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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume15 Chapter4

2012-04-30T15:33:45Z

Zeth: /* Chapter 4: The Jewel of Fire */

===Chapter 4: The Jewel of Fire===

The Capital city of Gallia, Lutece.

As of now...... the betrayal of the southern vassals have triggered the current royalties and citizens to flee massively, similiar to the disturbance at Albion not long ago.

Suddenly titled as an "enemy of God" by the Romalia Church, this furthermores cascades the confusion of Gallian citizens. For consequtive days, strict believers of Brimir have gathered themselves at the church of Lutece, praying for a miracle.

Distancing themselves from the Gallian King Joseph day by day, the priests and preachers (,seeing not a single trace of belief in the Gallian King himself), between the factions Gallian and Romalia, cautiously make sure that their words are not biased to either side, taking a completely neutral stand in this battle.

A week since Romalia's invasion, Lutece, once delicate to every inch, has already been submerged with a dark, "end of the world" scent.

The elite Knights of the Eastern Roses' defiance and their purge...... the frightening side of these news and their dispise towards foriegn armies are the only things keeping most of its original army still fighting for King Joseph..... but the morale is at an unprecedented low.

Gallia's defeat could be foreseen by any person. Everyone have developed a genuine feeling of repulsion towards a rule under Romalia, the country about to conquer these territories.

To prove themselves not "heretics", rich merchants all, acting on their own conciousness, transport carriage-full of gold and valuables to this church, the amount of "storage" representing the amount of devotion.

Reprecentantes plebeian class, the aristocracy and the court Gallian, attempted seek a small hope of survival for this crumbling country, and became more and more lively with the start of each day.

Yet, whenever these people are at the countryside of Lutece, at the place of Palace of Versailles...... Every glance at the ruins of the collapsed Grand Troyes courts, once containing beautiful clear sky blue walls, they can't help but feel the reality that all their work is for naught.

The original owner of the collasped Grand Troyes courts, have already moved to a spot east of the main palace, the Concierge. As soon as Gallia has been declared as "enemy of God", the visiting ambassadors or councillors all fled to their own countries like rats fleeing a building on fire. Naturally, as of now there won't be any more guests coming forth, and eventually settled down at this place.

Sitting on the bed which replaced the dining hall's long dining table, Joseph quietly gazed at a old chest on the floor. A smile having no connections with the disturbance outside surfaced between his tidy mustache.

That chest, brought out warm memories beckoning to him.

Memories of childhood...... in the middle of the broad palace, a five-year-old '''Harold''' ''(Charlotte/Tabitha 's father)'' and the eight-year-old Josepf were playing a game of hide-and-seek.

Joseph, hid in this place after turning the place upside-down with effort. This is a popular chest among the commoners. Although it may not seem to have enough size to fit in a person, the storage space has actually been expanded up to 3 times its original size through magic. It's a one-of-its-kind magical tool.

Full of belief that he would not be found if he hid here, he made an exaggerated claim to his little brother. In the end....."pop", the lid to the chest was opened, Harold poking his head inside.

"I've found you, brother."

"You've actually found this place, wow"

"Heheh, I used 'detection' magic, then this placed started shining. Turns out this thing is a magical item."

"You've already learned how to use 'detection'? Unbelievable"

Harold's displaced a pleased face.

Softly, Joseph mumbled.
"If there were any chance, I'd like to see your regretting face even just once. If that were possible, then none of these ridiculous disturbance would have happened. Take a look, your favourite Grand Troyes court, has already vanished. Your loved Lutece, is already as if situated in the firey ovens of hell. Though said, these are all my work of art. I will not be swayed so easily. The betrayal of half a country does seem kind of sad, but this does not affect me at all. Actually, other than 'whatever', I don't have any other thoughts."

