. Haruaki who was having his lunch with the usual members looked up to ask Taizo what happened.

"Is there a problem, Taizo?"

"Hey, Haruaki... I know it's not good. But I can't help myself---I know that this line is too cliched to use nowadays...But, I just have to say it! Tell me, Haruaki, can
I say the words that are meant to be said in a situation like this?!"

"W-What are you saying...?"

Haruaki sent Taizo a blank stare. Suddenly, Taizo grabbed Haruaki by his neck.

"Why! Is it! Always you!"

"Argh, Ergh?! What do you think you're doing, idiot! Tell me what happened!"

"Ask that to yourself, Bastard! Aren't you contented with Konoha-san?!"

"I'm telling you, I don't know what you're talking ab---ooooooooogh!"

"Eeew! Gross!"

"Hey, Yachi! Something came out from your mouth!"

Haruaki forgot to apologize to Kana and Kirika. He couldn't believe what he was seeing right at that moment.
It was---a silver-haired head peeking out from the room's rear door.

"Hey you over there! Didn't you say you'll tell me where...Ah, so there you are."

Fear approached him with a self-possessed calm. For some reason, she was wearing a school uniform.

"Hehehe. I came here just as you wished, Haruaki."

Fear held her head high and told Haruaki triumphantly---When the atmosphere in the classroom became tense.

"Fear?! What are you doing here?!"

"You're asking me why I'm here. Well, you didn't say that I shouldn't go out or shouldn't come here. So, that means I can go to any place I want to."

"I didn't tell you anything because I thought that it was obviou---argh!"

Kana who was sitting beside Haruaki grabbed his head and pressed it against his lunch box. Kana used that as a force to stand up, her eyes shining bright with interest.
She went beside Fear and started hugging her.

"Wow! She's so beautiful! How cute!"

"Er, woman. Stop touching me."

"Oh, I love how you speak! So, your name's Fear, huh? Where did you come from? What kind of relationship do you have with Akki...uh, I mean, Haruaki-kun?"

[[Image:C3 01-065.jpg|thumb]]
"What kind of relationship, you say....I wonder too. Basically, I live in his house."

"Are-you-two-living-together?!"

"My old man! I mean, she's the daughter of my old man's friend that he made abroad! That's why I have to take care of her in place of my old man!"

"Hmm... So you two are staying in the same house. Looks like...there are some things that need to be confirmed. As the class representative, of course."

Kirika stood up with strange vigor. Soon, all the other people in the class started to gather around them.
Haruaki dropped his shoulder in defeat. He just gave Fear a look that said she musn't say anything unnecessary. Fear just nodded.
It seemed that people around them thought that Fear was a girl who came from abroad visiting the school because she had nothing much to do.
Needless to say, news about Fear quickly spread outside Haruaki's class.

"H-hey?!"

Haruaki looked at the direction where that voice came from and saw pale-faced Konoha staring at Fear.
She must have been on her way back to her class from the school's shop since she was carrying a handful of sandwiches.

"Why is she...?"

"She came here by herself. I'm going to lose my consciousness now. I'll leave the rest to you, Konoha..."

"What do you want me to do?!"

That moment when Konoha entered the room, a boy left the circle forming around Fear. It was Taizo who changed his attitude as he saw Konoha coming to their room.

"K-Konoha-san! W-Welcome to our room! Our room's kind of sordid since half of us are guys but I hope you won't mind! So, what can I do for you?"

Konoha answered his question with a polite smile.
An idea came to her mind.

"Um, I was planning to have my lunch with Haruaki-kun... and since there's also Fear-san, I would have liked to eat with her too but as you can see, there are too many people so..."

Taizo moved to break the circle surrounding Fear just as Konoha expected him to.
He ignored all the boo-ings coming from the crowd and proceeded to sending them away.
Konoha smiled her thanks and Taizo turned back, making a guts pose. Haruaki thought that he's a type who'd be tricked by a woman in the future.

"Hm---Oh, it's you. You needn't have come here."

Konoha moved her lips without making a sound. She said, "You're the one who shouldn't have come".

"Come on, get some more tables. Two more."

"Ah, hey Taizo, we're not..."

"Huh? You guys aren't gonna eat with us? Is there going to be a problem if I and Kana are present?"

"A lunch, is it. Sounds good to me. I found a lunch box back at the house so I stuffed some food in it."

Fear answered without any pretense. It would sound strange now to force that they're not going to have lunch with them.
But, if that was the case, Haruaki needed to remind Fear of some important things before they proceed to having lunch together.

"I'm gonna buy some drinks for us while we tour her around the school. C'mon Konoha, let's go."

"Yes, I'm coming now. Um, can you please hold these for me?"

Konoha handed Taizo the three pork cutlet sandwiches that she was holding, then started to follow Haruaki.
Stares directed at Fear kept coming even when they were passing through the corridor---but, that can be ignored for now.

"You there, what were you thinking coming here all of a sudden?"

"Huh? I already told you that I came here because you didn't say that I can't come here, haven't I? Well, there's also the fact that I didn't have anything to do in the house.
Besides, it would be unfair if this woman can attend school while I'd just be staying at home."

"It's not like I started to attend school right after I became human..."

"Really...I should have told you clearly that you can't go out yet, since you still lack much common knowledge."

"Why you! Didn't you hear earlier that I was having a normal conversation with the people in your class?"

"I'm sorry to inform you that I almost had a heart attack while you were talking to them since I was afraid that you'd say something that you shouldn't. Let's just leave
that topic. What's important now is that you should keep your setting that you don't know much about Japan since you just came here. If there was a question that you don't
know how to answer, just shut up, smile, then shake your head. That's the Japanese way of solving problems."

Haruaki bought some drinks at the vending machine in front of the shoe racks. Fear observed Haruaki, seeing something unusual for her.
Konoha spoke to Fear while she was busy checking the vending machine.

"I was wondering since you came here... Where did you get that uniform you're wearing?"

"It's obvious who's uniform this is. The waist and the chest parts are too big and wide for me. You should get some weight off you."

"Y-you dared to violate my room?! Don't you know the difference between things that you should and shouldn't do?!"

Konoha drew her face near Fear's and glared. Fear just bent her mouth into a cool smile.

"Oh...So you think you can say that to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Listen Haruaki, I found really gaudy underwear in her top drawer and---"

"No! No! No! I wasn't quite myself when I bought that!"

"What are you two fussing about? We should go back now. I already bought the drinks."

Haruaki started to walk, and looked down at Fear.

"I heard some of your conversations...You should know that entering one's room without permission is against the manners."

"Hmph, it can't be helped. I at least know that one can't enter school without wearing a uniform. Besides, I was able to come here because I asked people where is the school
using this uniform."

"Weren't you supposed to give up coming here at the point that you didn't have any uniform...?"

"By the way, how did you enter my room? I locked the door properly."

"....? What do you mean? I just entered by the window like anyone else would."

"That's strange. I remember locking the window also...Wait. D-don't tell me you...?!"

Fear made a "V" sign with her hands against Konoha, who froze up in outrage.

"That's right. I broke it."

Konoha staggered, as if she was standing on the balls of her feet. Haruaki let out a soul-escaping sigh. He didn't want to think who will pay for the glass' repair.

"...Damn. I can't take any more of this. You wear me out. Hey Fear, go back to home when you're done eating. I don't know what the teachers would say if they happen to see you."

"Hmm. I still wanted to see this 'lecture' thing. Can't I stay?"

"Of course, you can't!"

While they were having an argument, Kirika appeared from the opposite side of the corridor, walking towards them.

"Oh, it's you class rep. Where have you been?"

"I just went to the staff room. Be glad to hear this Yachi, and you too Fear-kun."

Staff room. That word sent a bad feeling nagging at his gut. That bad feeling hit right at its mark.

"I negotiated with the teachers and as a result, our foreign visitor here was granted a special permission to participate in the afternoon classes. No need for a word of
gratitude, by the way. I just did what I can do as a class representative. Besides, we don't get to have much chances of having inter-cultural activities. It would be a
good experience for both of us."

Haruaki wanted to say that it was an unwelcome effort but swallowed the words. Kirika continued to speak with a half-opened eye.

"With that, I'll get more time to have conversations with Fear-kun. There are still some things that need to be confirmed---Like the fact that although he's living together
with his cousin, they're still man and woman in their sensitive ages...Who knows what kind of unwanted accident might happen between them...!"

Observing from the dangerous gleam in her eyes, this was obviously the main reason why she had a negotiation with the teachers about Fear.

(Ohh damn, from where should I start complaining?)

In the end, Haruaki just dropped his shoulders and gave up opposing.
It was clear that any complaint coming from him wouldn't be heard after all. At least, he knew that much.

"I didn't get much of your conversations, but does that mean that I could participate in the lecture? Kirika, was it? You're a nice person!"

One of the reasons why Haruaki gave up complaining was the fact that Fear looked happier than he expected.

<center>* * *</center>

After handing a tip to the bellboy who was educated enough to make a forced smile, she hurried to unpack her baggage.
Those trunks which she received from the front desk were sent sometime ago from her country in advance. She proceeded in her confirmation of the contents of the trunks while
she enjoyed her cigarette. Those things she needed were all there. There was no apparent problem.

"....? I have a feeling that the there is an excess among the baggage..."

The last trunk, which was shaped like a guitar case, was not familiar to her. She drove the almost finished cigarette into the ash tray, then opened the last trunk.
There she saw---

"This is..."

A strain formed on her cheeks. It was the form of deep hatred and wrath. She shut the trunk hard.
The momentum from the banging revealed a note from inside the trunk. She picked up the note, read it, and crushed it inside her hands.

"Oh, this is none of their concern, absolutely not...bitch!"

She assaulted the trunk and sent it flying across the room. The expensive-looking flower vase which decorated the suite shattered aloud.

"What an ill-omened way of beginning a mission... Ahh, I need to calm down, I just have to---"

She walked around the room for a while. Later, she grabbed the cigarette case on the table. She sunk deep into the sofa and started to smoke. One stick was consumed. She went
on to her next stick. With her third, she started to retrieve her calm.
After she finished her third stick, the cellular phone that was included among her baggage rang.
The voice that came from the opposite side of the line was a girl's.

"I am the Auxiliary who was assigned to aid you in this particular mission. This is my initial contact."

"How kind of you. I arrived here safe and sound...I had this feeling of being observed since I came to this country...I suppose it was you?"

"I affirm. I've started to support you. Since your first step in this country. It is just usual for the Auxiliaries not to show themselves."

"Of course. It would be a shame for a Knight if it happens that his Auxiliary will show himself in the battlefield. Since I'm the one sent as a front-line, there is
absolutely no chance of that happening though...Oh, and one more thing. Are you responsible for this unnecessary trunk that was included among my baggage?"

".....? I do not understand what you mean."

"I'm talking about this shit equipped with an indulgence disk. It seems like you're not responsible for it. If that was the case, there isn't any problem. I'm glad that a
fracture didn't occur between our relationship as a team from the very beginning of this mission---Well, come on now my faceless and nameless Auxiliary. Let us move on toward
our parting without ever revealing our faces or even our names."

"I understand. Let us begin the mission."

With that, the voice coming from the phone stated the current location of their target. She was glad that an efficient Auxiliary was allotted to her.
After she was done with their conversation, she smiled and whispered while she looked at the smoke that accumulated at the ceiling of the room.

"I must go now. Off to eliminate that eyesore-bitch."

<center>* * *</center>

They were at the rooftop after the classes. The wind blowing from the faintly cloudy sky felt chilly against their naked skin.
But despite that, Fear looked down at the school ground below looking cheerful as ever.

"It's so high up here, and it feels great...Come to think of it, I should have seen the view of the ground from the airplane when I came here. That was a mistake."

Then, she smiled at something that she remembered.

"By the way --- that lecture thing sure was fun. I still remember the look on their faces when I spoke in English. I think that anyone could speak fluently with two days of
studying though."

"Our basic capabilities are very different from your kind so don't compare us with you..."

Haruaki muttered as he dropped his shoulders. He felt as though he experienced a mental torture while they were having the afternoon classes. Fortunately, there hasn't been a
fatal mistake --- but, thanks to the order to give Fear a tour around the school directed by some meddlesome teachers, his mental condition wasn't fully recovered even after the
classes were finished.
Beside Haruaki was the tired-looking Konoha leaning against the fence.
Fear was also accompanied by Taizo and others at first but they eventually parted because of their club activities and student council duties. In the end, Only Haruaki and
Konoha were left.

"Hmm. Looks like that ball game below is about to end. I noticed too that people are becoming fewer."

"It's about time where most of the club activities are wrapping up for the day... Can we go home already?"

"That's a wonderful idea. Let's go home and have something to eat."

Fear heard them but made no motion of letting go of the fence.

"I guess you two are right. But...a little bit more. I want to stay here...a little bit more."

Haruaki looked at Fear's back for a while. Finally, Haruaki let out a sigh of defeat and said that she had 10 more minutes to stay there.

"Hey Haruaki, Don't you think this place is --- nice?"

"Is it? There's no people or anything around here. It's not much of a view."

"I wasn't talking about the view. I meant this place called school...Its very lively and there are an unbelievable amount of people. Every one of them is kind of happy in
their own way. Really, I never saw a place like this."

She said with a soft voice, making a bitter smile.

Haruaki heard a clicking sound. He looked at Fear and saw that Fear was playing the Rubik's cube with one hand while her view was still fixed at the ground below.
He thought that he saw a hallucination where there was no one else here in the rooftop aside from that girl. He thought that she'd stay here even if they left her alone. Just
like seeing a painting of a solitary girl from outside of the frame.

"This kind of school was just recently made...It's just natural that this place would seem rare to you."

Konoha's words stopped his hallucination. There was a feeling of consolation in her words. Haruaki wondered if that consolation came from understanding of Fear's feelings.

"The city that I passed on my way here was just as rare. After all, they are the same --- There are a lot of people and it's noisy there. Haha, I wanted to ask them what there
was that all of them have to talk about."

"Was there only few people from where you came?"

"Where I came, you ask..."

"--- Er, there's no need to answer if you don't want to."

It was only then that Fear looked at Haruaki's face.
She was smiling. Her cheeks were slightly relaxed, her big eyes turned into slits, and her well-formed lips were faintly raised up.
But, for some reason, he thought she looked like she was about to cry.

"Haruaki. Do you really want to know?"

".....what?"

"I'll be the one to ask now. Do you want to know about me? About where I was, what I did, or what I was in the past? Do you really want to know all of that?"

She was still smiling. And it was harmless question.
But, there was a strange tension in the air around them.
Haruaki swallowed his saliva. He felt that something might happen if he answered Yes or No. He had no idea what it could be. He just knew that whatever it was, there
would be no backing off once she told him about herself.

Konoha just looked at Fear's face with serious expression. Fear kept her sad smile.
Both of them were waiting for his answer.
He licked his lips, inhaled some air, then opened his mouth to answer ---

"I'll tell you the first answer to your question, about where she had been staying. She was lying inside a hidden chamber of a dungeon inside a castle remains
for hundreds of years. That was the reason why she was able to escape our attention for so long."

A voice coming from the rooftop's entrance stole Haruaki's words. What she said WAS an answer to his question. And, just as he thought, that triggered the incident that
could never be undone. Ever.

<center>* * *</center>

It was a woman who donned a dress much like those nobles wear. Her blonde hair was slightly curled, and held between her sexy rouged lips was a cigarette which was unbecoming
for her aristocratic demeanor.
But, her most outstanding trait was her arms --- which were covered by a black armor from the tip of her fingers up to her shoulders. That big, thick armor was worn in a candid
manner, and it gave a rustic impression.
The armor also covered the back of her hands and her wrists. The shiny black plates were held together geometrically, and the equipments was as thick as her torso. There was
only one word to describe her appearance; Deformed.
It was as though an armplate of a giant or a part of great armor was detached from its body and was forcibly attached to her arms. Naturally, this made her look like a
balancing toy.

"Wh...who are you?"

Haruaki spoke to the woman even though he was overawed by her strange vigor. Hearing this, the woman giggled.

"You don't have use terms of respect to me, boy. I came from an organization called the [Gathering of the Knight's United-Front Jurisdiction]...and my name is Peevey Barowoi.
Some people call by the name, 'Balancing Toy'."

Her armor-covered arms grabbed the tip of her skirt and she made a graceful bow. She did it with an almost absurd politeness and exaggeration.

"Huh....? I don't get what you want to---"

"Strange, you don't seem to recognize my name---In that case, let me confirm one thing. Your family name is Yachi, no?"

"Er...well, yes. It is."

"Then, let me explain. We, the Knight's Jurisdiction, are taking a stance against Yachi Honatsu. All started when the location where THAT thing behind you was being kept had been
found. We sent an investigation team the moment we got hold of the information but we were forestalled. Usually, they don't leave traces but this time they did, since that
thing is much different from the usual items. Somehow, we were able to get hold of the information where that thing was sent---and, here I am now. Do I need to say more?"

That. Thing. Where it was sent...and, his father's name. They meant only one thing.

"Y-you're after Fear....? But, why?"

"A silly question. Discovery of that thing is a matter of concern for all the organizations that goes after a cursed item---which we call a Warth. But, our purpose is different
from that of other organizations, namely the Yamimagari Pakuaki-Laboratory Chief's Nation, Draconians, and Bivorio family. We're different from Yachi Honatsu too.
It's simple. The Gathering of the Knight's United-Front Jurisdiction does not approve of the existence of Warth. It is something that should not exist within the world of
men. Therefore I,"

Long line of smoke came out from the mouth of the cigarette that was held between her lips. She spoke cheerfully.

"Shall destroy that---that [Fear-in-Cube], the head of all the list of Warths."

An understanding of who she meant by that word came easily to him. Haruaki looked back at Fear and saw that she had her head bowed, with her face pale. Peevey spoke again.

"Duke Sade wrote in one of his works; 'Their ground of argument about the justification of the pleasure earned by cruelty came from the following reasoning: We all desire for
something that could move our hearts. That exactly is the reason why men are absorbed in seeking pleasure, and we desire to have that pleasure in the most active manner'.
Though I am a woman, I am moved, deeply so, by those words! By the cruelty that shall take place here and now!"

Words suddenly switched into action. She fluttered her dress and made a dash toward Fear.

"---! Haruaki, run!"

"Haruaki-kun!"

Fear pushed Haruaki away, which caused him to stagger. Konoha moved to snatch him away from Peevey.

"That prudence is worthy of a praise! A pig like you shouldn't involve anyone in this!"

It was a simple attack. She raised her gauntlet-shrouded fist---then brought it down with all her might.
Fear evaded the attack by performing a side-roll. Crashing noise signaled the end for the ground where Fear was standing.
Peevey spat the almost-finished cigarrette out while her body layed in a low position, just like a beast.
---It was another action which didn't look good with her dress.

She withdrew her arm which was stuck on the concrete, and remains of the rooftop floor dropped from her gauntlet. This made the caved-in condition of the floor visible, and it looked like a crater made by a meteor crash.
Impossible---that was what Haruaki thought. He couldn't think of a way for a woman to inflict that kind of damage. A possibility came to his mind.

(That gauntlet.....could it be a Warth?)

The hunter donning a dress and heels made a simple attack once again. Fear desperately evaded the assault.
She barely got away from having contact with Peevey's arms but in exchange for her, the concrete floor beneath her broke. The steel fence got crushed. What used to be a bench
now scattered around them as broken pieces of wood. Side of the water tank was pierced with countless holes.

Eventually, Fear was cornered. In front of her, Peevey who blocked the way, moved her arms and the gauntlet creaked. It was as though she was preparing for the kill.
Peevey made a decadent smile while she licked the drop of sweat that rolled off from her temple.

"Strange. Why are you just running...? It isn't like you to hold back, [Fear-in-Cube]. From what I've heard, you're not supposed to be that way."

Fear looked-up in surprise and spoke with a forced voice.

"S,stop....Don't say it"

Peevey raised a brow. After a moment, dawn of understanding caused her shoulders to shake in laughter.

"This is amusing, indeed it is! Could it be that the boy over there do not know the details about you? Let me tell you the rest of the answers for
your question a while ago then!"

She opened a part of her gauntlet which seemed like a clasp. She drew out a cigarette and started to smoke. Together with the accumulated smoke came out a voice filled with
ridicule and teasing.

"You asked 'What she did in the past'. The answer is simple. She slaughtered people. That thing shamed them, forced an end to their life, craved for grievances, drank their blood,
and just killed them! Tens, hundreds, thousands of them! Sinners, non-sinners, men, women, children, the aged, commoners, nobles, slaves, scientists, farmers, merchants,
priests, mid-wives, and even the knights!

"No.....no..no..no...."

"You killed them all equally like a God, without any discrimination, didn't you? Shamed a wife and driven her into insanity in front of her husband? Ripped the womb of a pregnant
woman and took out her child, ending its life along with its howl? Gave food to the starving vagrant, ripped his stomach open and enjoyed the scream of agony he made while you
slowly killed him?"

"Stop it.....stopitstopitstopitstopit! I-I was, I, ahhhhhhhhhh!"

Fear's whole body was shaking. She embraced herself with a pale face.

"Y-you're wrong....wrong. I, didn't, do it, with my will. I, was just used. I didn't do it because I wanted to...!"

"How could you be so low! You're trying to reason your way out even though you're just a thing. But, it's a fact that you killed them, is it not? After all, that was the reason why
you were cursed. Oh, how you disgust me. To tell you the truth, just talking with you like this makes me want to vomit!"

"Shut up, shut up....just...shut...up!"

"Like hell I will! Think about it once more. About what you really are. Wait, I was mistaken. I should be the one to tell you what you really are, shouldn't I? After all, there's
still the answer left for your question, 'What she was in the past'.

Don't say it. Whispered Fear. Haruaki thought the same. But, that didn't stop the word from coming out of her mouth.

"[Fear-in-Cube]. It was developed during the period when the pagans were being hunted down. She---that thing---is just an Universal torture-execution instrument."

"Stoooooooooooop!!"

"I can't help but to burst out laughing at that wonderful scream. C'mon now, you've committed sins. You sinned by executing countless innocent people with torture. That
curse which made you personify is the vindication of your sins. You have to take the punishment as you should, don't you? You have to be silent and accept the fact that
a thing like you should be destroyed when you became unnecessary."

Haruaki clenched his fists. He just can't accept those words.
He wanted to say something. He wanted to ask her if she knew the strong determination needed to accept the fact that they're not just a tool anymore and live with the curse
that was branded to them. To accept their unfortunate fate that they have to feel the pain of what they did in the past.

"If you have no intention of resisting, that is also fine with me. Just the thought of destroying another hateful Warth is a pleasure in itself!"

Peevey raised her arms. There was too much distance for Haruaki to move in between them.
But, that moment, he heard a faint whisper of rustling dress behind him.

"Stay here, Haruaki-kun."

The brown-haired girl jumped in with inhuman power. Beside Haruaki stood a girl.
A girl who like him, felt a surge of anger against Peevey. Maybe, her anger was greater than his.

She jumped over the few meters of distance between them with ease. She made an attack from above which was almost at a right angle, her uniform fluttering. The woman in dress
quickly turned over and evaded the tegatana that was meant for her --- while Konoha landed between Fear and the woman in dress, her eyes blazing.
Peevey made a quick look down at her slashed skirt and made an exaggerated gesture of spreading her arms wide.

"Oh my, oh my! Why is it that no one told me there was another disgusting garbage here? I never noticed. Although it's not part of the mission, I could destroy you if you are
going to interrupt me from accomplishing my first priority. What do you say?"

"Don't misunderstand my intention. I have nothing to do with the infant behind me. Please take my action this way --- I got irritated with what you've said so I attacked you.
After all, I'm one of the ill-tempered youth these days."

Those words were spoken gently. It almost sounded like a joke. But, her eyes were still overbearing.

"If you don't want to get hurt, I advise you to leave now."

"....Hmph. I like you, girl. You look cool-headed and unyielding --- but, that's what makes me want to put you to shame. What did they call this wonderful expression
of oppositions? Was it tsundere?"

"I wouldn't know!"

Konoha raised her palm and formed a blade with her hands while covering the distance towards Peevey. The lady in dress raised her heavily armored arms and deflected Konoha's
attack with ease. Peevey countered with a hook that attacked the whole body. Konoha hastily raised her arms in defense, but the difference in their mass resulted in Konoha
being thrown away.

"You look pitiful for someone who sounded energetic just a while ago. Poor, is the only word that can describe you right now. I do not know what tool you are, but half-hearted
attacks won't do any good against me, you understand?"

Konoha had sunk-in against the nearby fence. Seeing this, Fear let out a shout against her.

"Y-You too...this has nothing to do with you. What do you think you're doing...!"

"--- You're right. Didn't you hear what I said a while ago? What I'm doing doesn't concern you so just let me be."

Konoha tried to loose herself from the fence. While she was at it, she spoke to Fear without glancing at her.

"By the way, it's something that doesn't have anything to do with me. What are you planning to do? You're cursed. That's a fact. You've been through a past that caused you to
be cursed. This too is a fact. Your life's being threatened because of it. Another fact. What are you going to do to face those facts?"

"....I wouldn't be troubled right now if I knew the answer to that..."

"You're saying that you're giving up and you're going to let her destroy you?"

"...I wouldn't like that..."

"Then, you have to fight. You have to fight in order to protect yourself. That's the natural way things go. But....I say, knowing how you feel sure is a pain."

"What...and how do you know anything. About how I feel."

Konoha whispered. her eyes were directed at her front.

"I understand how you don't want to hurt anyone. I understand that you do not want to fight. I know that the harder you try to forget, the more it comes back to haunt you.
That causes you to hesitate, even if your life was in line... Really, I feel as though I'm looking at my old self, I can't really describe how I feel right now."

Konoha stood up, took a deep breath and rushed towards Peevey. She got thrown away again but this time, she did not crash against the fence.
It was because another person that appeared in front of Fear caught Konoha's back.

"Both of you, sorry. I was kind of confused and that took me some time."

"Haruaki-kun...."

"Have you gone mad...? Get away from here! Hurry and run!"

"Er, I don't think I'll be much of a help but I suppose I could lend you my hand."

Haruaki turned away from astounded Fear and faced Peevey.

"Look here boy, what you're trying to do is a foolish act. Although I could not actively kill a person, I might not be able to help you if ever there was an unfortunate
accident. And, if it comes to you trying to help out those bitchy tools....Well, won't you change your mind?"

"Sorry, I can't do that. This girl came to our place, relying on me. I just can't say no and drive her away, can I? Besides, Japanese people are a merciful lot....Oh, and one
more thing. I got irritated by the same reason this girl wearing glasses got irritated with you. So, right now I want to make you take back all the things you've said.
I'm not fond of fights, though."

"That's funny. Would you mind telling me how you're going to do it?"

That was the problem. He looked down at Konoha, who stared right back at Haruaki.

"You...fool...this is my problem and..."

Haruaki twisted his lips as he heard those words.

"She's mumbling awful things at me. Is trying to protect her such a bad thing?"

"Though I'm not at complete disagreement...I think you're being your usual self."

"I'm not sure what you mean. Hey, I hate to ask you this since you hate to do it, but it seems that we're at odds with our current situation."

Instead of answering, Konoha just smiled and took a step. When her eyes met with Peevey, the smile was already gone from her face. The only thing left on her expression was
an earnest determination.

"If you're not satisfied with half-cooked attacks, I'll turn back into myself. For a reason, I'm trying to evade shedding blood but I won't be responsible if it would hit
you bad. I just wanted you to understand that."

"I see, so that's how you're going to play your game. It's fine with me. Oh, I forgot to ask your name, miss garbage. I'm going to need it in my report later."

Haruaki placed his hands on Konoha's shoulder. In a moment the clothes Konoha was wearing fell off the floor and---

The only thing left on his hand was a long inorganic-substance. Its blade was covered with a black sheath. It was abnormally thin and hard. It was as though the blade was coated
with a thin black metal...and, it was sharp enough to be called a sheath-blade.

Words were spoken by the cursed Katana.

"My name is Muramasa Konoha...But, I hate to be called by my surname."

She caught the heavy blow with the katana. Terrible impact passed through Haruaki's arm but it wasn't enough to throw him away.

"Relax your body like you always do...! I'll take care of your body movement!"

Haruaki replied to the voice coming from the katana that he was counting on her. Konoha, the demon blade, took over his body movement and made a step forward.
The almost-weightless blade flashed, aimed towards the enemy's body, slashing diagonally from below. Peevey frowned at the great speed of the blade but she
was able to block the slash using the elbow of her gauntlet.

"That was a good one. Now, I'm starting to have fun...! By the way, why don't you draw? I heard that the Japanese blades were awfully sharp. Am I wrong?!"

"Like I've said earlier, I despise bloodshed.... Don't worry, even if its just the sheath, it'll be really painful!"

The sheath-blade and the gauntlet crossed each other countless times. Hi-pitched sound coming from the clashing steel was starting to hurt his ears.

"It's too hard....Is it possible that something could be that hard?!"

Even though his body was being moved by Konoha, that didn't mean that he wasn't feeling exhaution. His breathing was becoming shorter. Konoha took note of his
condition, and made jump backwards as she saw the enemy's fist sinking into the rooftop floor to put a distance from her.

"Are you alright, Haruaki-kun?"

"Yeah, I can still....w-whoa!"

One careless moment and a concrete-floor fragment was flying toward his head. The katana smashed the fragment down.
Haruki thought with a shiver that he'd be already dead if Konoha wasn't moving his body.

"However, we might lose if this keeps up."

"I have an idea. If we're going to lose at this rate, why don't you try that one? That one you used once before...the [交叉法 -Kousahou-]. Though, I suppose you'll
hate to do that more than you hate being back to this form."

"Oh, okay....I'll try. I think there won't be a problem, I'll just have to be careful."

"It's not the time for you two to be having a cozy talk. You boy, helping out those garbages! You're an eyesore so I'll be really glad if you'll just die right now!"

The awkward, but symmetrically aligned balancing-toy joyfully started her violence.

Konoha parried the blows as she did earlier. But, she started to take a new action. She changed the mark of her actions within herself. It was not an attack and it
wasn't a defense either.

She started an analysis.

What needed was the complete concentration. She had to direct all of her thought on trying to find a flaw in Peevey's movement, using all the non-existent braincells
to concentrate on every single action made by her opponent. Her breathing. The line of her sight. Her posture. Her movement. Which attack would come based from which
precursor. She made a law out of them. At the same time, she made an analysis of the gauntlet's structure based from the resisitance taken from the blade. Where was its
weakest spot, structure-wise. Where was the [core] which supported the whole structure of her gauntlet. Unbelievable amount of concentration was needed to figure all of
that out.

The other thing needed was the chance. She had to join the faint precusors together, make a forecast on when the attack would come, and wait for the moment when the effect
would come to agreement with it.

(Not yet. She's still....)

She evaded the attack. Waited once again. Impatience was out of question. The law she made was constructed upon the territory within herself, between unconsciousness and
instinct. It would easily disappear the moment her concentartion was broken. She felt the gradual lost of the forecast she had made so far. But, she wasn't impatient. And---

[[Image:C3 01-089.jpg|thumb]]
(----!)

This was it. An attack which came from a certain direction and speed according to the conjecture she made from the countless precursors.
That moment was a future that she knew well, coming from her past. That was why she was able to make a pinpoint aim for the gauntlet's [core]. There, Konoha threw away
the law and conjectures she had formed and let out an attack coming from her body and soul----
Konoha turned Haruaki's hand which held the katana, and moved the unused left hand to hold its sheath. She instantaneously shifted weight, and at the same time drawn the
blade, as though it was a manifestation of its true nature.

[----剣殺交叉! -Kensatsu Kousa-]

Clashing sound of blade and sheath vibrated through the air surrounding them. The silver blade edge that came out from the sheath-blade flashed for an instant, just like a
lightning. Now, the blade already was returned to its dark sheath, making the opponent think for a moment that the flash of light she saw was just a hallucination. The counter
attack made by the katana used all of the force coming from the enemy's heavy blow, destroying the structural core of the gauntlet. Therefore, only a single blow was needed to
put an end to the gauntlet.

There was no movement coming from the blade, which stood in a posture of follow-through. For a while, silence reigned through the air----and after a few seconds, the insensitive
steel finally recognized its death and started to fall into pieces, as the last cry of inorganic gauntlet resounded around them.

"Just what....did you do? Yes, I'm mildly surprised...you bitch, bitch, bitch. I never thought that you would insult me this way."

Konoha's blade destroys only the weapon of her oppenent. The gauntlet that covered one of her arms broke, falling apart in a chain reaction. The damaged gauntlet was
left now with a big hole, exposing its inside.

There was an arm.

Naturally, there was an human limb inside. It was revealed then that the gauntlet was covering flesh and not some artificial arm----However, there was a possibility that the
gauntlet might have been the artificial arm.

Her whole arm was distorted. Its skeletal frame was abnormally crooked. Her skin looked as though it was suffering from necrosis, discolored with shades of black and purple.
there was also traces of flesh blood here and there.

"What, the hell, is that....?"

"You're questioning me what happened to my arm, although you're the one who did this. I'd say its just natural that a bare flesh covered with an ordinary gauntlet would be
distorted like this if you repetedly beat it with force strong enough to crush concrete."

"You're saying it was just an ordinary gauntlet, and not a Warth?"

Peevey raised a brow at Haruaki's question.

"I wouldn't dare to touch those filthy things! I'd rather bite-off my tongue. Though, there are some within the Knight's jurisdiction who prefer to use those. But, I do not.
That's why I'm armed with this gauntlet. To add further..."

She stared at her discolored arms with teary eyes.

"I just adore this, this pain that I receive from battle. It's very convenient indeed since I'm satisfied sexually when I feel the pain while I crush my enemies with
my hands. Don't you think it's wonderful?"

"You're insane..."

"Oh my, what a tactless remark that was. I'd say that People have different tastes and therefore you have no right to judge me. In fact, you shouldn't insult my tastes since
it occured naturally, and you can say that it's a sin caused by natural causes."

Haruaki was taken aback by the woman standing in front of him. She was plain crazy. Suddenly, he noticed that the katana he was holding was becoming heavier every minute. He
tried to ask Konoha what was happening, trying not to move his mouth. Konoha answered with a groan.

"Get hold of youself! The blood is caused by her madness! It's not your fault!"

She replied this time with an emesis. Cold sweat covered his face as he remembered that Konoha's curse was almost lifted.
the blood-thirsty demon blade was starting to lose its longing---which meant that Konoha now repulsed seeing blood, enough to cause nausea when she saw one.
They suceeded in destroying their opponents weapon, but that only brought them this destitute situation. Haruaki shuddered and raised his head, only to see Peevey closing the
distance between them. It seemed that the gauntlet left on her other arm was enough to crush them. She striked with a rough blow.
Haruaki raised the heavy blade by reflex, and miraculously blocked the punch....but---

For a moment, he wasn't sure what was wrong. Something caused him to look down.
There he saw that something was protruding from the side of the gauntlet.
It was a hidden blade which was thin and long. It reflected light towards his face.

"Eye for an eye....as the wise men say. Pretty cliched though."

Haruaki wondered what was the red liquid passing through the blade. He also wondered where it came from.
He traced back where the liquid was coming from.
Then, he knew where it was coming from...It came from his arm.
The time that he realized the blood was coming from him, his brain finally registered the pain---

The howl that came from Haruaki resounded through the rooftop. That cry caused two things to awake within Fear....and it was fear and nostalgia.

She felt that something was pulsating within her. It something that should not awaken, at any cost.
The cry of pain was nostalgic. She was disgusted with herself for reminiscing those cries. But, those vague memories which resembled a faint dream caused a definite change
within her.
(that scream) (which I thought I'd never hear again) (It was the same scream from that moment----)

There was a master of an ancient castle. There was the underground chamber which was a realm of madness. There was herself, sleeping in that chamber. She was still inanimate
back then, but her master was pleased with her. Therefore after her master was done with his [enjoyment] every night, he made his footman clean her up. The footman was the
only sane person left within that castle. Even though he vomited every time he cleaned her up, in the end she'd be shining like a brand-new appliance. And for that, she used
to like the footman very much.
The footman often talked to her while he cleaned her up, complaining about the work which he hated to do but was forced to out of need for money.

"I don't know what got into my master's head...I'm sure that this box would be happier if it was just left alone. Oh God..."

---One day, one of the maids heard the footman and the gossip about the footman's words spread within the castle in no time. Naturally, the master of the castle who heard about
the footman executed him in the torture chamber. Consequently, She was used to torture the footman.
The scream was caused by her own hands. It was a scream coming from someone she knew, from someone she liked.

"Aaaaah. Aaaaaah. Aha.......haha, ahahahahahahaha"

It pulsated. Herself during THAT time pulsated. She remembered.
During that time, she was still inanimate. The reason for an inanimate object's existence was to be used.
That was why she was happy. While she heard the footman's scream, she felt that certainty within her. Because the footman's scream certified the reason of her existence.
It made her to long for more scream----

"Aha----You're wrong----ahaha----shut up. Stop laughing----ahahaha----shut up, stop laughing, I said stop! I'm different now ahahaha different! I'm not thinking of those things aha
haahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Fear tried to stop the laugh that flowing from her mouth, punching the concrete flooring below her with a distorted expression. But, the laughing did not stop.
When she held her head, the laugh resounded through her head, instead of ceasing. She Haruaki's repeated scream.
When she raised her face, she saw that Haruaki dropped on the floor. The blade he was holding lied heavily down, and she knew that it won't be moving for some time.
Someone whispered in Fear's head that he would be killed. But, she refused to become what she used to be because she did not want Haruaki to see what she really was.
It was too disgusting, and too soiled....But, if she didn't do something, Haruaki will surely die. Fear asked herself what she should do----

That moment, Fear noticed the Rubik's cube that fell out from her pocket. She stared at the katana held by Haruaki once again. And, she remembered that Konoha fought even though
she was in the human form.

"A tool which was cursed enough to achieve the human form could still use some of the characteristics as a tool, even when it was in the human form...."

It was the same for her. She had not tried it yet, but she knew she could. Therefore she needed to.

"I, have to do it....."

She tried to convince herself. It shouldn't be that bad. She still hated what she used to be. She was just going to use a little power, while maintaining her human form. It didn't
mean that she was going to betray her decision on trying to lift the curse away from herself----

Fear did not realize that it was a compromise. She didn't knew that compromise always broke determination.
Then, all the things she was trying to push back came out inside her, just like a dam. There was nothing to hold back anymore. She only had to do what was needed.
That moment, comfortable sense of freedom shrouded Fear. There was nothing left inside her but the urge to break everything apart.

"Ah yes, that's what I'm going to do....."

Peevey saw that Fear moved to stand up. She let out a scornful laugh at her.

"Hmm, I see that you decided to stop crying now. So, what are you going to do now?"

"You're asking me what I'm going to do? Of course----"

"I'm gonna hear you scream. And I'm very excited. Ahahahahaha"
She said happily with a blank stare, holding the cube with her hand.

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter1

2010-02-16T00:27:25Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter One: I'm a Familiar */

=== Chapter One: I'm a Familiar ===


"Who are you?" asked the girl intently, examining Saito's face, 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, shocked, at his face.

''Her face is... cute.''
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?''

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

Saito was lying on the ground, face up, though he was unsure of how he had got there.
He raised his head to take a look around.
A crowd of people in black cloaks were curiously examining him.
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 is killing me.'' Giving his head a shake, he answered, "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 were you thinking, calling a commoner with '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!" the girl in front of Saito shouted in a refined voice that carried like a bell.

"What mistake are you talking about? Nothing unusual happened."

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

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 really exist somewhere in Japan?''

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

"Mr. Colbert!" the girl, 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 is he playing at? He's dressed like a wizard. Is he even sane? Oh, 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 sect? 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 decided that he ought to stay quiet until he understood what was going on.

The girl named Louise seemed to be in a panic, begging to redo something and gesticulating frantically.

''I feel sorry for her, being stuck in this weird religious group, since she's so cute.''

"What is it that you want from me, 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 strictly forbidden. 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. It enables you to advance to the appropriate courses for 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."

"But... I've never heard of having a commoner as a familiar!"

Everyone around laughed. Louise 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 [[Talk:Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter1#new_religions|New Religions]]. 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. In other words, there is no other way around it: he must become your familiar."

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

"Well then, continue with the ceremony."

"With ''him''?"

"Yes, with him. Hurry. The next class will begin any minute.
How much more time is this summoning going to take?
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 count yourself lucky. Normally you'd go your whole life without a noble doing this to you."

''Noble? How stupid. What nobles are you talking about?''
''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 chanted those words over and over, like a magic spell, and 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 irritation in her voice.
Her face got closer.

"Oi, wait a second. I'm... Well, I'm not... ready for this..."

His face twisted in panic.

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

"Huh?"

"Mmm..."

Louise's lips touched Saito's.

''What is happening?! What kind of contract is this?!''
The touch of her soft lips confounded Saito even more.
''My first kiss! Stolen in this weird place by this weird girl whose motives I don't understand!''
Saito remained frozen, paralyzed.

Louise removed her lips.
"It is done."


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



''Her face is all red. Is this idiot embarrassed by her boldness?'' Saito thought.

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

But Louise ignored Saito completely.

''You kissed me and now dismiss me? If this isn't rude, I don't know what is.''
''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 have failed 'Summon Servant' many times, but you have managed to succeed with 'Contract Servant' in one try,"
Colbert said happily.

"It's just because he's only a commoner."

"If he was a powerful magical beast, she wouldn't have been able to make a contract."

Some of the students laughed.

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!"

"I hadn't expected better manners from Louise the Zero."

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

''What are they talking about? What contract? Who are they calling a servant?''

Suddenly, Saito's body started to heat up.

"Aaah!"
Saito stood up.
"I'm burning up!"

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

"Stop it! What are you doing to me?!"

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

"By the way."

"What?"


"Why do you allow yourself, a commoner, to use that kind of language in front of nobles?"

The burning sensation lasted only for a second.
His body rapidly cooled down.

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

''Are those runes? 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..."

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

At this point, Saito suddenly lost it.
"Who are you people?!"
he 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 gaped after him.

''Is... Is he really flying? Is he floating in the air?''
''Unbelievable!''
The other people who looked like students also floated up.

''It can't be! The whole lot of them? One person could rise up into the air by some trick, but so many?''
Saito looked for wires or even a crane, but the surrounding area was just a large grassy plain.
There was nothing to suggest that any tricks or setups were used.

Everyone who was floating quietly moved towards the stone walls of the castle in the distance.

"Louise, you'd better ''walk'' back!"

"She shouldn't try to fly. She can't even manage levitation."

"A commoner is perfect as your familiar!"
the students jeered 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 all right, I will explain it to you."

"Backwoods? This is the backwoods! Tokyo is nothing like this!"

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

"Japan."

"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?"

Saito grabbed Louise's shoulders and yelled,
"Mages? Where the hell am I?!"

"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 fire suddenly disappeared.
He was starting to get 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. I can't believe you're that dense.
Why does my familiar have to be so uncool...
I wanted to have something wicked like a dragon or a griffin or a manticore.
At least an eagle or an owl."

"A dragon or a griffin? Really?"

"Yeah, those would be totally cool familiars."

"Do they actually exist?"

"They do. Why?"

"You've gotta be kidding me,"
Saito said, laughing. But Louise didn't seem to be joking.

"Well, you've probably never seen them before,"
Louise said seriously, pity in her voice.


The mages who had flown away and the fantasy words they used suddenly connected.

He felt a chill run down his spine, and broke out in a cold sweat.
"Maybe... These people, they really flew, didn't they? Are you really witches and wizards?"

"Of course we are! Now, 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 did you say?"

"Please, hit me in the head as hard as you can."

"Why?"

"I want to wake up from this dream. I'm gonna wake up and get online.
Tonight's dinner is [[Talk:Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter1#hamburger|hamburger steak]]. 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 escape 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... 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?"
Saito repeated.

"...And just who decided that the contract had to be sealed by a kiss?"

"How should I know? Look, will you just get it over and done with? I hate nightmares."

"Nightmares? 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," thought Saito, losing consciousness.




<center>* * *</center>

Hiraga Saito. Seventeen years of age and in his second year of high school.

Athletic ability: normal. Grades: average. Duration without a girlfriend: seventeen years. Overall: no positives or negatives.

Teachers' 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 on the slow side."

Being slow, he was rarely bothered by accidents, and accepted pretty much anything — relative to most people, at least. 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 plainly, he just didn't think too deeply about things before acting.

Also, he had a fiercely competitive spirit. In that sense, he might have been 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 had a chance to finally find 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 was 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 was 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, scrutinizing the sparkling mirror-like object. "This is beyond odd, I've never seen or heard of any kind of phenomenon like this."
He considered sidestepping 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. He really did have a hopeless personality.