Then Joseph shook his head with a "Hmm....".
"Anyways I'll first turn those guys to ashes. Half a country, will be sent to your side soon. Just sit tight and wait, Harold"

Joseph sighed.
"Sigh, feels like I've become very troublesome. Originally I thought I only had to take, each street, each country, and destroy them one by one.... on second thoughts, this is actually a very tough task. It'd be better to turn them all to ashes. Of course, this Gallia would be included as well. So sit tight and build your own kingdom up there, Harold."

As he reached this point, the large doors were suddenly slammed open violently.

"Father"

Walking with wide steps, was his own daugther, princess Elisabeth. Long blue hair draped over her shoulders, a sign of royalty. Her face ,usually hanging an omnious smile, was never paler before.

"What, in the world, happened? Hearing Romalia's announcement, I had to rush back immediately from my trip at Albion. And when I come back, the entire city is a mess! I also heard that half of the country has betrayed you"

"So what?"
Joseph replied, annoyed.

".....'so what' you say? It's all because of you allying with the elves, things turned out like this. Now we've become Halkenia's public enemy, haven't we?"

"It is my freedom to ally myself with anyone I like. Perhaps, those long ears, compared to us Brimir believers, have a more complicated way of thinking. Never mind, none of these matter"

Elisabeth was scared from her father's attitude, discovered unexpectedly.

Until now, although she had once thought about, something not right, weird about her father..... today was her first day to actually experience the "other side" of her father.

Elisabeth, as far as where her memories goes, have seldom talked with her father. After her mother passed away, the distance between was seperated even more.

Before Elisabeth had a chance to find anything out of place, she had already grown up.

Their status of royalty, compared to family, as King and princess, it was valued much much more.

The growing Elisabeth was surrounded by tons of maids, butlers, playmates, she never had much loneliness in her childhood.

Of course, once in a while, there is this desire to be with her family, but she would always comfort herself with the reason that "father is busy with his works".

So in the end, other than showing up for the public every now and then, they barely had any time to see each other.

His attitude, the title of "incompetent king", rumors of murdering her uncle Harold.... these things slowly turned unimportant to Elisabeth. No matter what she desires, Joseph will definitely satisify her needs.

But now..... different from his usual, varying, difficult to approach attitude, facing him directly, has made Elisabeth tremble.

Standing in front of her, is a completely unfamilar person.

Even so, Elisabeth drew out her courage and cried out
"F-father, I do not understand at all! Isn't the country about to collaspe! What would happen to me!"

"Who knows. If you don't like it then leave this country."

Violently trembling, Elisabeth's teeth chattered loudly.
"....what, are you thinking right now, father?"

"Disappear from my sight. Looking at you feels like staring at myself, urg"

Unable to stand the frightening deep low voice's words, Elisabeth quickly dashed out of her father's bedroom.

In replacement, with completely black hair, Sheffield appeared.

"Myozunitonirun?"

"'''Vitartial/Bidashal''' has a message for you. Says that 'it' is almost complete."

Joseph smiled lightly, and stood up.

Joseph and Myozunitonirun, walked slowly towards the church deeper into the palace Versailles.

Facing the master and familiar who never brings anyone else with them, the knights guarding Versailles saluted and then bowed.

Both their hands were shaking, not because of the fact that their lord can use magic to bury traitors together with the entire Grand Troyes to his pleasure.

Instead, it's because...... for the purpose of suppressing the rebellion at the port of San Marin, the "research" going on brazenly in the middle of the palace and its crutial "researcher".

Since the start of this research, which is going to experimented on San Marin, a rumor began to spread among the knights and army.

"There are elves supporting Joseph"

At Romalia, announcing a crusade because of this reason, 'is just an excuse' to most of Versailles's nobles and soldiers. Few others know otherwise.....

The guards here realised that, contrary to popular belief, this is not any excuse.

Using the same pace as ever, Joseph, and his female officer black like a crow from top to bottom..... their destination, was Versailles's church, also the lab for the elves' frightening research.

The man dressed differently who call himself Vitartial/Bidashal, didn't even attempt to hide those long eards anymore. These kind of conversations continued to spread out in the city in clandestine.