But first, he picked up a pebble and threw it experimentally at the disk.
The pebble disappeared into the middle of the mirror-like object.

''Oho,'' he thought. When he checked the other side, 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 strange world as if out of a fantasy book.

<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 [[Talk:Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter1#12_jou|12 tatami mats]] in size. If you treated the window as south, the bed would be situated on the west side, the door would be to the north, and a big wardrobe would stand 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 ache from the blow earlier, answered her,
"So what if it wasn'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. Could the moon have multiplied into two without Saito noticing?

No. It couldn't. 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 concluded 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.


''Evergreen forests like this one simply should not exist. It's totally different from what you'd see in Japan.''

The castle and the grounds he had passed on his way looked very much like something directly out of the Middle Ages. 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 the Tristain Academy of magic, Louise had explained.
All the Academy students lived in dormitories on the school grounds.

''Academy of Magic? 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."

"Why does it matter if I'm a mage or not?"

"Look, do you really know nothing about the world?"

"As I've been telling you all this time, I'm not from this one!"

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 a while ago after someone got hurt, but you don't have any material so you're resorting back to the same kind of stuff, are you? 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... This 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 a completely different world like 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."

Still wincing at the pain, 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 artifact 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 blankly. Clearly she didn't get it.
"So, what kind of element is this 'science'? Is it different from the four elemental powers?"

"Argh, that's enough! I told you, 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 I don't really understand it..."

"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 annoyed 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, it'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 wish I knew!"

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 it work on a person."


"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 discernibly perplexed, Louise tilted her head to one side.

"...That won't work. 'Summon Servant' is a strictly 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 froze.

"Would you like to die?"

"Err... Guess I'll pass."
He hung his head.
His eyes trailed down to the runes that had been inscribed on his left hand.

"Do you want to know what that is?"

"Yeah."

"That's like a stamp that says you're my familiar."

Louise stood up and crossed her arms.
This close, she was actually quite cute. Slender and well-proportioned legs, thin ankles. Not very tall, at around 155 cm.
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 sagged.

"...Yeah, all right. For now, I guess I'm really 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 do nothing 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.

"Also, a familiar will retrieve items that its master desires. For instance, reagents."

"Reagents?"

"Catalyst to be uses when casting certain spells. Something like sulfur, 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."

"That's offensive. Just you see, I'm sure I'll find a way to get back home!"

"Sure, sure. 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.

He decided to revoke any and all thoughts he'd previously had about her cuteness. 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 them 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 going to sleep in?"

"Uhh..."


"You're my familiar, right? Laundry, cleaning, other menial tasks - they're naturally your job."

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...''

''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 this through rationally. 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 besides a conceited girl by the name of 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 as if 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 flexible 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.



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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Insert_%26_Back_Cover|Back to Insert & Back Cover]]
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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter2|Forward to Chapter 2]]
|-
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</noinclude>

CubexCursedxCurious:Volume1 Chapter2

2010-02-16T00:23:18Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter Two: When the Contents of the Cube are Exposed */

===Chapter Two: When the Contents of the Cube are Exposed===

"Look at your plate when you're eating! The morsels are falling off the plate!"

Fear answered yes. Again. She'd answered the same word several times already but her eyes were fixed upon the square box that was placed on the corner of the room.

"Hmmmm. I'd thought that you'd say something cliched like, 'What are those small people doing inside that box?!'."

"D-Don't take me for a fool. I know how that thing works. This box just shows a place far from here. And the power of electricity makes it possible to record the past.
It's true that this is the first time I actually saw it but, uh, just like what I imagined. There wasn't much surprise with it, ahaha-haha-haha..."

She let out a false laugh while making a serious face. Her fork wandered around her plate, though it was empty.
The news caster on the television said, "Good morning, everyone! Let's do our best for this day!" and Fear answered, "Yes. I don't know you but I wish you luck," with unnecessary
politeness.

"Hey, Fear, try this one out. I'll teach you how to operate the television."

"What is that thing?"

"Try pushing that prominent red button. Face it towards the television."

Fear received the remote control. She looked a bit tense as she tried to push the red button just as she was told.

"Wha---! The image disappeared!"

She looked astounded as she reported what happened to Haruaki. He told her to try pushing the button again.

"I-It, I mean, the image restored!"

She reported again with exactly the same expression.

"That's the On/Off button. Keep the television off when you're not using it. There are lot of other buttons but you don't have to use them. The only buttons that you could
touch are the buttons with numbers written on it. "

"Are you sure it's alright? I'm gonna push it? You hear me, I'm going to!"

The channel changed to a different news program doing a report about sports. It was about the F1 Race so F1 cars passed in front of the camera.
Fear, being a bit ignorant about these things, shouted "It's coming towards us! Look out!" and crouched on the floor. It was just as how Haruaki expected her to react.

"So, that's how it is. If you push the buttons, the channel would change. Whatever happens, the images won't come out from the television so you don't need to worry."

"I-I knew that! It's just that... er... yes! It's just that you have to be prepared for the unexpected! No one knows what'll happen next, uh-huh."

Fear tried pushing other buttons. Haruaki noticed that a faint pink shaded her white cheeks.
She only stopped pushing different buttons when the channel switched to a weather report. Her finger went still and her eyes stared at the television in awe.

"Is that the... sea?"

Haruaki answered affirmatively and she whispered softly, her eyes still fixed on the monitor,

"...I never had a chance to see it. I didn't think that it would be so big."

Different shades were behind those eyes. There was the shade of admiration... and there was also a bit of disappointment.

"It looks a lot colder and darker than what I expected..."

"That's because there are some rain clouds over there. It's completely different in summer."

"Is that so."

"We also have that here in our town. It's on the opposite side though. You could go someday if you want to."

Fear shook her head in a vague manner. Haruaki wasn't able to decide whether it was an affirmation or a rejection.

The doorbell rang and Haruaki went to the front door carrying his bag. Konoha was waiting behind the door, smiling.
Konoha usually went to school together with him when she didn't have work on student council or club activities.

"Good morning!"

"Okay, let's go."

"Hmmm... What's the meaning of this?"

"We're going to school. Didn't I tell you that we have to go to school during weekdays?"

"With her?"

"Well, yeah. We're in the same year level, after all."

Haruaki finished putting on his shoes, stood up and pointed at Fear.

"I have an order for you today. It's about your work while I'm away at school."

"...Tell me."

"First, turn the television on like I told you earlier. Watch any program that you like. When you get hungry, there is some food in the kitchen. When you feel sleepy,
go sleep. That would be all. I wish you luck."

"Only that?!"

"Yeah. Hey, I'm gonna teach you household chores later so be patient for today, okay?"

Fear expanded her cheeks like a balloon. Haruaki was puzzled. He can't think of any reason why Fear would be dissatisfied with his order.
Konoha peeked over the front door, smiling like a saint.

"Don't tell me you can't take care of yourself alone because you're lonely?"

"W-Why you?! Who told you that I'm lonely?! I'd be glad that there won't be any more annoyance like you two! Oh, I'm so excited. The world on the television is waiting for me now!"

"You'll be fine alone then. Great. Splendid. Well, let's go now, Haruaki-kun. To the happy place called school. TOGETHER."

"A happy place you say? Hmph! I'd bet that you'll just use those great tits of yours to flirt with him! How shameless! C'mon, go now, go! I can't wait to be alone, you know!"

"Er--- I'm kinda worried about Fear but I'll be late for school at this rate. It can't be helped. Let's go, Konoha."

They went out of the gate, towards the road. Konoha moved with light steps and Haruaki scratched his head.
Fear was letting out a fierce snort as she watched their backs disappear from her vision. When she felt that they were gone, she let out a deep sigh.
She sat down in front of the door.
It was silent. Everything around her was unmoving. The wooden ornament above the shoe rack. The patterns on the wooden ceiling. The mirror on the wall. The Calendar besides it.
She felt that the cold silence of those inanimate objects welcomed her---As if they knew that she used to be an inanimate object just like them.

She embraced her knees and slightly bowed her head. She looked at her silver hair as she observed it sliding between her knees, while she whispered with an empty voice.

"Fool... Did you really have to leave me alone...?"

<center>* * *</center>

He was used to taking up weird passengers. It was natural since he worked in a place where different people come and go. He was a taxi driver stationed in front of the airport.
In the past, he had black passengers who used the word FUCK in almost every sentence they used. He also had Chinese people who carried imitations of popular game consoles. He
even had passengers of a Japanese family who asked to be brought to a forest or swamp where no one else lived. If he were to think back about every passenger he had, it would
take forever.
But---This passenger was the weirdest among all the passengers he had.
The driver moved his eye over the back mirror to check again at the lady passenger he picked up earlier.
She was a blonde Caucasian beauty who wore an elegant gown. That was normal. But, other than that, everything else about her was strange. Too strange. He wondered
how she was able to board a public plane wearing THAT thing.

"I have this feeling that I am being watched."

The woman who mouthed a thin cigarette spoke in a fluent japanese while she kept her view toward the window. He wondered if the woman was intentionally ignoring the "No Smoking"
sign on the glass. The woman shrugged, and the faint sound of creaking metal echoed.

"Er, excuse me, miss...?"

"Oh. Not you too."

Who else was she talking about? There wasn't anyone else in the taxi but them two. The driver trembled lightly as he thought about his passenger looking more ominous as the
time passed by.
There was still some distance from the hotel that they were heading for. The driver thought that he had to make a lighter atmosphere for both of them. After all, she was still
a customer despite her eerie impression.

"You speak the Japanese language very well. I've had many passengers from different countries but you're the most---"

"Weirdest passenger?"

The driver felt as if an icicle passed through his body, from his mouth out to his anus. Somehow, he was able to regain his composure and replied.

"Aside from the fact that you're the best Japanese language speaker among the passengers that I've had, you're also the, um---most beautiful, ma'am."

"Hmm. I wonder if all the taxi drivers in this country are all educated about etiquette. I say it is just what you may expect from Japan, the polite country. It is indeed a
great thing."

It seemed that the driver answered right. He calmed down a bit hearing the soft laughter coming from his passenger.

"It's not just a flattery, ma'am, not at all."

"Haha, I don't really mind if it was a flattery. My favorite author said in one of his books that 'You should bear in mind that a lie is the key to every happiness,
benefit, reputation, and wealth.'---It is an anti-social statement though."

"Er, never heard of it before, ma'am... I suppose he's a foreign author?"

"Indeed. Duke Jonathan Alphonse Francois de Sade is known for his anti-socialism."

After the passenger explained that to the driver, she started to laugh again. The driver wondered what was so funny.

"Did you come here to Japan for a vacation?"

"Unfortunately, no. It is about a matter concerning my work."

"I see that you're dedicated to your work, ma'am. May I ask about your occupation?"

The strange beauty raised her face, looked at the driver through the back mirror, and smiled.
That moment when the driver's eye met the passenger's, all the calm that he accumulated during their recent conversations vanished.
A strong need to get far away as soon as possible from this passenger made the driver kick the accelerator hard.
It was, after all, just as he thought. There was no way that woman having that kind of eyes is sane. Those eyes filled with cold disdain, as if they were used to look down upon
the people around her...

"Oh, my work? I came here for a little trash-cleaning."

<center>* * *</center>

A few hours had passed since Fear was left alone in the house. She quickly lost interest in watching television.

"Phew, I have nothing else to do... ."

It was the same word that she said yesterday. A thought suddenly came into her mind. If she was bored inside the house, She should go outside.
She wore the sandals that were left on the porch and walked around the garden.

"....boring."

Fear walked around the outside of the house a few times, making a wry face. The outer building of the house where Konoha was staying came into her view. The ground floor was
covered with silver shutter. She thought that it was a garage or something. Her eyes went up to the second floor window, and she remembered what happened this morning.

"Er what can I say...Isn't Haruaki being a little bit biased to that cowtits? That shameless brat...I also don't like the fact that cowtits got her own proper room while I have
none. Talk about being unfair. Doesn't he even think that I also have things that I wanted to do? He always say 'Don't do this' and 'Don't do that'..."

She mumbled complaints and started to walk back toward the main house---but stopped.

"Oh yeah, he didn't say that I shouldn't do THAT. Hmm, I suppose there's no problem with me doing THAT so he didn't mention anything about it. Yes, it must be so."

Fear nodded to herself. But, there was one little problem.

"So, what should I do now...?"

Fear looked up at the sky and tried to think about what she had to do. The next moment, she realized that the answer was simple. She grinned.

She looked up again at the outer building. There she saw the vast sky...and the little window on the second floor of the outer building, peeking from the corner of her eyes.

Taizo came back from his trip to the nearest vending machine to buy their drinks since he lost in the rock-scissors-paper game. But, he came back without carrying any
juice, shadowed by his dark expression. Haruaki who was having his lunch with the usual members looked up to ask Taizo what happened.

"Is there a problem, Taizo?"

"Hey, Haruaki... I know it's not good. But I can't help myself---I know that this line is too cliched to use nowadays...But, I just have to say it! Tell me, Haruaki, can
I say the words that are meant to be said in a situation like this?!"

"W-What are you saying...?"

Haruaki sent Taizo a blank stare. Suddenly, Taizo grabbed Haruaki by his neck.

"Why! Is it! Always you!"

"Argh, Ergh?! What do you think you're doing, idiot! Tell me what happened!"

"Ask that to yourself, Bastard! Aren't you contented with Konoha-san?!"

"I'm telling you, I don't know what you're talking ab---ooooooooogh!"

"Eeew! Gross!"

"Hey, Yachi! Something came out from your mouth!"

Haruaki forgot to apologize to Kana and Kirika. He couldn't believe what he was seeing right at that moment.
It was---a silver-haired head peeking out from the room's rear door.

"Hey you over there! Didn't you say you'll tell me where...Ah, so there you are."

Fear approached him with a self-possessed calm. For some reason, she was wearing a school uniform.

"Hehehe. I came here just as you wished, Haruaki."

Fear held her head high and told Haruaki triumphantly---When the atmosphere in the classroom became tense.

"Fear?! What are you doing here?!"

"You're asking me why I'm here. Well, you didn't say that I shouldn't go out or shouldn't come here. So, that means I can go to any place I want to."

"I didn't tell you anything because I thought that it was obviou---argh!"

Kana who was sitting beside Haruaki grabbed his head and pressed it against his lunch box. Kana used that as a force to stand up, her eyes shining bright with interest.
She went beside Fear and started hugging her.

"Wow! She's so beautiful! How cute!"

"Er, woman. Stop touching me."

"Oh, I love how you speak! So, your name's Fear, huh? Where did you come from? What kind of relationship do you have with Akki...uh, I mean, Haruaki-kun?"

[[Image:C3 01-065.jpg|thumb]]
"What kind of relationship, you say....I wonder too. Basically, I live in his house."

"Are-you-two-living-together?!"

"My old man! I mean, she's the daughter of my old man's friend that he made abroad! That's why I have to take care of her in place of my old man!"

"Hmm... So you two are staying in the same house. Looks like...there are some things that need to be confirmed. As the class representative, of course."

Kirika stood up with strange vigor. Soon, all the other people in the class started to gather around them.
Haruaki dropped his shoulder in defeat. He just gave Fear a look that said she musn't say anything unnecessary. Fear just nodded.
It seemed that people around them thought that Fear was a girl who came from abroad visiting the school because she had nothing much to do.
Needless to say, news about Fear quickly spread outside Haruaki's class.

"H-hey?!"

Haruaki looked at the direction where that voice came from and saw pale-faced Konoha staring at Fear.
She must have been on her way back to her class from the school's shop since she was carrying a handful of sandwiches.

"Why is she...?"

"She came here by herself. I'm going to lose my consciousness now. I'll leave the rest to you, Konoha..."

"What do you want me to do?!"

That moment when Konoha entered the room, a boy left the circle forming around Fear. It was Taizo who changed his attitude as he saw Konoha coming to their room.

"K-Konoha-san! W-Welcome to our room! Our room's kind of sordid since half of us are guys but I hope you won't mind! So, what can I do for you?"

Konoha answered his question with a polite smile.
An idea came to her mind.

"Um, I was planning to have my lunch with Haruaki-kun... and since there's also Fear-san, I would have liked to eat with her too but as you can see, there are too many people so..."

Taizo moved to break the circle surrounding Fear just as Konoha expected him to.
He ignored all the boo-ings coming from the crowd and proceeded to sending them away.
Konoha smiled her thanks and Taizo turned back, making a guts pose. Haruaki thought that he's a type who'd be tricked by a woman in the future.

"Hm---Oh, it's you. You needn't have come here."

Konoha moved her lips without making a sound. She said, "You're the one who shouldn't have come".

"Come on, get some more tables. Two more."

"Ah, hey Taizo, we're not..."

"Huh? You guys aren't gonna eat with us? Is there going to be a problem if I and Kana are present?"

"A lunch, is it. Sounds good to me. I found a lunch box back at the house so I stuffed some food in it."

Fear answered without any pretense. It would sound strange now to force that they're not going to have lunch with them.
But, if that was the case, Haruaki needed to remind Fear of some important things before they proceed to having lunch together.

"I'm gonna buy some drinks for us while we tour her around the school. C'mon Konoha, let's go."

"Yes, I'm coming now. Um, can you please hold these for me?"

Konoha handed Taizo the three pork cutlet sandwiches that she was holding, then started to follow Haruaki.
Stares directed at Fear kept coming even when they were passing through the corridor---but, that can be ignored for now.

"You there, what were you thinking coming here all of a sudden?"

"Huh? I already told you that I came here because you didn't say that I can't come here, haven't I? Well, there's also the fact that I didn't have anything to do in the house.
Besides, it would be unfair if this woman can attend school while I'd just be staying at home."

"It's not like I started to attend school right after I became human..."

"Really...I should have told you clearly that you can't go out yet since you still lack much common knowledge."

"Why you! Didn't you hear earlier that I was having a normal conversation with the people in your class?"

"I'm sorry to inform you that I almost had a heart attack while you were talking to them since I was afraid that you'd say something that you shouldn't. Let's just leave
that topic. What's important now is that you should keep your setting that you don't know much about Japan since you just came here. If there was a question that you don't
know how to answer, just shut up, smile, then shake your head. That's the Japanese way of solving problems."

Haruaki bought some drinks at the vending machine in front of the shoe racks. Fear observed Haruaki, seeing something unusual for her.
Konoha spoke to Fear while she was busy checking the vending machine.

"I was wondering since you came here... Where did you get that uniform you're wearing?"

"It's obvious who's uniform this is. The waist and the chest parts are too big and wide for me. You should get some weight off you."

"Y-you dared to violate my room?! Don't you know the difference between things that you should and shouldn't do?!"

Konoha drew her face near Fear's and glared. Fear just bent her mouth into a cool smile.

"Oh...So you think you can say that to me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Listen Haruaki, I found really gaudy underwear in her top drawer and---"

"No! No! No! I wasn't quite myself when I bought that!"

"What are you two fussing about? We should go back now. I already bought the drinks."

Haruaki started to walk, and looked down at Fear.

"I heard some of your conversations...You should know that entering one's room without permission is against the manners."

"Hmph, it can't be helped. I at least know that one can't enter school without wearing a uniform. Besides, I was able to come here because I asked people where is the school
using this uniform."

"Weren't you supposed to give up coming here at the point that you didn't have any uniform...?"

"By the way, how did you enter my room? I locked the door properly."

"....? What do you mean? I just entered by the window like anyone else would."

"That's strange. I remember locking the window also...Wait. D-don't tell me you...?!"

Fear made a "V" sign with her hands against Konoha, who froze up in outrage.

"That's right. I broke it."

Konoha staggered, as if she was standing on the balls of her feet. Haruaki let out a soul-escaping sigh. He didn't want to think who will pay for the glass' repair.

"...Damn. I can't take any more of this. You wear me out. Hey Fear, go back to home when you're done eating. I don't know what the teachers would say if they happen to see you."

"Hmm. I still wanted to see this 'lecture' thing. Can't I stay?"

"Of course, you can't!"

While they were having an argument, Kirika appeared from the opposite side of the corridor, walking towards them.

"Oh, it's you class rep. Where have you been?"

"I just went to the staff room. Be glad to hear this Yachi, and you too Fear-kun."

Staff room. That word sent a bad feeling nagging at his gut. That bad feeling hit right at its mark.

"I negotiated with the teachers and as a result, our foreign visitor here was granted a special permission to participate in the afternoon classes. No need for a word of
gratitude, by the way. I just did what I can do as a class representative. Besides, we don't get to have much chances of having inter-cultural activities. It would be a
good experience for both of us."

Haruaki wanted to say that it was an unwelcome effort but swallowed the words. Kirika continued to speak with a half-opened eye.

"With that, I'll get more time to have conversations with Fear-kun. There are still some things that need to be confirmed---Like the fact that although he's living together
with his cousin, they're still man and woman in their sensitive ages...Who knows what kind of unwanted accident might happen between them...!"

Observing from the dangerous gleam in her eyes, this was obviously the main reason why she had a negotiation with the teachers about Fear.

(Ohh damn, from where should I start complaining?)

In the end, Haruaki just dropped his shoulders and gave up opposing.
It was clear that any complaint coming from him wouldn't be heard after all. At least, he knew that much.

"I didn't get much of your conversations, but does that mean that I could participate in the lecture? Kirika, was it? You're a nice person!"

One of the reasons why Haruaki gave up complaining was the fact that Fear looked happier than he expected.

<center>* * *</center>

After handing a tip to the bellboy who was educated enough to make a forced smile, she hurried to unpack her baggage.
Those trunks which she received from the front desk were sent sometime ago from her country in advance. She proceeded in her confirmation of the contents of the trunks while
she enjoyed her cigarette. Those things she needed were all there. There was no apparent problem.

"....? I have a feeling that the there is an excess among the baggage..."

The last trunk, which was shaped like a guitar case, was not familiar to her. She drove the almost finished cigarette into the ash tray, then opened the last trunk.
There she saw---

"This is..."

A strain formed on her cheeks. It was the form of deep hatred and wrath. She shut the trunk hard.
The momentum from the banging revealed a note from inside the trunk. She picked up the note, read it, and crushed it inside her hands.

"Oh, this is none of their concern, absolutely not...bitch!"

She assaulted the trunk and sent it flying across the room. The expensive-looking flower vase which decorated the suite shattered aloud.

"What an ill-omened way of beginning a mission... Ahh, I need to calm down, I just have to---"

She walked around the room for a while. Later, she grabbed the cigarette case on the table. She sunk deep into the sofa and started to smoke. One stick was consumed. She went
on to her next stick. With her third, she started to retrieve her calm.
After she finished her third stick, the cellular phone that was included among her baggage rang.
The voice that came from the opposite side of the line was a girl's.

"I am the Auxiliary who was assigned to aid you in this particular mission. This is my initial contact."

"How kind of you. I arrived here safe and sound...I had this feeling of being observed since I came to this country...I suppose it was you?"

"I affirm. I've started to support you. Since your first step in this country. It is just usual for the Auxiliaries not to show themselves."

"Of course. It would be a shame for a Knight if it happens that his Auxiliary will show himself in the battlefield. Since I'm the one sent as a front-line, there is
absolutely no chance of that happening though...Oh, and one more thing. Are you responsible for this unnecessary trunk that was included among my baggage?"

".....? I do not understand what you mean."

"I'm talking about this shit equipped with an indulgence disk. It seems like you're not responsible for it. If that was the case, there isn't any problem. I'm glad that a
fracture didn't occur between our relationship as a team from the very beginning of this mission---Well, come on now my faceless and nameless Auxiliary. Let us move on toward
our parting without ever revealing our faces or even our names."

"I understand. Let us begin the mission."

With that, the voice coming from the phone stated the current location of their target. She was glad that an efficient Auxiliary was allotted to her.
After she was done with their conversation, she smiled and whispered while she looked at the smoke that accumulated at the ceiling of the room.

"I must go now. Off to eliminate that eyesore-bitch."

<center>* * *</center>

They were at the rooftop after the classes. The wind blowing from the faintly cloudy sky felt chilly against their naked skin.
But despite that, Fear looked down at the school ground below looking cheerful as ever.

"It's so high up here, and it feels great...Come to think of it, I should have seen the view of the ground from the airplane when I came here. That was a mistake."

Then, she smiled at something that she remembered.

"By the way --- that lecture thing sure was fun. I still remember the look on their faces when I spoke in English. I think that anyone could speak fluently with two days of
studying though."

"Our basic capabilities are very different from your kind so don't compare us with you..."

Haruaki muttered as he dropped his shoulders. He felt as though he experienced a mental torture while they were having the afternoon classes. Fortunately, there hasn't been a
fatal mistake --- but, thanks to the order to give Fear a tour around the school directed by some meddlesome teachers, his mental condition wasn't fully recovered even after the
classes were finished.
Beside Haruaki was the tired-looking Konoha leaning against the fence.
Fear was also accompanied by Taizo and others at first but they eventually parted because of their club activities and student council duties. In the end, Only Haruaki and
Konoha were left.

"Hmm. Looks like that ball game below is about to end. I noticed too that people are becoming fewer."

"It's about time where most of the club activities are wrapping up for the day... Can we go home already?"

"That's a wonderful idea. Let's go home and have something to eat."

Fear heard them but made no motion of letting go of the fence.

"I guess you two are right. But...a little bit more. I want to stay here...a little bit more."

Haruaki looked at Fear's back for a while. Finally, Haruaki let out a sigh of defeat and said that she had 10 more minutes to stay there.

"Hey Haruaki, Don't you think this place is --- nice?"

"Is it? There's no people or anything around here. It's not much of a view."

"I wasn't talking about the view. I meant this place called school...Its very lively and there are an unbelievable amount of people. Every one of them is kind of happy in
their own way. Really, I never saw a place like this."

She said with a soft voice, making a bitter smile.

Haruaki heard a clicking sound. He looked at Fear and saw that Fear was playing the Rubik's cube with one hand while her view was still fixed at the ground below.
He thought that he saw a hallucination where there was no one else here in the rooftop aside from that girl. He thought that she'd stay here even if they left her alone. Just
like seeing a painting of a solitary girl from outside of the frame.

"This kind of school was just recently made...It's just natural that this place would seem rare to you."

Konoha's words stopped his hallucination. There was a feeling of consolation in her words. Haruaki wondered if that consolation came from understanding of Fear's feelings.

"The city that I passed on my way here was just as rare. After all, they are the same --- There are a lot of people and it's noisy there. Haha, I wanted to ask them what there
was that all of them have to talk about."

"Was there only few people from where you came?"

"Where I came, you ask..."

"--- Er, there's no need to answer if you don't want to."

It was only then that Fear looked at Haruaki's face.
She was smiling. Her cheeks were slightly relaxed, her big eyes turned into slits, and her well-formed lips were faintly raised up.
But, for some reason, he thought she looked like she was about to cry.

"Haruaki. Do you really want to know?"

".....what?"

"I'll be the one to ask now. Do you want to know about me? About where I was, what I did, or what I was in the past? Do you really want to know all of that?"

She was still smiling. And it was harmless question.
But, there was a strange tension in the air around them.
Haruaki swallowed his saliva. He felt that something might happen if he answered Yes or No. He had no idea what it could be. He just knew that whatever it was, there
would be no backing off once she told him about herself.

Konoha just looked at Fear's face with serious expression. Fear kept her sad smile.
Both of them were waiting for his answer.
He licked his lips, inhaled some air, then opened his mouth to answer ---

"I'll tell you the first answer to your question, about where she had been staying. She was lying inside a hidden chamber of a dungeon inside a castle remains
for hundreds of years. That was the reason why she was able to escape our attention for so long."

A voice coming from the rooftop's entrance stole Haruaki's words. What she said WAS an answer to his question. And, just as he thought, that triggered the incident that
could never be undone. Ever.

<center>* * *</center>

It was a woman who donned a dress much like those nobles wear. Her blonde hair was slightly curled, and held between her sexy rouged lips was a cigarette which was unbecoming
for her aristocratic demeanor.
But, her most outstanding trait was her arms --- which were covered by a black armor from the tip of her fingers up to her shoulders. That big, thick armor was worn in a candid
manner, and it gave a rustic impression.
The armor also covered the back of her hands and her wrists. The shiny black plates were held together geometrically, and the equipments was as thick as her torso. There was
only one word to describe her appearance; Deformed.
It was as though an armplate of a giant or a part of great armor was detached from its body and was forcibly attached to her arms. Naturally, this made her look like a
balancing toy.

"Wh...who are you?"

Haruaki spoke to the woman even though he was overawed by her strange vigor. Hearing this, the woman giggled.

"You don't have use terms of respect to me, boy. I came from an organization called the [Gathering of the Knight's United-Front Jurisdiction]...and my name is Peevey Barowoi.
Some people call by the name, 'Balancing Toy'."

Her armor-covered arms grabbed the tip of her skirt and she made a graceful bow. She did it with an almost absurd politeness and exaggeration.

"Huh....? I don't get what you want to---"

"Strange, you don't seem to recognize my name---In that case, let me confirm one thing. Your family name is Yachi, no?"

"Er...well, yes. It is."

"Then, let me explain. We, the Knight's Jurisdiction, are taking a stance against Yachi Honatsu. All started when the location where THAT thing behind you was being kept had been
found. We sent an investigation team the moment we got hold of the information but we were forestalled. Usually, they don't leave traces but this time they did, since that
thing is much different from the usual items. Somehow, we were able to get hold of the information where that thing was sent---and, here I am now. Do I need to say more?"

That. Thing. Where it was sent...and, his father's name. They meant only one thing.

"Y-you're after Fear....? But, why?"

"A silly question. Discovery of that thing is a matter of concern for all the organizations that goes after a cursed item---which we call a Warth. But, our purpose is different
from that of other organizations, namely the Yamimagari Pakuaki-Laboratory Chief's Nation, Draconians, and Bivorio family. We're different from Yachi Honatsu too.
It's simple. The Gathering of the Knight's United-Front Jurisdiction does not approve of the existence of Warth. It is something that should not exist within the world of
men. Therefore I,"

Long line of smoke came out from the mouth of the cigarette that was held between her lips. She spoke cheerfully.

"Shall destroy that---that [Fear-in-Cube], the head of all the list of Warths."

An understanding of who she meant by that word came easily to him. Haruaki looked back at Fear and saw that she had her head bowed, with her face pale. Peevey spoke again.

"Duke Sade wrote in one of his works; 'Their ground of argument about the justification of the pleasure earned by cruelty came from the following reasoning: We all desire for
something that could move our hearts. That exactly is the reason why men are absorbed in seeking pleasure, and we desire to have that pleasure in the most active manner'.
Though I am a woman, I am moved, deeply so, by those words! By the cruelty that shall take place here and now!"

Words suddenly switched into action. She fluttered her dress and made a dash toward Fear.

"---! Haruaki, run!"

"Haruaki-kun!"

Fear pushed Haruaki away, which caused him to stagger. Konoha moved to snatch him away from Peevey.

"That prudence is worthy of a praise! A pig like you shouldn't involve anyone in this!"

It was a simple attack. She raised her gauntlet-shrouded fist---then brought it down with all her might.
Fear evaded the attack by performing a side-roll. Crashing noise signaled the end for the ground where Fear was standing.
Peevey spat the almost-finished cigarrette out while her body layed in a low position, just like a beast.
---It was another action which didn't look good with her dress.

She withdrew her arm which was stuck on the concrete, and remains of the rooftop floor dropped from her gauntlet. This made the caved-in condition of the floor visible, and it looked like a crater made by a meteor crash.
Impossible---that was what Haruaki thought. He couldn't think of a way for a woman to inflict that kind of damage. A possibility came to his mind.

(That gauntlet.....could it be a Warth?)

The hunter donning a dress and heels made a simple attack once again. Fear desperately evaded the assault.
She barely got away from having contact with Peevey's arms but in exchange for her, the concrete floor beneath her broke. The steel fence got crushed. What used to be a bench
now scattered around them as broken pieces of wood. Side of the water tank was pierced with countless holes.

Eventually, Fear was cornered. In front of her, Peevey who blocked the way, moved her arms and the gauntlet creaked. It was as though she was preparing for the kill.
Peevey made a decadent smile while she licked the drop of sweat that rolled off from her temple.

"Strange. Why are you just running...? It isn't like you to hold back, [Fear-in-Cube]. From what I've heard, you're not supposed to be that way."

Fear looked-up in surprise and spoke with a forced voice.

"S,stop....Don't say it"

Peevey raised a brow. After a moment, dawn of understanding caused her shoulders to shake in laughter.

"This is amusing, indeed it is! Could it be that the boy over there do not know the details about you? Let me tell you the rest of the answers for
your question a while ago then!"

She opened a part of her gauntlet which seemed like a clasp. She drew out a cigarette and started to smoke. Together with the accumulated smoke came out a voice filled with
ridicule and teasing.

"You asked 'What she did in the past'. The answer is simple. She slaughtered people. That thing shamed them, forced an end to their life, craved for grievances, drank their blood,
and just killed them! Tens, hundreds, thousands of them! Sinners, non-sinners, men, women, children, the aged, commoners, nobles, slaves, scientists, farmers, merchants,
priests, mid-wives, and even the knights!

"No.....no..no..no...."

"You killed them all equally like a God, without any discrimination, didn't you? Shamed a wife and driven her into insanity in front of her husband? Ripped the womb of a pregnant
woman and took out her child, ending its life along with its howl? Gave food to the starving vagrant, ripped his stomach open and enjoyed the scream of agony he made while you
slowly killed him?"

"Stop it.....stopitstopitstopitstopit! I-I was, I, ahhhhhhhhhh!"

Fear's whole body was shaking. She embraced herself with a pale face.

"Y-you're wrong....wrong. I, didn't, do it, with my will. I, was just used. I didn't do it because I wanted to...!"

"How could you be so low! You're trying to reason your way out even though you're just a thing. But, it's a fact that you killed them, is it not? After all, that was the reason why
you were cursed. Oh, how you disgust me. To tell you the truth, just talking with you like this makes me want to vomit!"

"Shut up, shut up....just...shut...up!"

"Like hell I will! Think about it once more. About what you really are. Wait, I was mistaken. I should be the one to tell you what you really are, shouldn't I? After all, there's
still the answer left for your question, 'What she was in the past'.

Don't say it. Whispered Fear. Haruaki thought the same. But, that didn't stop the word from coming out of her mouth.

"[Fear-in-Cube]. It was developed during the period when the pagans were being hunted down. She---that thing---is just an Universal torture-execution instrument."

"Stoooooooooooop!!"

"I can't help but to burst out laughing at that wonderful scream. C'mon now, you've committed sins. You sinned by executing countless innocent people with torture. That
curse which made you personify is the vindication of your sins. You have to take the punishment as you should, don't you? You have to be silent and accept the fact that
a thing like you should be destroyed when you became unnecessary."

Haruaki clenched his fists. He just can't accept those words.
He wanted to say something. He wanted to ask her if she knew the strong determination needed to accept the fact that they're not just a tool anymore and live with the curse
that was branded to them. To accept their unfortunate fate that they have to feel the pain of what they did in the past.

"If you have no intention of resisting, that is also fine with me. Just the thought of destroying another hateful Warth is a pleasure in itself!"

Peevey raised her arms. There was too much distance for Haruaki to move in between them.
But, that moment, he heard a faint whisper of rustling dress behind him.

"Stay here, Haruaki-kun."

The brown-haired girl jumped in with inhuman power. Beside Haruaki stood a girl.
A girl who like him, felt a surge of anger against Peevey. Maybe, her anger was greater than his.

She jumped over the few meters of distance between them with ease. She made an attack from above which was almost at a right angle, her uniform fluttering. The woman in dress
quickly turned over and evaded the tegatana that was meant for her --- while Konoha landed between Fear and the woman in dress, her eyes blazing.
Peevey made a quick look down at her slashed skirt and made an exaggerated gesture of spreading her arms wide.

"Oh my, oh my! Why is it that no one told me there was another disgusting garbage here? I never noticed. Although it's not part of the mission, I could destroy you if you are
going to interrupt me from accomplishing my first priority. What do you say?"

"Don't misunderstand my intention. I have nothing to do with the infant behind me. Please take my action this way --- I got irritated with what you've said so I attacked you.
After all, I'm one of the ill-tempered youth these days."

Those words were spoken gently. It almost sounded like a joke. But, her eyes were still overbearing.

"If you don't want to get hurt, I advise you to leave now."

"....Hmph. I like you, girl. You look cool-headed and unyielding --- but, that's what makes me want to put you to shame. What did they call this wonderful expression
of oppositions? Was it tsundere?"

"I wouldn't know!"

Konoha raised her palm and formed a blade with her hands while covering the distance towards Peevey. The lady in dress raised her heavily armored arms and deflected Konoha's
attack with ease. Peevey countered with a hook that attacked the whole body. Konoha hastily raised her arms in defense, but the difference in their mass resulted in Konoha
being thrown away.

"You look pitiful for someone who sounded energetic just a while ago. Poor, is the only word that can describe you right now. I do not know what tool you are, but half-hearted
attacks won't do any good against me, you understand?"

Konoha had sunk-in against the nearby fence. Seeing this, Fear let out a shout against her.

"Y-You too...this has nothing to do with you. What do you think you're doing...!"

"--- You're right. Didn't you hear what I said a while ago? What I'm doing doesn't concern you so just let me be."

Konoha tried to loose herself from the fence. While she was at it, she spoke to Fear without glancing at her.

"By the way, it's something that doesn't have anything to do with me. What are you planning to do? You're cursed. That's a fact. You've been through a past that caused you to
be cursed. This too is a fact. Your life's being threatened because of it. Another fact. What are you going to do to face those facts?"

"....I wouldn't be troubled right now if I knew the answer to that..."

"You're saying that you're giving up and you're going to let her destroy you?"

"...I wouldn't like that..."

"Then, you have to fight. You have to fight in order to protect yourself. That's the natural way things go. But....I say, knowing how you feel sure is a pain."

"What...and how do you know anything. About how I feel."

Konoha whispered. her eyes were directed at her front.

"I understand how you don't want to hurt anyone. I understand that you do not want to fight. I know that the harder you try to forget, the more it comes back to haunt you.
That causes you to hesitate, even if your life was in line... Really, I feel as though I'm looking at my old self, I can't really describe how I feel right now."

Konoha stood up, took a deep breath and rushed towards Peevey. She got thrown away again but this time, she did not crash against the fence.
It was because another person that appeared in front of Fear caught Konoha's back.

"Both of you, sorry. I was kind of confused and that took me some time."

"Haruaki-kun...."

"Have you gone mad...? Get away from here! Hurry and run!"

"Er, I don't think I'll be much of a help but I suppose I could lend you my hand."

Haruaki turned away from astounded Fear and faced Peevey.

"Look here boy, what you're trying to do is a foolish act. Although I could not actively kill a person, I might not be able to help you if ever there was an unfortunate
accident. And, if it comes to you trying to help out those bitchy tools....Well, won't you change your mind?"

"Sorry, I can't do that. This girl came to our place, relying on me. I just can't say no and drive her away, can I? Besides, Japanese people are a merciful lot....Oh, and one
more thing. I got irritated by the same reason this girl wearing glasses got irritated with you. So, right now I want to make you take back all the things you've said.
I'm not fond of fights, though."

"That's funny. Would you mind telling me how you're going to do it?"

That was the problem. He looked down at Konoha, who stared right back at Haruaki.

"You...fool...this is my problem and..."

Haruaki twisted his lips as he heard those words.

"She's mumbling awful things at me. Is trying to protect her such a bad thing?"

"Though I'm not at complete disagreement...I think you're being your usual self."

"I'm not sure what you mean. Hey, I hate to ask you this since you hate to do it, but it seems that we're at odds with our current situation."

Instead of answering, Konoha just smiled and took a step. When her eyes met with Peevey, the smile was already gone from her face. The only thing left on her expression was
an earnest determination.

"If you're not satisfied with half-cooked attacks, I'll turn back into myself. For a reason, I'm trying to evade shedding blood but I won't be responsible if it would hit
you bad. I just wanted you to understand that."

"I see, so that's how you're going to play your game. It's fine with me. Oh, I forgot to ask your name, miss garbage. I'm going to need it in my report later."

Haruaki placed his hands on Konoha's shoulder. In a moment the clothes Konoha was wearing fell off the floor and---

The only thing left on his hand was a long inorganic-substance. Its blade was covered with a black sheath. It was abnormally thin and hard. It was as though the blade was coated
with a thin black metal...and, it was sharp enough to be called a sheath-blade.

Words were spoken by the cursed Katana.

"My name is Muramasa Konoha...But, I hate to be called by my surname."

She caught the heavy blow with the katana. Terrible impact passed through Haruaki's arm but it wasn't enough to throw him away.

"Relax your body like you always do...! I'll take care of your body movement!"

Haruaki replied to the voice coming from the katana that he was counting on her. Konoha, the demon blade, took over his body movement and made a step forward.
The almost-weightless blade flashed, aimed towards the enemy's body, slashing diagonally from below. Peevey frowned at the great speed of the blade but she
was able to block the slash using the elbow of her gauntlet.

"That was a good one. Now, I'm starting to have fun...! By the way, why don't you draw? I heard that the Japanese blades were awfully sharp. Am I wrong?!"

"Like I've said earlier, I despise bloodshed.... Don't worry, even if its just the sheath, it'll be really painful!"

The sheath-blade and the gauntlet crossed each other countless times. Hi-pitched sound coming from the clashing steel was starting to hurt his ears.

"It's too hard....Is it possible that something could be that hard?!"

Even though his body was being moved by Konoha, that didn't mean that he wasn't feeling exhaution. His breathing was becoming shorter. Konoha took note of his
condition, and made jump backwards as she saw the enemy's fist sinking into the rooftop floor to put a distance from her.

"Are you alright, Haruaki-kun?"

"Yeah, I can still....w-whoa!"

One careless moment and a concrete-floor fragment was flying toward his head. The katana smashed the fragment down.
Haruki thought with a shiver that he'd be already dead if Konoha wasn't moving his body.

"However, we might lose if this keeps up."

"I have an idea. If we're going to lose at this rate, why don't you try that one? That one you used once before...the [交叉法 -Kousahou-]. Though, I suppose you'll
hate to do that more than you hate being back to this form."

"Oh, okay....I'll try. I think there won't be a problem, I'll just have to be careful."

"It's not the time for you two to be having a cozy talk. You boy, helping out those garbages! You're an eyesore so I'll be really glad if you'll just die right now!"

The awkward, but symmetrically aligned balancing-toy joyfully started her violence.

Konoha parried the blows as she did earlier. But, she started to take a new action. She changed the mark of her actions within herself. It was not an attack and it
wasn't a defense either.

She started an analysis.

What needed was the complete concentration. She had to direct all of her thought on trying to find a flaw in Peevey's movement, using all the non-existent braincells
to concentrate on every single action made by her opponent. Her breathing. The line of her sight. Her posture. Her movement. Which attack would come based from which
precursor. She made a law out of them. At the same time, she made an analysis of the gauntlet's structure based from the resisitance taken from the blade. Where was its
weakest spot, structure-wise. Where was the [core] which supported the whole structure of her gauntlet. Unbelievable amount of concentration was needed to figure all of
that out.

The other thing needed was the chance. She had to join the faint precusors together, make a forecast on when the attack would come, and wait for the moment when the effect
would come to agreement with it.

(Not yet. She's still....)

She evaded the attack. Waited once again. Impatience was out of question. The law she made was constructed upon the territory within herself, between unconsciousness and
instinct. It would easily disappear the moment her concentartion was broken. She felt the gradual lost of the forecast she had made so far. But, she wasn't impatient. And---

[[Image:C3 01-089.jpg|thumb]]
(----!)

This was it. An attack which came from a certain direction and speed according to the conjecture she made from the countless precursors.
That moment was a future that she knew well, coming from her past. That was why she was able to make a pinpoint aim for the gauntlet's [core]. There, Konoha threw away
the law and conjectures she had formed and let out an attack coming from her body and soul----
Konoha turned Haruaki's hand which held the katana, and moved the unused left hand to hold its sheath. She instantaneously shifted weight, and at the same time drawn the
blade, as though it was a manifestation of its true nature.

[----剣殺交叉! -Kensatsu Kousa-]

Clashing sound of blade and sheath vibrated through the air surrounding them. The silver blade edge that came out from the sheath-blade flashed for an instant, just like a
lightning. Now, the blade already was returned to its dark sheath, making the opponent think for a moment that the flash of light she saw was just a hallucination. The counter
attack made by the katana used all of the force coming from the enemy's heavy blow, destroying the structural core of the gauntlet. Therefore, only a single blow was needed to
put an end to the gauntlet.

There was no movement coming from the blade, which stood in a posture of follow-through. For a while, silence reigned through the air----and after a few seconds, the insensitive
steel finally recognized its death and started to fall into pieces, as the last cry of inorganic gauntlet resounded around them.

"Just what....did you do? Yes, I'm mildly surprised...you bitch, bitch, bitch. I never thought that you would insult me this way."

Konoha's blade destroys only the weapon of her oppenent. The gauntlet that covered one of her arms broke, falling apart in a chain reaction. The damaged gauntlet was
left now with a big hole, exposing its inside.

There was an arm.

Naturally, there was an human limb inside. It was revealed then that the gauntlet was covering flesh and not some artificial arm----However, there was a possibility that the
gauntlet might have been the artificial arm.

Her whole arm was distorted. Its skeletal frame was abnormally crooked. Her skin looked as though it was suffering from necrosis, discolored with shades of black and purple.
there was also traces of flesh blood here and there.

"What, the hell, is that....?"

"You're questioning me what happened to my arm, although you're the one who did this. I'd say its just natural that a bare flesh covered with an ordinary gauntlet would be
distorted like this if you repetedly beat it with force strong enough to crush concrete."

"You're saying it was just an ordinary gauntlet, and not a Warth?"

Peevey raised a brow at Haruaki's question.

"I wouldn't dare to touch those filthy things! I'd rather bite-off my tongue. Though, there are some within the Knight's jurisdiction who prefer to use those. But, I do not.
That's why I'm armed with this gauntlet. To add further..."

She stared at her discolored arms with teary eyes.

"I just adore this, this pain that I receive from battle. It's very convenient indeed since I'm satisfied sexually when I feel the pain while I crush my enemies with
my hands. Don't you think it's wonderful?"

"You're insane..."

"Oh my, what a tactless remark that was. I'd say that People have different tastes and therefore you have no right to judge me. In fact, you shouldn't insult my tastes since
it occured naturally, and you can say that it's a sin caused by natural causes."

Haruaki was taken aback by the woman standing in front of him. She was plain crazy. Suddenly, he noticed that the katana he was holding was becoming heavier every minute. He
tried to ask Konoha what was happening, trying not to move his mouth. Konoha answered with a groan.

"Get hold of youself! The blood is caused by her madness! It's not your fault!"

She replied this time with an emesis. Cold sweat covered his face as he remembered that Konoha's curse was almost lifted.
the blood-thirsty demon blade was starting to lose its longing---which meant that Konoha now repulsed seeing blood, enough to cause nausea when she saw one.
They suceeded in destroying their opponents weapon, but that only brought them this destitute situation. Haruaki shuddered and raised his head, only to see Peevey closing the
distance between them. It seemed that the gauntlet left on her other arm was enough to crush them. She striked with a rough blow.
Haruaki raised the heavy blade by reflex, and miraculously blocked the punch....but---

For a moment, he wasn't sure what was wrong. Something caused him to look down.
There he saw that something was protruding from the side of the gauntlet.
It was a hidden blade which was thin and long. It reflected light towards his face.

"Eye for an eye....as the wise men say. Pretty cliched though."

Haruaki wondered what was the red liquid passing through the blade. He also wondered where it came from.
He traced back where the liquid was coming from.
Then, he knew where it was coming from...It came from his arm.
The time that he realized the blood was coming from him, his brain finally registered the pain---

The howl that came from Haruaki resounded through the rooftop. That cry caused two things to awake within Fear....and it was fear and nostalgia.

She felt that something was pulsating within her. It something that should not awaken, at any cost.
The cry of pain was nostalgic. She was disgusted with herself for reminiscing those cries. But, those vague memories which resembled a faint dream caused a definite change
within her.
(that scream) (which I thought I'd never hear again) (It was the same scream from that moment----)

There was a master of an ancient castle. There was the underground chamber which was a realm of madness. There was herself, sleeping in that chamber. She was still inanimate
back then, but her master was pleased with her. Therefore after her master was done with his [enjoyment] every night, he made his footman clean her up. The footman was the
only sane person left within that castle. Even though he vomited every time he cleaned her up, in the end she'd be shining like a brand-new appliance. And for that, she used
to like the footman very much.
The footman often talked to her while he cleaned her up, complaining about the work which he hated to do but was forced to out of need for money.

"I don't know what got into my master's head...I'm sure that this box would be happier if it was just left alone. Oh God..."

---One day, one of the maids heard the footman and the gossip about the footman's words spread within the castle in no time. Naturally, the master of the castle who heard about
the footman executed him in the torture chamber. Consequently, She was used to torture the footman.
The scream was caused by her own hands. It was a scream coming from someone she knew, from someone she liked.

"Aaaaah. Aaaaaah. Aha.......haha, ahahahahahahaha"

It pulsated. Herself during THAT time pulsated. She remembered.
During that time, she was still inanimate. The reason for an inanimate object's existence was to be used.
That was why she was happy. While she heard the footman's scream, she felt that certainty within her. Because the footman's scream certified the reason of her existence.
It made her to long for more scream----

"Aha----You're wrong----ahaha----shut up. Stop laughing----ahahaha----shut up, stop laughing, I said stop! I'm different now ahahaha different! I'm not thinking of those things aha
haahahahahahahahahahaha!"

Fear tried to stop the laugh that flowing from her mouth, punching the concrete flooring below her with a distorted expression. But, the laughing did not stop.
When she held her head, the laugh resounded through her head, instead of ceasing. She Haruaki's repeated scream.
When she raised her face, she saw that Haruaki dropped on the floor. The blade he was holding lied heavily down, and she knew that it won't be moving for some time.
Someone whispered in Fear's head that he would be killed. But, she refused to become what she used to be because she did not want Haruaki to see what she really was.
It was too disgusting, and too soiled....But, if she didn't do something, Haruaki will surely die. Fear asked herself what she should do----

That moment, Fear noticed the Rubik's cube that fell out from her pocket. She stared at the katana held by Haruaki once again. And, she remembered that Konoha fought even though
she was in the human form.

"A tool which was cursed enough to achieve the human form could still use some of the characteristics as a tool, even when it was in the human form...."

It was the same for her. She had not tried it yet, but she knew she could. Therefore she needed to.

"I, have to do it....."

She tried to convince herself. It shouldn't be that bad. She still hated what she used to be. She was just going to use a little power, while maintaining her human form. It didn't
mean that she was going to betray her decision on trying to lift the curse away from herself----

Fear did not realize that it was a compromise. She didn't knew that compromise always broke determination.
Then, all the things she was trying to push back came out inside her, just like a dam. There was nothing to hold back anymore. She only had to do what was needed.
That moment, comfortable sense of freedom shrouded Fear. There was nothing left inside her but the urge to break everything apart.

"Ah yes, that's what I'm going to do....."

Peevey saw that Fear moved to stand up. She let out a scornful laugh at her.

"Hmm, I see that you decided to stop crying now. So, what are you going to do now?"

"You're asking me what I'm going to do? Of course----"

"I'm gonna hear you scream. And I'm very excited. Ahahahahaha"
She said happily with a blank stare, holding the cube with her hand.

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter4

2010-02-15T22:18:55Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter Four: The Vallière Family */

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===Chapter Four: The Vallière Family ===

“Now then, did you just say ‘Void?’”

That night...the queen, enclosed in the living room of the La Vallière house, confessed a secret.

Duke de La Vallière was sitting wordlessly in front of the fireplace, watching the flame burn. Next to the father, two elder sisters were listening carefully with a serious looks on their faces.

Karin Desiree  was there too, she changed her mantle back to her usual duchess dress. The sharp eyes that fearsome knight of Heavy Wind had, also disappeared somewhere. An indescribably quick change.

Louise’s and Saito’s friends – Guiche, Kirche and others, due to Henrietta’s request, were taking a rest in the room nearby.

Saito and Louise themselves were sitting together on the sofa, nervously fiddling their fingers. Because Saito was severely injured by Karin’s wind magic, some body parts of his were covered in bandages. Even Henrietta’s water spells could not cure him completely.

Henrietta, who sat in the top seat, gave a strong nod.

“That’s right. Louise’s awoken element...is the legendary element of ‘Void.’”

Duke de La Vallière fiddled with his mustache for a while, then stood up slowly and approached his daughter.

Then he gently patted Louise's head.

“Your fairy tale-esque story is hard to believe. The Void element disappeared from the history long time ago. And only religious theology still asserted that ‘it existed...’”

Karin’s sharp eyes shone as she made a small cough.

“I believe it.”

“Karin.”

“My spell was canceled by Louise’s spell today... It started to shine even though I could not see any explosion. Was that the ‘Void,’ Louise?”

Louise nodded.

“It is so, Mother.”

“Hmm...”

Duke de La Vallière fell silent. Eléonore fell down on the floor.

“Void... You – void? It’s impossible to believe...”

Cattleya stood up and began to look after her elder sister.

Henrietta continued talking.

“I myself could not believe it as well. However, it is true. ‘Void’ returned and it’s not just Louise who controls it.”

The family members felt silent again.

It felt like silence lasted for an eternity.

Finally, Duke de La Vallière broke the silence.

“I would like to hear the intentions of Her Majesty’s visit.”

Taking a deep breath, as if finally setting her mind on something, Henrietta looked straight at Duke de La Vallière.

“Please entrust Louise to me.”

“She is my daughter. Her body and the mind are dedicated to you, Your Majesty.”

“There’s no need for such formality.”

Henrietta motioned to Agnes.

Then Agnes nodded and opened the big leather bag at her side and took a black mantle out. Duke de La Vallière’s eyes widened when he saw the crest shaped Lily on the purple lining.

“This is Royal family crest... young Marinanne used to wear this mantle!”

“Louise, you were already given the punishment for illegally crossing the national borders.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Wear this.”

“B-But this...”

“Yes. Wearing this, you’ll become my sister. In other words – you will be the second successor to the throne.”

“G-G-G-Gracious. Or should I say too gracious...”

“You, your power is too great. This is a huge responsibility for one’s shoulders, and the obligation to help the country this way will be remembered twice as much.”

Henrietta watched Louise with stern eyes. On wobbly legs, like frog bitten by snake, Louise received it.

Duke de La Vallière’s mouth opened wide to this unexpected Louise’s promotion.

“Your Majesty, I wish to express my gratitude for such warm reception of my daughter. No, even the biggest gratitude, cannot compare to such warm reception. However, there is something I’d like to ask Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

“Does Your Majesty know what to do with this legendary power that my daughter has? Indeed, ‘Void’ is a legend. It even was able to cancel Karin's magic, so that power is considerably strong. Did you use it in a battle during the recent war campaign?”

“This...I will reflect it deeply.”

“My daughter is neither a cannon ball nor a flaming arrow. If some bad things are done to my daughter, Your Majesty...”

“Then?”

“Then, alas, I will throw away the history of serving the Royal family for years, and cross wands with you.”

It was not the duke but the father sympathizing with his daughter. Seeing that, Saito’s chest began to throb.

Hearing the duke’s words as such, Agnes tried to pull out her sword. Henrietta stopped her.

“Then, I myself, have a question for the duke. For you as an old-time noble and the protector of this country’s pride and dignity.”

“Yes?”

“Why does war happen? We who are wise, who reign over other lord’s creations, who are more outstanding than mythical beasts and demi-humans - for what do the same family members fight against each other?”

“...”

“On countless occasions wars have happened. With our own eyes we see people important to us become injured or die. I too, caused a war blinded by revenge. The result – not only important for my people, but many other people died...parents, children, brothers and friends were lost. I myself am carrying the crime that can never be taken off my shoulders.”

“...you are not responsible for that war, Your Majesty.”

“No, under my name, everyone fought, got injured, died. If I myself don’t shoulder it, who will?”

Henrietta deeply lowered her head.

“I want to use Louise's power...for something right. But how can I, when I can’t even understand my current self yet? However, I do not intend to use it to fight. Please believe that, Duke.”

“I fear Your Majesty, that even if there is no intention to use it to fight, sooner or later time will come when it will be necessary to use it anyway. No, such strong power attracts people.”

“It is as the duke says. Now, other countries are active behind the scenes too. I want a strong power for those who try to take us. I want to put it in a hand, because I want to defend Louise from such fellows.”

“It’s exactly why I feel uneasy. There are enemies who want strong power. What if it is only Your Majesty words? Now you say you are determined, but who can guarantee it doesn't change sometime? Is there something with which Your Majesty's determination can be proven?”

Henrietta veiled her eyes embarrassed. She tried to think of something to prove her way, and gave a deep sigh.

“There is none. I will be honest, even I do not fully believe in myself. Therefore, there is no way to prove it.”

After that, Henrietta smiled. It is not a careworn, but a sincere smile that touches every person who saw it.

“Therefore I...would not want a friend whom I cannot completely trust nearside. I want a true friend who could point out my mistakes. A friend who, when seeing me straying from the path of virtue, would not hesitate to turn her wand against me...”

The old duke watched Henrietta. For a while, after looking deep into her eyes, he returned the glance back to Louise.

“Didn’t you tell your father before, that ‘the awoken element is fire?’ Was that a lie?”

Louise nodded in shame.

“It was something like that, father.”

“It is alright Louise. But it should be the first and the last time you tell your father lies.”

Then, the duke turned back to Henrietta,

“I am an old aristocrat. An old-fashioned elderly person. Things were simple, to a degree, when I was young. Loyal with honor and pride, defending only it, and there was no worry to be scorned by anyone. However...the times are different now. Now, since the power of the legend revived - old justice, old sense of values...they all might lose their meaning.”

The duke looked at Henrietta, like at his daughter.

“Your Majesty said before, that you ‘cannot believe in yourself.’ Such a doubting mind...is the best guide to enter the brighter future.”

“Father-sama.”

Louise ran up and clung to her father.

“You are growing Louise. My Louise. This father thought you would stay the same forever. However, you already started your own life.”

Father gently patted his daughter's head.

“Just father’s garrulity. Devotion is to point out mistakes. And...the courage is to admit them. True courage. Louise, do not forget. My little Louise.”

“...Father.”

“Whenever you are in trouble, always return here. Because here is your home.”

The duke kissed Louise’s forehead and quietly pushed her away. Then he deeply bowed to Henrietta.

“Take care of this inexperienced daughter of mine. I pray for the Founder’s divine protection for the road you walk.”

For a while silence followed the words...then Duchess Karin clapped hands.

“Karin.”

“The long story seems to have ended. Though it is late, let’s prepare for dinner. Though it's a poor way to entertain Your Majesty, who comes all the way here, please attend. Louise, call your friends and come; Cattleya, Eléonore, please continue your favors as host.”

Like a gracious soldier from the past, Karin briskly left the room.

Following her, the two elder sisters left. Then Louise went to call Guiche and others...

When Saito also tried to go, he was stopped by Henrietta.

“...Princess.”

Though Henrietta’s face clouded for a moment, she still was able to force a smile.

“I apologize.”

Saito’s cheeks dyed red and he looked down.

“No...there is no reason to. I did a selfish thing to begin with.”

“Courageous gentlemen are like wild falcons and stallions. They say ‘I am going,’ and they go without turning back.”

Henrietta received the mantle received from Agnes and handed it to Saito. The Chevalier's crest was sewn up on it – it was a knight‘s mantle.

“Take it back. What the queen gave once - cannot be returned.”

“But...”

Saito hesitated.

“This is not the chain that binds you. These are the wings for a falcon. It won’t hurt you to wear it.”

Henrietta said. Saito nodded and received the mantle.

Henrietta watched with tenderly smiling eyes as Saito put the mantle on.

The look in her eyes surprised Saito for moment.

The fever in her eyes that she used to show for Saito recently, was now gone.

Instead, it was a pair of lonely...very lonely but determined eyes, that understood their resolution.

When Henrietta drew her mouth to Saito's ear, and silently whispered.

“Calm down. It’s not the face you should show to the queen.”

“Eh?”

Abruptly, Henrietta extended her left hand. He won’t make mistake this time. Saito, feeling slightly nervous, gently took the offered hand and pulled it to his lips.

Then Henrietta gave a happy smile and left the room.

Like a shadow, Agnes followed her.

The meaning behind Henrietta’s words left hanging. However he could not understand it well somehow. No, it was not love. Something different.

Something different.

''As I thought, it was just her momentarily loneliness. That’s why she depended on me this much. That’s ok. But those words just now, what meaning did they carry?''

Though she was a little lonely, Henrietta was still prideful.

When Saito tried to leave as well, he was called to stop by Duke de La Vallière duke who stayed last.

“Wait.”

Saito trembled. A cold shiver went down his spine. Somehow he had a bad feeling about this.

In his mind he revived the recent event in the courtyard.

He saw him pushing Louise down in the boat, and ordered to behead him. Maybe he, as Louise’s papa, a person with high position, doesn't remember a commoner's face?

However, circumstances are circumstances. Somehow he could guess that he made an indelible impression back then. Maybe at least, Louise’s mama, Karin was not there long enough to remember?

“Incidentally, I have not heard your name.”

“S-Saito. I am Saito Chevalier de Hiraga.”

Saito added the title to his name. Maybe he would not be treated with suspicion this way.

“It’s our first meeting.”

After Duke de La Vallière's words, Saito could only feel a great relief inside.

I'm so glad. I won‘t be necessarily killed. F-Founder Brimir-sama, thank you... Saito dedicated his deepest gratitude to the founder in whom he did not believe.

“Yes. It’s our first meeting after you became Chevalier.”

In a single moment, Saito was thrown from heaven down to the depths of hell. Duke de La Vallière, placed a hand on Saito's shoulder.

“Calm down. I cannot order the beheading Her Majesty's knight of the Imperial Guards.

“T-Thank you very much!”

“However, how about a little practice before the dinner?”

The duke grasped Saito's shoulder, with such strength, that a man of his age could not posses.

“Ouch! Aiiiiiiii!”

“So that your body remembers whose daughter you are trying to wolf away.”

Duke dragged Saito away.

Happy chatter about the day's events filled the dinning room that evening. Reunion was accomplished when Agnes brought Colbert. As a bonus, Henrietta did not say no, and listened to the beaming face Guiche – everyone was amusing themselves in this fuss.

However...the dinner fest ended, and even when bed-time came too, but Saito did not appear.

“Do any of you know if something happened to Saito-kun?”

Colbert asked, but all members in the room shook their heads.

“I wonder where he went...” Kirche said.

While everyone inside was concerned, asking where he was, Saito was lying half-dead in the corridor.

“M-Move...”

Saito sighed, lying prostrated in the hall. At first, during the daytime Louise’s mama beat him up, and during the nighttime he was trashed by Duke de La Vallière – so now his body was screaming.

Though Louise mama's magic fearsome, Duke de La Vallière was truly terrifying.

The eyes full of anger even now were making Saito to tremble from head to toes.

The eyes of the father whose daughter you pushed down was really terrible; Saito could not make even a single move. And the target of that anger was Saito of course...

“...both are parent and child.”

He staggered trying to stand up but fell down.

“Right now, everyone must be happily enjoying the meal...”

Saito leaned against the wall. Outside the window, he could see the pair of moons.

However...no matter how stern they looked, both Louise’s parents loved her.

Even Louise's mother did not want for Louise to hurt badly, and because of that she made a cruel punishment, as if asking Henrietta - "Please forgive her."

Even Louise’s father was ready to throw away his duke title, to protect Louise.

“I, of course, do not have anyone to protect me like this.”

Saito complained, looking at his wounds.

“Parents...”

Saito recalled his parents, whom he had not seen for more than a year now.

When was I last protected that way... Wasn’t that back at grade-school? When, some day, school-commuting roads were set. A decided route from house to school, where one had to come and go using only a single safe road. In a word, though the purpose was to prohibit from going the other way, Saito one day chose to take a different road to return back.

It was because the usual stationery shop, where he used to always buy erasers, did not have some at that time. There was a classmate who saw Saito not using the school-commuting roads, and informed the teacher about it.

The teacher was angry at Saito.

He talked to his parents and said “Really, he is bad.”

"He’ll learn," was the only thing that his mother said. His father was a reticent salary man.

They were a very ordinary family...

Before noticing, Saito was shedding tears again.

“Huh?”

Strange – he thought rubbing his eyes.

Until now, I never cried thinking about parents...

Is it because seeing Louise’s parents’ communication reminded him of the past? However, I can’t show such crying face to Louise and others.

All alone in a dark corridor, Saito sat, hugging his knees.

“What are you doing?”

A clear, soft voice, made Saito jump up.

In her room, Louise was brushing her hair.

Until she entered the Academy of Magic, this was the room where she spent the most time and grew up. It was a large ten square room. A big bed with canopy was standing a little away from the window.

Moreover, it had a mountain of stuffed animals packed inside. A large number of picture books and a gorgeous sculpture of a vaulting horse. She said she wanted it and bought it herself some time ago...

When living in this room, she was dying to get out of this residence as soon as possible. A severe education from her mother, who seemed to only think of how to marry her out; a father, always associating with the neighborhood, and the only thing he seemed to be interested in was hunting.
Those two people, once having said she cannot learn magic. A girl who cannot do magic cannot marry off properly, they strictly said - thus, every day felt like a prison.

However, parents and the this residence was not the prison, it was the castle that protected her. Though love was not visible on the outside, deep inside she was defended and treasured.

She looked at her bed.

“...has it gotten smaller?”

''No, it is not so. During childhood, that bed felt very big, but now it looks small, because I grew up.''

''Does that furniture look a little bit nostalgic because I grew up too?''

''No,'' Louise shook her head, ''I haven’t grown up at all.''

While combing her hair with the brush...Louise was losing herself in the deep thought.

Everyone...is worried about me. Mother and father, Henrietta...

And yet I am only doing selfish things repeatedly.

Louise let out a cute sigh, looking doubtfully into the mirror.

“Hey Louise. Louise the Zero. You being a ‘legend’ cannot be the true.”

That’s what I was told.

Louise placed her cheek against the dressing table and closed her eyes.

“What...am I going to do in the future...?”

She remembered the words that she said to Henrietta before she left to Gallia.

''To persist in the “reason” I believe... I am losing, but my spirit as a noble is somewhere here.''

Louise was worried.

She did not care to pass the reason she believed. It was all fine. But, what if, as a result, many people suffer because of it? And that number is not small. ''Because my “Void” power is too strong. The justice that I carry out may cause a lot of injuries to many people. Such a thing is possible.''

''If I were a simple user of one of the four elements, I would not need to worry this much...''

“Really, what should I do...?”

Louise felt troubled.

Then Saito’s face popped into her mind. ''Just when I'm worried this much, where has that fool gone to? Is he still asleep? After all, he did not come to sit at his dinner seat. When she asked her father, who was late as well, he said that he went to sleep because he was tired and did not say anything else.''

Since their trip to Gallia, they were always accompanied by others and barely had the time to be just the two of them alone. That’s why they could not talk about a lot of things the way they used to. However, as the situations continued to change bewilderingly, they always found themselves denied of such time alone.

“If you love me, why do you leave me alone?”

Louise asked.

''But, in this residence, finding the room may be difficult, I guess. Is Saito still searching for the room I am in?''

“...really, that idiot is indeed capable to pull stunts like that.”

Louise pouted.

Then, someone knocked against the door.

“Who?”

In an instant, the heart in her chest started to beat fast when she thought about Saito.

“It’s me, Louise.”

[[Image:ZnT11-083.jpg|thumb]]

“Princess-sama.”

Henrietta's voice. Panicking, Louise ran up and opened the door. There stood Henrietta, who has changed change to plain clothes, and smiled.

Louise made a profound reverence.

“Is something wrong, Louise?”

“No...sorry for the big trouble we caused...”

''Fuuh'' - Henrietta sighed.

"It’s alright Louise. Alright. Though we had a conflict, everyone is safe. Therefore, it is alright. You just followed your reason. And I followed mine.”

“...Princess-sama.”

“Friends again?”

Henrietta smiled. Without thinking, Louise hugged Henrietta.

It was impossible to move because he was hurt, and the one who appeared in front of Saito, who was crouching in the hall, was...

“C-Cattleya-san.”

It was Cattleya, with Louise-like blond-pink hair. The second from the three La Vallière daughters was a beautiful woman with a slight sex appeal. She didn’t have Louise’s sharp look, and Saito was attracted to both her looks and the atmosphere surrounding her, so when she appeared out of the blue, he was left breathless.

“Ara, ara. So, so.”

With a surprised expression on her face, Cattleya squatted down in front of Saito.

“Those are nasty injuries... Are you alright?”

Saying so, Cattleya started checking Saito’s injuries.

“Is your head bleeding?”

She asking looking closely at his head. Then Saito’s eyes landed on Cattleya’s...body part, which, compared to her younger sister Louise’s, was developed the most...in other words - her breasts. Because of that heavenly presence, wrapped only in a light pink blouse, Saito almost died.

“I-I’m alright!”

Saito tried to stand up in panic. However, sharp pain hit him at once.

“Tte! Ouuuuuuuuch!”

“Don’t overdo it.”

Cattleya, took out the wand and began to utter an incantation.

“Come water spirits...”

The healing spell slowly cured the injuries received from Duke de La Vallière.

“T-Thank you very much!”

Flustered, Saito bowed to Cattleya. But when he stood up and tried to leave, she grabbed his arm.

“Don’t. A healing spell cannot cure you completely. You need to be treated properly.”

Cattleya gave a wonderful smile. The smile was indescribably filled with affection. Saito felt like his spirit was already healed just by seeing it.

He was very nervous when Cattleya pulled him towards her room. Saito was surprised when he was guided inside.

A flying squirrel flew right at him, aiming for his face, making Saito cry out.

“Uwaa!”

When shouting he managed to shake it off, he leaned against something big.

It was a small bear.

“D-Damn!”

He cursed trying to escape, but stumbled on something large. It was a giant turtle. Animals come near one after another, drawing closer to Saito.

“Hey, hey. He is injured, so no games.”

After Cattleya’s words, animals, which crowded around Saito, parted slowly.

It was as if the room was a little zoo. Saito recalled that time in the carriage too. Cattleya definitely loved animals.

“C-Cool!”

When he voiced out his impression, Cattleya laughed joyfully.

“Were you surprised?”

“No...”

Cattleya started searching in the drawers, and after some rustling pulled out some bandage and medicine from the inside, and began to cure Saito's injuries. Cattleya said from the bottom of her heart.

“My mother and then my father were your opponents. That’s why your body... I am really sorry. They are not bad people. They are just sometimes stubborn...”

“They are Louise’s parents. So I don’t mind.”

When hearing him saying so, Cattleya laughed. And fell into a violent coughing fit.

“A-Are you alright?”

“I am. It’s just that I haven’t used magic for a long time, so my body is not accustomed.

“Eh?”

Seeing Saito’s surprised face, Cattleya shook her head.

“Ah, sorry, sorry. Never mind that. It’s nothing really.”

“R-Really?”

“Yep. I don’t usually use magic.”

Somehow, her words were filled with kindness. Without thinking, Saito started to open up.

“Nee, nee, can you tell me stories?”

Though she was older, Cattleya seemed to talk like an innocent girl. Without hesitation, she openly gazed at Saito’s face.

“A-About what?”

“Since when you left here, various serious things must have happened. It must have been very dangerous in Albion. I was very worried, about you and Louise.”

So Saito told Cattleya about events that followed after they came to this residence to get the permission to participate in the war. The war. How he went missing. When she heard about him charging against 70,000 soldiers, Cattleya’s eyes grew wide.

“So...you went to grieve danger instead of Louise.”

“It isn’t that! I just took her place, because someone had to...”

“You are great. You did such a great feat without swaggering at all.”

Being praised by Cattleya this much, Saito felt extremely awkward.

“No that, this, that...”

“Really amazing. Louise must be happy. You are a real knight.”

Cattleya praised Saito without any ulterior motive. Being praised like this by an older woman...somehow reminded Saito of his mother.

Of course, Cattleya and his mother did not look even the slightest bit similar. But...this honest compliment was no different from his mother’s. He was not praised all that much. But he carried those praises in his memory forever.

Accidentally getting a good mark on a test...

Helping to clean the dishes...

And all those other times when mother complimented him a lot...

“What’s wrong?”

Anxiously, Cattleya looked into Saito’s face. Unnoticed to himself, Saito started to cry.

“S-Sorry! It’s nothing!”

“Though it is nothing, you are still crying. What’s the matter? Go ahead and talk to me.”

“No, really...really it’s nothing.”

No way could he say that he was moved to tears because he remembered his mother. She would think he is a wimp.

“Sorry. I just recalled something.”

Cattleya made a sorrowful face and gently hugged Saito’s head. Her faint perfume scent mixed with gentle kindness, made Saito close his eyes.

Being held close against warm Cattleya’s chest, settled his mind down. At the same time, he felt something very nostalgic.

“...why, why did I recall it now? Since I came over here, I did not remember that often. So weird.”

Hearing his absent-minded voice, Cattleya gently asked.

“Mother?”

“Yeah.”

Cattleya did not ask anything else. She just made a slightly lonely face and coughed out “Sorry.”

Though Saito did not understand the reason why Cattleya apologized...he did not think of it any further. He just kept his eyes closed, hugged against Cattleya’s rich chest...as if cradled by a deep sea...his heart calmed.

The conversation of Henrietta and Louise shared was as if one of old.

Just like during childhood the two giggled and spoke of various things.

“With the coming of summer, I often spent my time in here.”

Eyes reminiscing of the old days, Henrietta said.

“That’s so, isn’t it.”

Louise suddenly felt the need to consult with Henrietta.

“Princess, there is one thing I would like to consult you about.”

“What is it?”

Louise asked Henrietta what was worrying her.

With passing the own reason, there is a possibility of wounding someone, what should I do then? Henrietta, who became silent, listened to Louise's story... her face turned slightly serious and she nodded to Louise.

“I, too, thought about it as a queen.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Though I received the crown, I am still a greenhorn... I have to learn many things about politics. And I understood one thing: In this world fights cannot be avoided.”

“...”

“But one can decrease the loss a little. You know what I am saying? I can’t endure seeing my important people getting hurt. It is not just me. Everyone feels the same. Therefore, I try to decrease the missions where people would lose important people or get wounded because of me. This is my job as a queen. Fights and war will never disappear, but they should be reduced.”

Louise slightly nodded.

“I want to help princess with that.”

“Thank you, after all, you are my best friend. You two with Saito-dono, please continue to help me further.”

Hearing that, Louise became slightly tensed. How does Henrietta feel about Saito? Whether Henrietta noticed Louise’s insecurities or not, she smiled.

“Do not worry about him. I am sorry Louise, for what I did. I was lonely and needed a person to depend on, and I made this grieve disservice.”

“P-Princess, what...”

“He is your knight; not mine. But at least for a little while I wanted to be like ‘Louise...’ Though it all ended in a big pain and now I feel uneasy thinking about it.

“Eh? Eeh?”

Even Louise's ears crimsoned. Henrietta gave a mischievous smile.

“Nee, Louise. Some time ago, we made a promise here... That whenever we will find a person we love, we would tell each other about it. Yet, I still haven’t heard your report.”

“...t-that's...because there is no person I l-love.”

Biting her lips, utterly embarrassed, Louise said.

“Liar. You are really bad at telling lies.”

“N-Not lies at all.”

Louise slipped under the sheets and covered herself with the futon. Henrietta jumped on her and started to tickle.

“Hey Louise! Speak out! Whom do you love?”

“No...princess! I love no one in particular...hiyan!”

Tickling continued and Louise soon was tired out.

“If you are playing dumb about it, lets ask Cattleya-dono.”

“...Chii-nee-sama?”

“Yep. That’s right. In the past, from the window of this room, didn’t we used to sneak into Cattleya-dono's room?”

Henrietta’s face became one of a little girl’s, reliving old times again.

“Indeed that’s how it was. Because of princess' magic...”

“Yes. Back at that time I was using the ‘Fly’ spell.”

Henrietta took Louise's hand with a cheerful expression.

“Well then, let’s go.”

“Eh? But...”

“When in a love trouble, it is the best to ask senior!”

Henrietta pulled Louise's hand, going to the window. A mild night wind of the spring danced outside.

Henrietta, set up the wand, clasped Louise's hand and stepped out to the gentle night sky.

Saito was resting his cheek against Cattleya's lap.

“Previously... When Cattleya-san praised my courage... To tell the truth I do not know if it is mine or not.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look, am I not Louise’s familiar? When I hear her utter a spell, I feel a boost in my courage in my mind. Derf... ah, that’s the name of my sword, once said ‘Listening to the master’s spell will gain you courage, like a child hearing mother’s call reacts.’ In other words, my courage is...”

“So when you become a familiar, you gain that courage?”

“Yes. That’s why when I say to Louise ‘My courage,’ deep down, I am not very confident at all. That’s why deep in my heart I always doubt if it's me, or if it's the ‘Familiar’ who thinks like that.”

Cattleya patted Saito's head. It had a strangely smoothing effect on him, and the things that he kept hidden in the depths of his mind flowed easily out of his mouth.

“...such a mystery. Amazing.”

“What?”

“Like this, I recall mother. Though Cattleya-san doesn't look like her at all. However, it is warm somehow...”

“...I see.”

“It’s really mysterious. After coming to this world, I do not usually remember those things all that often.”

“To this world?”

Saito was startled by Cattleya’s question. He did not intend to say that he was not a human from this world. But...since it was Cattleya he could as well say that.

“I am not person from this world.”

“...I see.”

“You are not surprised?”

“Somehow... No, I did not imagine you being from a different world... But I did get a feeling that you did differ from others and that you were not a common plebeian.”

Cattleya’s words reminded Saito the words said on their previous meeting.

“It feels like you’re a completely different human from your very core. Are you?”

“Therefore, even if I’d want to meet my family, it is impossible to do so. However, I forgot about it for a long time. So why do I remember them now?”

“...maybe those feelings were suppressed.”

“Suppressed?”

“Yes. When something painful happens, human hearts tend to lock the painful events away from the mind. It’s not all that strange.”

“...”

“Surely, when you were brought to this world your mind was shocked. That’s why it locked the memories of your hometown so you would not remember them. Yet, there are ways; ways to find keys to unlock the mind...”

That’s right, Saito thought. Communication between Tabitha and her mother. Bonds between Louise and her parents... Maybe, seeing these kinds of things, the suppressed feelings were revived.
Feelings of homesickness. Feelings for his mother.

Saito shut his eyes.

“...and I am like your mother.”

Cattleya whispered.

“Ah, Cattleya-san is not my mother, you are different! And yet tears still fall. Tears...”

Trying not to look weak, Saito tried to make a joke, but it became useless, when tears started overflowing. Cattleya tightly embraced Saito.

[[Image:ZnT11-097.jpg|thumb]]

“Good child. You are a strong child.”

Saito kept on weeping.

He cried like he hasn’t cried in a long time.

He couldn’t tell how long he cried this hard.

He was pressed close to Cattleya's chest while crying...and it mysteriously relieved his mind.

It slowly settled his heart down.

“Sorry...I don’t know what came over me.”

Saito said, while rubbing his nose.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. When you want to cry, you should cry.”

“But...”

“Haah, what a sore loser you are. You don’t like showing your weakness to others, right?”

“It’s just not something a man should do.”

“So stubborn. But once in a while I think it's also necessary to depend on another too. You can‘t pent it all inside, not relying on anyone.”

Saito sighed. He was surrounded by women who relied on him. Though he was staying strong in the events...the truth was that he wanted to depend on someone too.

“...it might be so.”

“That different world... Is it possible to return there?”

“I don’t know. But, besides me, there was a person who came to this world from there, so... I may be able to return and I may be not able to.”

Cattleya looked straight at Saito.

“You will be able to return. You will be able to return, surely. And you will be able to meet your mother after some time. You will be able to return to family's origin. I think so.”

Reassuring, Cattleya said. Saito nodded.

“Thank you very much.”

“Though it can’t console – Hah, I am sorry. If only my body were stronger - I would help you to look for the way for you to return... That’s right! Though it is impossible for me to be your mother, I can still be your elder sister.”

She said out of the blue. Saito was in panic.

“I-I-If I would have such beauty as my elder sister, I would return home early every day.”

“Come on, call me elder sister.”

Saito blushed.

“T-That... There’s no need for that.”

“There is a need for such thing. Come on, say it.”

When gentle Cattleya urged him this way...Saito responded instinctively,

“O-onee-san.”

“There you go, it wasn’t so hard.”

Cattleya happily patted Saito's head.

“...yes.”

Something warm is filled his mind. There is a chance that I will never meet my family. However...there are a lot of people who are nice to me like this.

Saito rubbed his eyelids.

“There’s no time for crying. There is a fellow who is aiming for...Louise’s ‘Void’ power. That person did cruel things to Tabitha and her mother. I will not forgive that guy.” We have not met him yet, but we imagine that it may be Joseph, King of Gallia.

What kind of guy he is?

It doesn’t matter... I won’t let him lay a finger on Louise or Tabitha anyway.

We’ll return home, after this story is finished.

“Just don’t overdo it, alright?”

Cattleya hugged Saito again.

“I don’t want anything else, just you and Louise to be safe.”

That moment, a loud sound of breaking glass echoed.

“W-What?!”

“Aitatatatatatatatatatatata...”

“Not good, added too much power.”

The ones that fell into the room, were no other than Louise and Henrietta. Then they both stood up while rubbing their hips in the pain, and then both stared with astonishment at Saito.

“Ara. Saito-dono?”

“W-What are you doing in here?!”

“That’s my line! Why did you both jump in through the window?!”

Without answering Saito’s question, Louise eyes narrowed.

“Y-You are going after Chii-nee-sama now?! Unbelievableeeee!”

Flushed faced Louise charged forwards.

‘Gon!’

Louise’s jump-kick cut the three meters distance in no time and hit Saito on the temple. When Saito fell down, Louise straddled his waist and started to strangle him.

“Of all things, Chii-nee-sama! Of all things, Chii-nee-sama! Won’t allow! I won’t allow this!”

Then animals started to react to Louise’s, who was straddling on top of Saito, shouts.

Waf, waf. Bow, wow. Meow, meow. Gao, gao. Buh, buh.

It was as if a lot of animals that began to lean on Saito were asking – “Can we play too?”

“Mgh...”

Saito’s consciousness started to slip away.

Louise looked down at Saito, who fainted, with demonic eyes.

“There’s no time to sleep!”

“Louise, Louise! You should not kick gentlemen like this!”

As might be expected, because Saito was kicked, Henrietta stepped in to end this.

Cattleya started to laugh out loud.

“Stop Louise. I did not try to take away your sweetheart.”

“He’s not my sweetheart! It’s different!”

Crimsoned, Louise waved her hand.

“...That, I only thought about dangers awaiting Chii-nee-sama. That was my only thought.”

“I only cured his injuries. Really.”

“...I did not miss this guy’s look. This fellow has absent-mindedly implanted his face in Chii-nee-sama’s cleavage. F-f-face buried between C-Chii-nee-sama’s breasts! H-how dare he! Chii-nee-sama’s breasts! B-b-b-b-breasts!”

In other words, Louise’s blood rushed to her head. And, because she lifted her leg for another kick, Henrietta had to step in again.

“Excuse me, Louise? Stop!”

“Stop, what for?!”

Henrietta smoothingly looked over the place and voiced her opinion with a forced smile.

“Well... umm, Cattleya-dono is just like Louise. Like her hair color. Therefore, Saito-dono has surely absent-mindedly regarded her as grown-up Louise.”

“Eh?”

Henrietta‘s simple words made Louise think.

“It’s hard to believe! That sort of...!”

Though Louise said that, waves of happiness filled her heart.

“Louise is really lucky, to have such great gentleman's feelings dedicated to her.”
Cattleya added with the smile as well.

“S-s-s-such a bother.”

Embarrassed, Louise mumbled.

Later that night...laying unconscious Saito on the sofa, the three noble girls slept in one bed after a long time. Cattleya in the center, Louise on the left and Henrietta on the right.

“It has been such a long time since all three of us slept like this.”

Henrietta said in a cheerful voice.

“During the summers, Your Majesty used to visit our home a lot.”

“Yes. During those days I was really happy. Because every day there wasn’t a thing to worry about…”

Looking distant, Henrietta said.

“We used to play a lot.”

“Oh Louise. In any case, we came to Cattleya-dono for some questions.”

The three girls were laughing and chatting happily for a while.

In the course of time, the conversation moved to Louise and Saito's relationship.

“Hey Louise, why are you always so violent towards Saito-dono?”

“N-not always.”

When asked by Cattleya Louise denied it, blushing hard.

“Always.”

Henrietta noted, making Louise even more perplexed.

“P-princess only witnesses the worst moments!”

Henrietta let out a loud sigh.

“Haah, it is not hard to hate that. But I guess since Saito-dono is so occupied with Louise, it is alright.”

“As an older sister I do not agree with that. Such usual nastiness may make him run away. For example, remember what happened to elder sister Eléonore?”

In Louise’s mind, the image of her eldest sister, whose engagement was canceled, popped up.

“It is alright to allow gentlemen to act on their own once in a while. When you are angry at him just for speaking with other girls, he will end up disgusted in the course of time. It’s not just me. I do not want to see Louise taking older sister’s place in being disappointed with love.”

“D-don’t question such things! He is madly in love with me!”

Like a child she shouted, but Cattleya only shook her head to that.

“There is no mind of a person who would not change. Leave him swimming space from time to time. If you do so, he will still return to the person he loves the most in the end.”

Louise became silent.

Things that Chii-nee-sama say are always correct.

Maybe she is indeed not giving him enough space.

Henrietta and Cattleya continued to give Louise advices one after another.

The chatter of three girls continued throughout the night.

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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter3

2010-02-15T22:15:15Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter Three: Karin the Heavy Wind */

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===Chapter Three: Karin the Heavy Wind===

It was the morning of the second day since leaving Tristain when the Queen's carriage crossed the drawbridge of the La Vallière residence. Since it was a low-profile visit, other than Agnes and Colbert, there were only five musketeers guarding the wagon.

As the party passed the bridge and gates, the servants who gathered there rejoiced. The flagpole in the front yard had the Lilies emblem, the arms of the Tristanian royal family, on it. A small courtesy for the incognito queen.

When Agnes got off the horse, she opened the door of the carriage.

The armor of a magic knight was seen in the center of the stairs that continued to the castle. Agnes squinted at it.

“What’s the matter, commander?”

Then Henrietta saw the knight who stood at the center of the stairs, and gasped in surprise.

“That’s the armor of the Manticore Corps.”

Indeed, the armor had the big black mantel with the Manticore Corps' emblem sewn on it.

“But the Manticore Corps works at the castle now. Besides, that shuttlecock decoration… That hat belongs to a commander.”

“But the body is too thin to be De Cesaire.”

“Perhaps it’s not his to begin with.”

The knight slowly went down stairs. Musketeers, surrounding the Queen, watched the figure intensely with their hands on their guns.

Then Agnes took one step forth and blocked the knight’s path. The lower half of his face, under the knight's hat decorated with shuttlecock, was covered with an iron mask. Feeling intense pressure for the moment, Agnes grasped the handle of her sword.

“Are you a friend of Duke de La Valliere? To go out to meet Her Majesty like this - it’s too much even for a prank. Introduce yourself.”

However, the knight ignored Agnes's words, and knelt down on one knee in respect.

“It's been a long time, Your Majesty. However, you will surely not remember me, because it has been good 30 years since the last time I served the castle.”

“Umm…”

Henrietta, with an open-jaw, looked at the knight. Indeed, though the mantle's colors faded a lot over the years, it was still nicely kept - neither stain nor tear could be found.

“I am Karin, the former commander of the Manticore corps. However, even though I introduced myself with a different name back then, my loyalty for the royal family has not changed.”

Henrietta had heard about the former commander of Manticore Corps, so her face turned pale.

“Then, you are Karin the Heavy Wind?!”

“Yes, I am honored that you know the name.”

“Of course I know – you are infamous! Agnes, this is Karin the Heavy Wind, the legendary magic knight commander! I grew up hearing about her heroic adventures!”

Henrietta had the face of a starry-eyed little girl as she took Karin’s hand.

“I had yearned to meet you so much since childhood! Fire dragon extermination! Rescue of a city attacked by orcs… Gorgeous use of weapons! Presence massive as a mountain! Ages when nobles were still noble, and true knights. A lot of knights respect you and try to be just like you!”

“It’s embarrassing.”

“What would you say?! I-I know all your adventures by memory! You are a woman, right? After you retired, though, I heard that you disappeared like the wind, but you were with La Vallières. What are you doing now?”

Karin removed her mask abruptly. Seeing her face, Henrietta’s eyes almost popped from their sockets.

“Duchess! You are the Duchess!”

Agnes was surprised too.

“Then, this…”

“In other words, I am the Duchess de La Vallière – the mother of Louise…”

“I took the opportunity to marry and took off my armor. But it is a long story since that time, so please pardon me.”

“I understand, but why…”

Henrietta wanted to ask why she now wore the armor that she previously took off.

Karin stood up straight.

“For today, I am not the Duchess Karin. I am Karin, the former commander of the Manticore Corps, who respects the rule of steel. And I will punish that law breaking daughter of mine. This will be the proof of my loyalty to Your Majesty and family.”

“Punishment?! Heavy Wind’s punishment on Louise?!”

Henrietta watched Karin in deep shock, shaking her head. Her face turned pale. She came here with the intention to punish Louise, so her feelings withered for a moment. But this person would give a much more severe punishment than she herself intended to. Should the punishment be dealt, Louise would die for sure!

“You should not be violent! I came here to deal with Louise’s punishment myself. Because I am young, at first I was resented. However, I thought about it a lot. Though Louise passed national borders certainly without my permission… I am also worried about it as a friend too. Just a strong reprimand will do, I do not intend to give a violent penalty.”

“Your Majesty, your words are kind, and you feel regretful. However, Your Majesty's royal prerogative is of the sacred nonaggression given by the Founder. Thus, you have to protect the laws of the country promulgated in that name, too.”

Karin quickly raised her right hand. From the shade of the castle, a huge, black shadow flew. A strong dust storm rose as it touched the ground.

It was an old and huge mythical beast, the Manticore.

“If the laws of the country that should be respected are neglected, Your Majesty should keep her royal principles. But because the law-breaker is my own daughter, I cannot forgive it all the more.”

Karin effortlessly flew up fifty meters and straddled the manticore.

“K-Karin-dono!”

The Manticore flapped its huge wings. And, with amazing speed, the mythical beast flew up to the sky with its master.

La Vallière's castle is closer to the border of Germania than the capital. After passing the nation's borders at three o'clock, they could already see the high steeples of the castle.

“H-Hey Louise… Your mother is really the Heavy Wind of the Manticore Corps?”

Saito opened his mouth, breaking the heavy silence. However, Louise did not say a thing. Those days, Louise passed her time trembling and staring at the ceiling.

“As good as thirty years passed, maybe she's changed? Nah? It is not unreasonable that the scary knight of the past mellowed out over the years. Even if you say punishment, I think you will be just grounded, at most.”

“…You don’t understand.”

Louise said in the voice of someone at her own execution.

“Violence is part of youth, no human can keep it steady forever,”

Montmorency rationalized.

“…You just don’t understand.”

“Don't worry so much.”

“…Saying so plainly, my mother. That person…”

After those words, everyone in the wagon felt nervous. It became impossible for Saito to bear the tension, and he laughed aloud. Mere bravado.

“Ahahaha! Worrying this much!”

“Really! Even if she was the legendary Heavy Wind, she may just be a Duchess now! Refined by society, she may have completely forgotten the dust and dirt of the battlefield!”

At that time, Tabitha pointed to the window,

“A manticore-riding knight.”

Louise suddenly sprung to her feet, and as if overtaken by panic, broke the window of the carriage and flew outside.

Gooooooooooooooooo!
　
A huge tornado appeared and followed Louise’s tracks.

“W-What’s that?!”

The moment when Saito was dumb-founded… the tornado enlarged and hit the entire carriage with enormous power. The violent power blew off the harness that tied horses to the wagon and sucked it and the horses in, lifting them up into the sky.

“What’s thaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!”

Saito shouted.

“Giyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Guiche screamed.

“Uwaaaaaaaaaaaa!”

Malicorne bellowed.

“Nooooooooooooooooooooo!”

Montmorency cried.

“I give uuuup…”

Kirche complained.

“…”

Tabitha was silent.

It was as if a huge hand made of wind grabbed the carriage and lifted it up. Six people in the wagon were shaken like a cocktail in a shaker.

“Aii! Dee! Giyaaa!”

The six screaming people were hitting walls, seats, and each other. Then the tornado stopped abruptly and the wagon fell to the ground.

“Falling! Falling! Falling!”

''Is this how it feels to be in a lift that had its cable cut?'' Saito had a thought dumbly as the carriage was casually floated in the air.

The knight had placed the “Levitation” spell on them.

Though the wagon slowly landed, the party was lying scattered and worn out inside the carriage.
　
Saito desperately thinking, crawled out of the wagon. Louise was lying shaking on the ground.

“Lou-i-se!”

Though he tried to shout and run up to her, but he could not move well.

Riding atop a huge manticore, the knight wearing a black mantle appeared. That must be Louise’s mama. However, she was frightening. Standing there, it looked like “stern” was the character of this knight and that “fear” was deeply em-blazed in this armored doll-like figure.

Then she stopped at the fallen Louise and called out her daughter.

“Get up, Louise.”

Louise raised herself.

“Mother-sama…”

She was shaking violently as if suffering from a strong cold. Like a small dog threatened by a big German shepherd. Though Louise could be scary when she is angry too, this had a completely different feeling to it – it was like comparing bear to a rat.

“You. Report what you have broken to your mother.”

“That…b-border without permission, umm…”

“I cannot hear you.”

“B-Border crossing without permission.”

The tornado flew. It caught Louise and threw her two hundred meters up into the sky, and once she started falling down, the wind started spinning her around like a tiny fallen leaf.

“Is this what your mother taught you?”

Her pink hair was disheveled and her skirt was blown off somewhere, revealing her underwear in their full glory, but it was not the place for Louise to feel shy about it.

“I-I’m sorry for breaking the laws of the country! But there were excruciating circumstances!”

The knight extended the wand.

“Your little good deeds do not matter much in this respect. Whatever the circumstances are, the law has been broken. As a result, it can make a lot more people unhappy.”

The storm blew hard against Louise.

Not able to look at this anymore, Saito ran up to stand in front of Louise.

“P-Please stop!”

“And you are?”

Wearing black mantle, her lower half of the face hidden behind the mask, Karin asked Saito.

“Well…umm, Louise’s familiar.”

“Aah!”

Karin nodded.

“You were the boy accompanying Louise the other day. So, you were a familiar.”

Saito then knelt on the ground and took Louise in his arms, trying to wake her up.

“Hey! Are you alright? Are you alive?”

“Fhn… mou, no…fhn”

Louise’s eyes were still spinning and she looked out of shape. It hardly could be otherwise. It was like she was thrown into a huge washing machine– washed, rinsed, dried and blown. Even the prettiest girl in the country would look a mess after such ride.

Karin set up the wand again.

“W-Wait! Can’t you stop for now! Louise is already worn-out!”

Seeing Saito acting like this, Guiche called out.

“Stop it, Saito. It’s the problem between family members. Are you tired of living?”

Karin quietly watched Saito.

“A familiar is their master’s shield. For that reason, the shield needs to be blown off. No hard feelings I hope?”

A huge tornado appeared behind Karin. It was almost on the same size as the one that blew the wagon. Saito grasped Derflinger. The runes on his left hand started to shine.

[[Image:ZnT11-059.jpg|thumb]]

“Hey Derf.”

“What?”

“Is it bad?”

Saito pointed at the huge tornado.

“It is bad. It isn’t just a wild tornado. The layer of the vacuum narrows around it and will cut deeply if touched. Frightening square spelling…”

There was no time to hear the explanation.

It leaped right at him and Saito, aiming the sword forward, received it at once.

“Stop! Run away!”

Though Derflinger shouted, there was no time. Long, deep cuts, as if done by innumerable sharp razors, appeared all over Saito’s body.

“H-Huuuuuuuuurts!”

“Told you so! This fellow is a ‘Cutter Tornado!’ Before I can inhale it, you will be cut to pieces!”

Though Saito was soaking with blood, he did not move an inch.

Confused and paralyzed with fear, Louise’s eyes caught the sight of wounded Saito. In an instant, the mind that was dyed with the pure white of fear a few moments ago now blazed with anger like a raging fire.

Normally, Louise would never rebel against her mother. She grew up disciplined like that.

Without thinking, Louise lifted her wand and recited the "Void" spell.

Once the sounds of uttering spell reached Karin’s ears, she slightly puckered up her brows. She never heard of such spell. It was not fire. Not water. Nor wind. It wasn’t even an earth spell.

Louise rejected the wand and lowered it. The rampaging "Cutter Tornado," that engulfed Saito, started to shine.

Not used to such light, Karin flinched for a split of the second.

What on earth was that spell, which her daughter cast?

Though the preparation time was short, it was still strong enough to cancel her own spell.

Louise’s "Dispel Magic" made her mother’s "Cutter Tornado" vanish…

When Karen finally recovered from the shock and started to utter an incantation again, something pressed against her back.

“Please stop it! That’s enough! Please stop!”

It was Henrietta who rode with the horse all the way from La Vallière castle. Agnes was right behind her.

“I won’t tolerate any more fights in front of me! Moreover, you are a parent and a child! If you want to continue, you’ll have to turn your wand against me!”

Following the queen’s words, Karin put down the wand. Louise and Saito, who already reached the limit of their physical strength and energy, both crumbled to the ground.

Henrietta ran up to the fallen Saito.

“You are badly injured!”

Panicking, she started to recite the water magic spell. Saito's injuries were healed by queen’s "Healing." Saito lifted up his bloody face.

“Princess-sama…”

“Don’t talk! You are badly hurt!”

Henrietta recited another water magic in succession.

“Louise…”

Henrietta's cheek trembled.

“It’s alright – she is safe. Her friend is looking after her.”

It was Montmorency who left the wagon and now was tending Louise.

“I see…” muttered Saito and fainted.

Next to the tending Henrietta, Karin knelt down

“Your Majesty, I punished my sinful daughter. Hope you will show greater punishment than mine.”

Henrietta let out a long sigh.

“Mo! What is that! You! When child and parent point their wands at each other – it makes Founder Brimir grieve! Didn’t I tell that I did not intend to give any punishment since the very beginning!”

“Solving everything with wands - is the way of old nobles.”

“Unnecessarily bloodshed is what I hate the most! You there! Quick, carry these two injured people to the residence!”

Following Henrietta's orders, Guiche and others put "Levitation" on Louise and Saito and started to carry them to the castle.

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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter4

2010-02-15T22:09:51Z

Shortykilz: /* Chapter Four: The Vallière Family */

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===Chapter Four: The Vallière Family ===

“Now then, did you just say ‘Void?’”

That night...the queen, enclosed in the living room of the La Vallière house, confessed a secret.

Duke de La Vallière was sitting wordlessly in front of the fireplace, watching the flame burn. Next to the father, two elder sisters were listening carefully with a serious looks on their faces.

Karin Desiree  was there too, she changed her mantle back to her usual duchess dress. The sharp eyes that fearsome knight of Heavy Wind had, also disappeared somewhere. An indescribably quick change.

Louise’s and Saito’s friends – Guiche, Kirche and others, due to Henrietta’s request, were taking a rest in the room nearby.

Saito and Louise themselves were sitting together on the sofa, nervously fiddling their fingers. Because Saito was severely injured by Karin’s wind magic, some body parts of his were covered in bandages. Even Henrietta’s water spells could not cure him completely.

Henrietta, who sat in the top seat, gave a strong nod.

“That’s right. Louise’s awoken element...is the legendary element of ‘Void.’”

Duke de La Vallière fiddled with his mustache for a while, then stood up slowly and approached his daughter.

Then he gently patted Louise's head.

“Your fairy tale-esque story is hard to believe. The Void element disappeared from the history long time ago. And only religious theology still asserted that ‘it existed...’”

Karin’s sharp eyes shone as she made a small cough.

“I believe it.”

“Karin.”

“My spell was canceled by Louise’s spell today... It started to shine even though I could not see any explosion. Was that the ‘Void,’ Louise?”

Louise nodded.

“It is so, Mother.”

“Hmm...”

Duke de La Vallière fell silent. Eléonore fell down on the floor.

“Void... You – void? It’s impossible to believe...”

Cattleya stood up and began to look after her elder sister.

Henrietta continued talking.

“I myself could not believe it as well. However, it is true. ‘Void’ returned and it’s not just Louise who controls it.”

The family members felt silent again.

It felt like silence lasted for an eternity.

Finally, Duke de La Vallière broke the silence.

“I would like to hear the intentions of Her Majesty’s visit.”

Taking a deep breath, as if finally setting her mind on something, Henrietta looked straight at Duke de La Vallière.

“Please entrust Louise to me.”

“She is my daughter. Her body and the mind are dedicated to you, Your Majesty.”

“There’s no need for such formality.”

Henrietta motioned to Agnes.

Then Agnes nodded and opened the big leather bag at her side and took a black mantle out. Duke de La Vallière’s eyes widened when he saw the crest shaped Lily on the purple lining.

“This is Royal family crest... young Marinanne used to wear this mantle!”

“Louise, you were already given the punishment for illegally crossing the national borders.”

“Y-Yes!”

“Wear this.”

“B-But this...”

“Yes. Wearing this, you’ll become my sister. In other words – you will be the second successor to the throne.”

“G-G-G-Gracious. Or should I say too gracious...”

“You, your power is too great. This is a huge responsibility for one’s shoulders, and the obligation to help the country this way will be remembered twice as much.”

Henrietta watched Louise with stern eyes. On wobbly legs, like frog bitten by snake, Louise received it.

Duke de La Vallière’s mouth opened wide to this unexpected Louise’s promotion.

“Your Majesty, I wish to express my gratitude for such warm reception of my daughter. No, even the biggest gratitude, cannot compare to such warm reception. However, there is something I’d like to ask Your Majesty.”

“What is it?”

“Does Your Majesty know what to do with this legendary power that my daughter has? Indeed, ‘Void’ is a legend. It even was able to cancel Karin's magic, so that power is considerably strong. Did you use it in a battle during the recent war campaign?”

“This...I will reflect it deeply.”

“My daughter is neither a cannon ball nor a flaming arrow. If some bad things are done to my daughter, Your Majesty...”

“Then?”

“Then, alas, I will throw away the history of serving the Royal family for years, and cross wands with you.”

It was not the duke but the father sympathizing with his daughter. Seeing that, Saito’s chest began to throb.

Hearing the duke’s words as such, Agnes tried to pull out her sword. Henrietta stopped her.

“Then, I myself, have a question for the duke. For you as an old-time noble and the protector of this country’s pride and dignity.”

“Yes?”

“Why does war happen? We who are wise, who reign over other lord’s creations, who are more outstanding than mythical beasts and demi-humans - for what do the same family members fight against each other?”

“...”

“On countless occasions wars have happened. With our own eyes we see people important to us become injured or die. I too, caused a war blinded by revenge. The result – not only important for my people, but many other people died...parents, children, brothers and friends were lost. I myself am carrying the crime that can never be taken off my shoulders.”

“...you are not responsible for that war, Your Majesty.”

“No, under my name, everyone fought, got injured, died. If I myself don’t shoulder it, who will?”

Henrietta deeply lowered her head.

“I want to use Louise's power...for something right. But how can I, when I can’t even understand my current self yet? However, I do not intend to use it to fight. Please believe that, Duke.”

“I fear Your Majesty, that even if there is no intention to use it to fight, sooner or later time will come when it will be necessary to use it anyway. No, such strong power attracts people.”

“It is as the duke says. Now, other countries are active behind the scenes too. I want a strong power for those who try to take us. I want to put it in a hand, because I want to defend Louise from such fellows.”

“It’s exactly why I feel uneasy. There are enemies who want strong power. What if it is only Your Majesty words? Now you say you are determined, but who can guarantee it doesn't change sometime? Is there something with which Your Majesty's determination can be proven?”

Henrietta veiled her eyes embarrassed. She tried to think of something to prove her way, and gave a deep sigh.

“There is none. I will be honest, even I do not fully believe in myself. Therefore, there is no way to prove it.”

After that, Henrietta smiled. It is not a careworn, but a sincere smile that touches every person who saw it.

“Therefore I...would not want a friend whom I cannot completely trust nearside. I want a true friend who could point out my mistakes. A friend who, when seeing me straying from the path of virtue, would not hesitate to turn her wand against me...”

The old duke watched Henrietta. For a while, after looking deep into her eyes, he returned the glance back to Louise.

“Didn’t you tell your father before, that ‘the awoken element is fire?’ Was that a lie?”

Louise nodded in shame.

“It was something like that, father.”

“It is alright Louise. But it should be the first and the last time you tell your father lies.”

Then, the duke turned back to Henrietta,

“I am an old aristocrat. An old-fashioned elderly person. Things were simple, to a degree, when I was young. Loyal with honor and pride, defending only it, and there was no worry to be scorned by anyone. However...the times are different now. Now, since the power of the legend revived - old justice, old sense of values...they all might lose their meaning.”

The duke looked at Henrietta, like at his daughter.

“Your Majesty said before, that you ‘cannot believe in yourself.’ Such a doubting mind...is the best guide to enter the brighter future.”

“Father-sama.”

Louise ran up and clung to her father.

“You are growing Louise. My Louise. This father thought you would stay the same forever. However, you already started your own life.”

Father gently patted his daughter's head.

“Just father’s garrulity. Devotion is to point out mistakes. And...the courage is to admit them. True courage. Louise, do not forget. My little Louise.”

“...Father.”

“Whenever you are in trouble, always return here. Because here is your home.”

The duke kissed Louise’s forehead and quietly pushed her away. Then he deeply bowed to Henrietta.

“Take care of this inexperienced daughter of mine. I pray for the Founder’s divine protection for the road you walk.”

For a while silence followed the words...then Duchess Karin clapped hands.

“Karin.”

“The long story seems to have ended. Though it is late, let’s prepare for dinner. Though it's a poor way to entertain Your Majesty, who comes all the way here, please attend. Louise, call your friends and come; Cattleya, Eléonore, please continue your favors as host.”

Like a gracious soldier from the past, Karin briskly left the room.

Following her, the two elder sisters left. Then Louise went to call Guiche and others...

When Saito also tried to go, he was stopped by Henrietta.

“...Princess.”

Though Henrietta’s face clouded for a moment, she still was able to force a smile.

“I apologize.”

Saito’s cheeks dyed red and he looked down.

“No...there is no reason to. I did a selfish thing to begin with.”

“Courageous gentlemen are like wild falcons and stallions. They say ‘I am going,’ and they go without turning back.”

Henrietta received the mantle received from Agnes and handed it to Saito. The Chevalier's crest was sewn up on it – it was a knight‘s mantle.

“Take it back. What the queen gave once - cannot be returned.”

“But...”

Saito hesitated.

“This is not the chain that binds you. These are the wings for a falcon. It won’t hurt you to wear it.”

Henrietta said. Saito nodded and received the mantle.

Henrietta watched with tenderly smiling eyes as Saito put the mantle on.

The look in her eyes surprised Saito for moment.

The fever in her eyes that she used to show for Saito recently, was now gone.

Instead, it was a pair of lonely...very lonely but determined eyes, that understood their resolution.

When Henrietta drew her mouth to Saito's ear, and silently whispered.

“Calm down. It’s not the face you should show to the queen.”

“Eh?”

Abruptly, Henrietta extended her left hand. He won’t make mistake this time. Saito, feeling slightly nervous, gently took the offered hand and pulled it to his lips.

Then Henrietta gave a happy smile and left the room.

Like a shadow, Agnes followed her.

The meaning behind Henrietta’s words left hanging. However he could not understand it well somehow. No, it was not love. Something different.

Something different.

''As I thought, it was just her momentarily loneliness. That’s why she depended on me this much. That’s ok. But those words just now, what meaning did they carry?''

Though she was a little lonely, Henrietta was still prideful.

When Saito tried to leave as well, he was called to stop by Duke de La Vallière duke who stayed last.

“Wait.”

Saito trembled. A cold shiver went down his spine. Somehow he had a bad feeling about this.

In his mind he revived the recent event in the courtyard.

He saw him pushing Louise down in the boat, and ordered to behead him. Maybe he, as Louise’s papa, a person with high position, doesn't remember a commoner's face?

However, circumstances are circumstances. Somehow he could guess that he made an indelible impression back then. Maybe at least, Louise’s mama, Karin was not there long enough to remember?

“Incidentally, I have not heard your name.”

“S-Saito. I am Saito Chevalier de Hiraga.”

Saito added the title to his name. Maybe he would not be treated with suspicion this way.

“It’s our first meeting.”

After Duke de La Vallière's words, Saito could only feel a great relief inside.

I'm so glad. I won‘t be necessarily killed. F-Founder Brimir-sama, thank you... Saito dedicated his deepest gratitude to the founder in whom he did not believe.

“Yes. It’s our first meeting after you became Chevalier.”

In a single moment, Saito was thrown from heaven down to the depths of hell. Duke de La Vallière, placed a hand on Saito's shoulder.

“Calm down. I cannot order the beheading Her Majesty's knight of the Imperial Guards.

“T-Thank you very much!”

“However, how about a little practice before the dinner?”

The duke grasped Saito's shoulder, with such strength, that a man of his age could not posses.

“Ouch! Aiiiiiiii!”

“So that your body remembers whose daughter you are trying to wolf away.”

Duke dragged Saito away.

Happy chatter about the day's events filled the dinning room that evening. Reunion was accomplished when Agnes brought Colbert. As a bonus, Henrietta did not say no, and listened to the beaming face Guiche – everyone was amusing themselves in this fuss.

However...the dinner fest ended, and even when bed-time came too, but Saito did not appear.

“Do any of you know if something happened to Saito-kun?”

Colbert asked, but all members in the room shook their heads.

“I wonder where he went...” Kirche said.

While everyone inside was concerned, asking where he was, Saito was lying half-dead in the corridor.

“M-Move...”

Saito sighed, lying prostrated in the hall. At first, during the daytime Louise’s mama beat him up, and during the nighttime he was trashed by Duke de La Vallière – so now his body was screaming.

Though Louise mama's magic fearsome, Duke de La Vallière was truly terrifying.

The eyes full of anger even now were making Saito to tremble from head to toes.

The eyes of the father whose daughter you pushed down was really terrible; Saito could not make even a single move. And the target of that anger was Saito of course...

“...both are parent and child.”

He staggered trying to stand up but fell down.

“Right now, everyone must be happily enjoying the meal...”

Saito leaned against the wall. Outside the window, he could see the pair of moons.

However...no matter how stern they looked, both Louise’s parents loved her.

Even Louise's mother did not want for Louise to hurt badly, and because of that she made a cruel punishment, as if asking Henrietta - "Please forgive her."

Even Louise’s father was ready to throw away his duke title, to protect Louise.

“I, of course, do not have anyone to protect me like this.”

Saito complained, looking at his wounds.

“Parents...”

Saito recalled his parents, whom he had not seen for more than a year now.

When was I last protected that way... Wasn’t that back at grade-school? When, some day, school-commuting roads were set. A decided route from house to school, where one had to come and go using only a single safe road. In a word, though the purpose was to prohibit from going the other way, Saito one day chose to take a different road to return back.

It was because the usual stationery shop, where he used to always buy erasers, did not have some at that time. There was a classmate who saw Saito not using the school-commuting roads, and informed the teacher about it.

The teacher was angry at Saito.

He talked to his parents and said “Really, he is bad.”

He’ll learn, was the only thing that his mother said. His father was a reticent salary man.

They were a very ordinary family...

Before noticing, Saito was shedding tears again.

“Huh?”

Strange – he thought rubbing his eyes.

Until now, I never cried thinking about parents...

Is it because seeing Louise’s parents’ communication reminded him of the past? However, I can’t show such crying face to Louise and others.

All alone in a dark corridor, Saito sat, hugging his knees.

“What are you doing?”

A clear, soft voice, made Saito jump up.

In her room, Louise was brushing her hair.

Until she entered the Academy of Magic, this was the room where she spent the most time and grew up. It was a large ten square room. A big bed with canopy was standing a little away from the window.

Moreover, it had a mountain of stuffed animals packed inside. A large number of picture books and a gorgeous sculpture of a vaulting horse. She said she wanted it and bought it herself some time ago...

When living in this room, she was dying to get out of this residence as soon as possible. A severe education from her mother, who seemed to only think of how to marry her out; a father, always associating with the neighborhood, and the only thing he seemed to be interested in was hunting.
Those two people, once having said she cannot learn magic. A girl who cannot do magic cannot marry off properly, they strictly said - thus, every day felt like a prison.

However, parents and the this residence was not the prison, it was the castle that protected her. Though love was not visible on the outside, deep inside she was defended and treasured.

She looked at her bed.

“...has it gotten smaller?”

''No, it is not so. During childhood, that bed felt very big, but now it looks small, because I grew up.''

''Does that furniture look a little bit nostalgic because I grew up too?''

''No,'' Louise shook her head, ''I haven’t grown up at all.''

While combing her hair with the brush...Louise was losing herself in the deep thought.

Everyone...is worried about me. Mother and father, Henrietta...

And yet I am only doing selfish things repeatedly.

Louise let out a cute sigh, looking doubtfully into the mirror.

“Hey Louise. Louise the Zero. You being a ‘legend’ cannot be the true.”

That’s what I was told.

Louise placed her cheek against the dressing table and closed her eyes.

“What...am I going to do in the future...?”

She remembered the words that she said to Henrietta before she left to Gallia.

''To persist in the “reason” I believe... I am losing, but my spirit as a noble is somewhere here.''

Louise was worried.

She did not care to pass the reason she believed. It was all fine. But, what if, as a result, many people suffer because of it? And that number is not small. ''Because my “Void” power is too strong. The justice that I carry out may cause a lot of injuries to many people. Such a thing is possible.''

''If I were a simple user of one of the four elements, I would not need to worry this much...''

“Really, what should I do...?”

Louise felt troubled.

Then Saito’s face popped into her mind. ''Just when I'm worried this much, where has that fool gone to? Is he still asleep? After all, he did not come to sit at his dinner seat. When she asked her father, who was late as well, he said that he went to sleep because he was tired and did not say anything else.''

Since their trip to Gallia, they were always accompanied by others and barely had the time to be just the two of them alone. That’s why they could not talk about a lot of things the way they used to. However, as the situations continued to change bewilderingly, they always found themselves denied of such time alone.

“If you love me, why do you leave me alone?”

Louise asked.

''But, in this residence, finding the room may be difficult, I guess. Is Saito still searching for the room I am in?''

“...really, that idiot is indeed capable to pull stunts like that.”

Louise pouted.

Then, someone knocked against the door.

“Who?”

In an instant, the heart in her chest started to beat fast when she thought about Saito.

“It’s me, Louise.”

[[Image:ZnT11-083.jpg|thumb]]

“Princess-sama.”

Henrietta's voice. Panicking, Louise ran up and opened the door. There stood Henrietta, who has changed change to plain clothes, and smiled.

Louise made a profound reverence.

“Is something wrong, Louise?”

“No...sorry for the big trouble we caused...”

''Fuuh'' - Henrietta sighed.

"It’s alright Louise. Alright. Though we had a conflict, everyone is safe. Therefore, it is alright. You just followed your reason. And I followed mine.”

“...Princess-sama.”

“Friends again?”

Henrietta smiled. Without thinking, Louise hugged Henrietta.

It was impossible to move because he was hurt, and the one who appeared in front of Saito, who was crouching in the hall, was...

“C-Cattleya-san.”

It was Cattleya, with Louise-like blond-pink hair. The second from the three La Vallière daughters was a beautiful woman with a slight sex appeal. She didn’t have Louise’s sharp look, and Saito was attracted to both her looks and the atmosphere surrounding her, so when she appeared out of the blue, he was left breathless.

“Ara, ara. So, so.”

With a surprised expression on her face, Cattleya squatted down in front of Saito.

“Those are nasty injuries... Are you alright?”

Saying so, Cattleya started checking Saito’s injuries.

“Is your head bleeding?”

She asking looking closely at his head. Then Saito’s eyes landed on Cattleya’s...body part, which, compared to her younger sister Louise’s, was developed the most...in other words - her breasts. Because of that heavenly presence, wrapped only in a light pink blouse, Saito almost died.

“I-I’m alright!”

Saito tried to stand up in panic. However, sharp pain hit him at once.

“Tte! Ouuuuuuuuch!”

“Don’t overdo it.”

Cattleya, took out the wand and began to utter an incantation.

“Come water spirits...”

The healing spell slowly cured the injuries received from Duke de La Vallière.

“T-Thank you very much!”

Flustered, Saito bowed to Cattleya. But when he stood up and tried to leave, she grabbed his arm.

“Don’t. A healing spell cannot cure you completely. You need to be treated properly.”

Cattleya gave a wonderful smile. The smile was indescribably filled with affection. Saito felt like his spirit was already healed just by seeing it.

He was very nervous when Cattleya pulled him towards her room. Saito was surprised when he was guided inside.

A flying squirrel flew right at him, aiming for his face, making Saito cry out.

“Uwaa!”

When shouting he managed to shake it off, he leaned against something big.

It was a small bear.

“D-Damn!”

He cursed trying to escape, but stumbled on something large. It was a giant turtle. Animals come near one after another, drawing closer to Saito.

“Hey, hey. He is injured, so no games.”

After Cattleya’s words, animals, which crowded around Saito, parted slowly.

It was as if the room was a little zoo. Saito recalled that time in the carriage too. Cattleya definitely loved animals.

“C-Cool!”

When he voiced out his impression, Cattleya laughed joyfully.

“Were you surprised?”

“No...”

Cattleya started searching in the drawers, and after some rustling pulled out some bandage and medicine from the inside, and began to cure Saito's injuries. Cattleya said from the bottom of her heart.

“My mother and then my father were your opponents. That’s why your body... I am really sorry. They are not bad people. They are just sometimes stubborn...”

“They are Louise’s parents. So I don’t mind.”

When hearing him saying so, Cattleya laughed. And fell into a violent coughing fit.

“A-Are you alright?”

“I am. It’s just that I haven’t used magic for a long time, so my body is not accustomed.

“Eh?”

Seeing Saito’s surprised face, Cattleya shook her head.

“Ah, sorry, sorry. Never mind that. It’s nothing really.”

“R-Really?”

“Yep. I don’t usually use magic.”

Somehow, her words were filled with kindness. Without thinking, Saito started to open up.

“Nee, nee, can you tell me stories?”

Though she was older, Cattleya seemed to talk like an innocent girl. Without hesitation, she openly gazed at Saito’s face.

“A-About what?”

“Since when you left here, various serious things must have happened. It must have been very dangerous in Albion. I was very worried, about you and Louise.”

So Saito told Cattleya about events that followed after they came to this residence to get the permission to participate in the war. The war. How he went missing. When she heard about him charging against 70,000 soldiers, Cattleya’s eyes grew wide.

“So...you went to grieve danger instead of Louise.”

“It isn’t that! I just took her place, because someone had to...”

“You are great. You did such a great feat without swaggering at all.”

Being praised by Cattleya this much, Saito felt extremely awkward.

“No that, this, that...”

“Really amazing. Louise must be happy. You are a real knight.”

Cattleya praised Saito without any ulterior motive. Being praised like this by an older woman...somehow reminded Saito of his mother.

Of course, Cattleya and his mother did not look even the slightest bit similar. But...this honest compliment was no different from his mother’s. He was not praised all that much. But he carried those praises in his memory forever.

Accidentally getting a good mark on a test...

Helping to clean the dishes...

And all those other times when mother complimented him a lot...

“What’s wrong?”

Anxiously, Cattleya looked into Saito’s face. Unnoticed to himself, Saito started to cry.

“S-Sorry! It’s nothing!”

“Though it is nothing, you are still crying. What’s the matter? Go ahead and talk to me.”

“No, really...really it’s nothing.”

No way could he say that he was moved to tears because he remembered his mother. She would think he is a wimp.

“Sorry. I just recalled something.”

Cattleya made a sorrowful face and gently hugged Saito’s head. Her faint perfume scent mixed with gentle kindness, made Saito close his eyes.

Being held close against warm Cattleya’s chest, settled his mind down. At the same time, he felt something very nostalgic.

“...why, why did I recall it now? Since I came over here, I did not remember that often. So weird.”

Hearing his absent-minded voice, Cattleya gently asked.

“Mother?”

“Yeah.”

Cattleya did not ask anything else. She just made a slightly lonely face and coughed out “Sorry.”

Though Saito did not understand the reason why Cattleya apologized...he did not think of it any further. He just kept his eyes closed, hugged against Cattleya’s rich chest...as if cradled by a deep sea...his heart calmed.

The conversation of Henrietta and Louise shared was as if one of old.

Just like during childhood the two giggled and spoke of various things.

“With the coming of summer, I often spent my time in here.”

Eyes reminiscing of the old days, Henrietta said.

“That’s so, isn’t it.”

Louise suddenly felt the need to consult with Henrietta.

“Princess, there is one thing I would like to consult you about.”

“What is it?”

Louise asked Henrietta what was worrying her.

With passing the own reason, there is a possibility of wounding someone, what should I do then? Henrietta, who became silent, listened to Louise's story... her face turned slightly serious and she nodded to Louise.

“I, too, thought about it as a queen.”

“Really?”

“Yes. Though I received the crown, I am still a greenhorn... I have to learn many things about politics. And I understood one thing: In this world fights cannot be avoided.”

“...”

“But one can decrease the loss a little. You know what I am saying? I can’t endure seeing my important people getting hurt. It is not just me. Everyone feels the same. Therefore, I try to decrease the missions where people would lose important people or get wounded because of me. This is my job as a queen. Fights and war will never disappear, but they should be reduced.”

Louise slightly nodded.

“I want to help princess with that.”

“Thank you, after all, you are my best friend. You two with Saito-dono, please continue to help me further.”

Hearing that, Louise became slightly tensed. How does Henrietta feel about Saito? Whether Henrietta noticed Louise’s insecurities or not, she smiled.

“Do not worry about him. I am sorry Louise, for what I did. I was lonely and needed a person to depend on, and I made this grieve disservice.”

“P-Princess, what...”

“He is your knight; not mine. But at least for a little while I wanted to be like ‘Louise...’ Though it all ended in a big pain and now I feel uneasy thinking about it.

“Eh? Eeh?”

Even Louise's ears crimsoned. Henrietta gave a mischievous smile.

“Nee, Louise. Some time ago, we made a promise here... That whenever we will find a person we love, we would tell each other about it. Yet, I still haven’t heard your report.”

“...t-that's...because there is no person I l-love.”

Biting her lips, utterly embarrassed, Louise said.

“Liar. You are really bad at telling lies.”

“N-Not lies at all.”

Louise slipped under the sheets and covered herself with the futon. Henrietta jumped on her and started to tickle.

“Hey Louise! Speak out! Whom do you love?”

“No...princess! I love no one in particular...hiyan!”

Tickling continued and Louise soon was tired out.

“If you are playing dumb about it, lets ask Cattleya-dono.”

“...Chii-nee-sama?”

“Yep. That’s right. In the past, from the window of this room, didn’t we used to sneak into Cattleya-dono's room?”

Henrietta’s face became one of a little girl’s, reliving old times again.

“Indeed that’s how it was. Because of princess' magic...”

“Yes. Back at that time I was using the ‘Fly’ spell.”

Henrietta took Louise's hand with a cheerful expression.

“Well then, let’s go.”

“Eh? But...”

“When in a love trouble, it is the best to ask senior!”

Henrietta pulled Louise's hand, going to the window. A mild night wind of the spring danced outside.

Henrietta, set up the wand, clasped Louise's hand and stepped out to the gentle night sky.

Saito was resting his cheek against Cattleya's lap.

“Previously... When Cattleya-san praised my courage... To tell the truth I do not know if it is mine or not.”

“What do you mean?”

“Look, am I not Louise’s familiar? When I hear her utter a spell, I feel a boost in my courage in my mind. Derf... ah, that’s the name of my sword, once said ‘Listening to the master’s spell will gain you courage, like a child hearing mother’s call reacts.’ In other words, my courage is...”

“So when you become a familiar, you gain that courage?”

“Yes. That’s why when I say to Louise ‘My courage,’ deep down, I am not very confident at all. That’s why deep in my heart I always doubt if it's me, or if it's the ‘Familiar’ who thinks like that.”

Cattleya patted Saito's head. It had a strangely smoothing effect on him, and the things that he kept hidden in the depths of his mind flowed easily out of his mouth.

“...such a mystery. Amazing.”

“What?”

“Like this, I recall mother. Though Cattleya-san doesn't look like her at all. However, it is warm somehow...”

“...I see.”

“It’s really mysterious. After coming to this world, I do not usually remember those things all that often.”

“To this world?”

Saito was startled by Cattleya’s question. He did not intend to say that he was not a human from this world. But...since it was Cattleya he could as well say that.

“I am not person from this world.”

“...I see.”

“You are not surprised?”

“Somehow... No, I did not imagine you being from a different world... But I did get a feeling that you did differ from others and that you were not a common plebeian.”

Cattleya’s words reminded Saito the words said on their previous meeting.

“It feels like you’re a completely different human from your very core. Are you?”

“Therefore, even if I’d want to meet my family, it is impossible to do so. However, I forgot about it for a long time. So why do I remember them now?”

“...maybe those feelings were suppressed.”

“Suppressed?”

“Yes. When something painful happens, human hearts tend to lock the painful events away from the mind. It’s not all that strange.”

“...”

“Surely, when you were brought to this world your mind was shocked. That’s why it locked the memories of your hometown so you would not remember them. Yet, there are ways; ways to find keys to unlock the mind...”

That’s right, Saito thought. Communication between Tabitha and her mother. Bonds between Louise and her parents... Maybe, seeing these kinds of things, the suppressed feelings were revived.
Feelings of homesickness. Feelings for his mother.

Saito shut his eyes.

“...and I am like your mother.”

Cattleya whispered.

“Ah, Cattleya-san is not my mother, you are different! And yet tears still fall. Tears...”

Trying not to look weak, Saito tried to make a joke, but it became useless, when tears started overflowing. Cattleya tightly embraced Saito.

[[Image:ZnT11-097.jpg|thumb]]

“Good child. You are a strong child.”

Saito kept on weeping.

He cried like he hasn’t cried in a long time.

He couldn’t tell how long he cried this hard.

He was pressed close to Cattleya's chest while crying...and it mysteriously relieved his mind.

It slowly settled his heart down.

“Sorry...I don’t know what came over me.”

Saito said, while rubbing his nose.

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. When you want to cry, you should cry.”

“But...”

“Haah, what a sore loser you are. You don’t like showing your weakness to others, right?”

“It’s just not something a man should do.”

“So stubborn. But once in a while I think it's also necessary to depend on another too. You can‘t pent it all inside, not relying on anyone.”

Saito sighed. He was surrounded by women who relied on him. Though he was staying strong in the events...the truth was that he wanted to depend on someone too.

“...it might be so.”

“That different world... Is it possible to return there?”

“I don’t know. But, besides me, there was a person who came to this world from there, so... I may be able to return and I may be not able to.”

Cattleya looked straight at Saito.

“You will be able to return. You will be able to return, surely. And you will be able to meet your mother after some time. You will be able to return to family's origin. I think so.”

Reassuring, Cattleya said. Saito nodded.

“Thank you very much.”

“Though it can’t console – Hah, I am sorry. If only my body were stronger - I would help you to look for the way for you to return... That’s right! Though it is impossible for me to be your mother, I can still be your elder sister.”

She said out of the blue. Saito was in panic.

“I-I-If I would have such beauty as my elder sister, I would return home early every day.”

“Come on, call me elder sister.”

Saito blushed.

“T-That... There’s no need for that.”

“There is a need for such thing. Come on, say it.”

When gentle Cattleya urged him this way...Saito responded instinctively,

“O-onee-san.”

“There you go, it wasn’t so hard.”

Cattleya happily patted Saito's head.

“...yes.”

Something warm is filled his mind. There is a chance that I will never meet my family. However...there are a lot of people who are nice to me like this.

Saito rubbed his eyelids.

“There’s no time for crying. There is a fellow who is aiming for...Louise’s ‘Void’ power. That person did cruel things to Tabitha and her mother. I will not forgive that guy.” We have not met him yet, but we imagine that it may be Joseph, King of Gallia.

What kind of guy he is?

It doesn’t matter... I won’t let him lay a finger on Louise or Tabitha anyway.

We’ll return home, after this story is finished.

“Just don’t overdo it, alright?”

Cattleya hugged Saito again.

“I don’t want anything else, just you and Louise to be safe.”

That moment, a loud sound of breaking glass echoed.

“W-What?!”

“Aitatatatatatatatatatatata...”

“Not good, added too much power.”

The ones that fell into the room, were no other than Louise and Henrietta. Then they both stood up while rubbing their hips in the pain, and then both stared with astonishment at Saito.

“Ara. Saito-dono?”

“W-What are you doing in here?!”

“That’s my line! Why did you both jump in through the window?!”

Without answering Saito’s question, Louise eyes narrowed.

“Y-You are going after Chii-nee-sama now?! Unbelievableeeee!”

Flushed faced Louise charged forwards.

‘Gon!’

Louise’s jump-kick cut the three meters distance in no time and hit Saito on the temple. When Saito fell down, Louise straddled his waist and started to strangle him.

“Of all things, Chii-nee-sama! Of all things, Chii-nee-sama! Won’t allow! I won’t allow this!”

Then animals started to react to Louise’s, who was straddling on top of Saito, shouts.

Waf, waf. Bow, wow. Meow, meow. Gao, gao. Buh, buh.

It was as if a lot of animals that began to lean on Saito were asking – “Can we play too?”

“Mgh...”

Saito’s consciousness started to slip away.

Louise looked down at Saito, who fainted, with demonic eyes.

“There’s no time to sleep!”

“Louise, Louise! You should not kick gentlemen like this!”

As might be expected, because Saito was kicked, Henrietta stepped in to end this.

Cattleya started to laugh out loud.

“Stop Louise. I did not try to take away your sweetheart.”

“He’s not my sweetheart! It’s different!”

Crimsoned, Louise waved her hand.

“...That, I only thought about dangers awaiting Chii-nee-sama. That was my only thought.”

“I only cured his injuries. Really.”

“...I did not miss this guy’s look. This fellow has absent-mindedly implanted his face in Chii-nee-sama’s cleavage. F-f-face buried between C-Chii-nee-sama’s breasts! H-how dare he! Chii-nee-sama’s breasts! B-b-b-b-breasts!”

In other words, Louise’s blood rushed to her head. And, because she lifted her leg for another kick, Henrietta had to step in again.

“Excuse me, Louise? Stop!”

“Stop, what for?!”

Henrietta smoothingly looked over the place and voiced her opinion with a forced smile.

“Well... umm, Cattleya-dono is just like Louise. Like her hair color. Therefore, Saito-dono has surely absent-mindedly regarded her as grown-up Louise.”

“Eh?”

Henrietta‘s simple words made Louise think.

“It’s hard to believe! That sort of...!”

Though Louise said that, waves of happiness filled her heart.

“Louise is really lucky, to have such great gentleman's feelings dedicated to her.”
Cattleya added with the smile as well.

“S-s-s-such a bother.”

Embarrassed, Louise mumbled.

Later that night...laying unconscious Saito on the sofa, the three noble girls slept in one bed after a long time. Cattleya in the center, Louise on the left and Henrietta on the right.

“It has been such a long time since all three of us slept like this.”

Henrietta said in a cheerful voice.

“During the summers, Your Majesty used to visit our home a lot.”

“Yes. During those days I was really happy. Because every day there wasn’t a thing to worry about…”

Looking distant, Henrietta said.

“We used to play a lot.”

“Oh Louise. In any case, we came to Cattleya-dono for some questions.”

The three girls were laughing and chatting happily for a while.

In the course of time, the conversation moved to Louise and Saito's relationship.

“Hey Louise, why are you always so violent towards Saito-dono?”

“N-not always.”

When asked by Cattleya Louise denied it, blushing hard.

“Always.”

Henrietta noted, making Louise even more perplexed.

“P-princess only witnesses the worst moments!”

Henrietta let out a loud sigh.

“Haah, it is not hard to hate that. But I guess since Saito-dono is so occupied with Louise, it is alright.”

“As an older sister I do not agree with that. Such usual nastiness may make him run away. For example, remember what happened to elder sister Eléonore?”

In Louise’s mind, the image of her eldest sister, whose engagement was canceled, popped up.

“It is alright to allow gentlemen to act on their own once in a while. When you are angry at him just for speaking with other girls, he will end up disgusted in the course of time. It’s not just me. I do not want to see Louise taking older sister’s place in being disappointed with love.”

“D-don’t question such things! He is madly in love with me!”

Like a child she shouted, but Cattleya only shook her head to that.

“There is no mind of a person who would not change. Leave him swimming space from time to time. If you do so, he will still return to the person he loves the most in the end.”

Louise became silent.

Things that Chii-nee-sama say are always correct.

Maybe she is indeed not giving him enough space.

Henrietta and Cattleya continued to give Louise advices one after another.

The chatter of three girls continued throughout the night.

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