"Romalia taking us as an 'enemy of God', you really can't do anything about it. More unbelievable is our country allying with heretics..... feels like we're having a nightmare"
The knight sighed, after watching Joseph leave. He, was excatly one of those who saw Castlemont of the Eastern Roses' betrayal. The relatively older knight next to him, was also one of the first to be alerted after those events.

"Perhaps that night, I should have followed Castlemont and left"

"Why would you think like that?"
The old knight asked his student with a soothing voice.

"If so, at least we won't be standing up against God and Founder. Compared to our founder, our lard seems to be much more interested to the elves in the church"

"It's still not too late. Like the southern vassals, just go and join the crusade"

"If you grant me permission......"
The young knight, looked towards the older one. Their conversation like one between a father and child. Letting out a sigh, the old knight said
"Without land or title of a baron, people like me living only on our salary, what can we do after we leave the kingdom"

That is, very true to most aristocrats of the Gallian army as well. Such giant events happening within their country's own borders, it is not possible to have no complaints at all. However, all of them rely on their country. Even if they were to join the crusade, there's no one in Romalia to guarantee their status. Those of lower status, may even be interrogated with torture for being a heretic.

Similarly an aristocrat, but those with land and actual power, unlike military men like them, their standing are completely different.

Recalling the day he was knighted, the old aristocrat scrunched his eyes and said
"Listen well. Swearing for loyalty, is nothing but just that. You won't have peace anyhow. We, in meaning, were a part of this kingdom a long time ago."

"Yes"
The young knight replied without any signs of grimace.

"Like always, just focus on guarding this place. In reality our existance is nothing more than seaweed on the bottom of a ship. But.... seaweed won't dry out. No matter the ship is sailing smoothly, or is sinking right now, the seaweed will always be attached on this ship."

The old knight looked far away.

"Frandal, everything will be fine as long as you do your part quietly. That's how I survived from the battlefields."

While walking, Myozunitonirun gave Joseph a report of everything that happened this week.

"About not finding Castlemont's dead body.... it seems like he's still alive. Most likely mixed in the army placed by the river Lelion."

"Is that so"

"He may try and contact with Charlotte. I believe we should take action as soon as possible....."

Joseph shook his head
"There's no need"

"Why?"

"Because despair has the greated effect when you're drowned in hope. Let those guys dreaming 'maybe bringing me down' die with their hopes. Really admire them for never being able to feel this amount of despair before."
That was the thoughts from the deepest parts of his mind.

"Will do"
Afterwards, Myozunitonirun took half a step backwards, and bowed deeply.
".....I'm deeply sorry. After losing ten 'Golomontas'..... then not being able to control the riot at San Marin."
Her voice sounded really apologetic.

"About this matter, I've already heard. Don't mention it anymore."

".....But, please give me your punishments"

"Honestly, even if I were to punish you I can't think up of any. I gave my orders, you failed. Afterwards half the country rebelled. It's just that simple. How does both things relate"

"Don't you feel angry?"

"Angry? Me? If I had an emotion called anger, maybe I wouldn't be thinking about turn the entire world into ashes right now."
Joseph said with a tone of mocking himself.

"Then..... I hope you can listen to me privately. In reality, I am very anxious"
As soon as Myozunitonirun finished, she blushed. Describing the reason for her anxiousness... voicing her inner voices in public feels unbearable.

"Anxious? You? Now that's something unusual"

"Yes.....that, because I saw it..... a metal war charior with a fire power never heard of. Now I'm extremely confused. Like previous reports, a cannon excellent in every field possible bringing down our Golomontas one after another. Putting also that miraculously flying ship into consideration, the enemy may have large amouts of weaponary comparable with elven technology, this point is undeniable."

"Those weapons, does not origin from, where you came from, the 'Orient'?"

"No"
Myozunitonirun shook her head.
"We people of the Orient, although we did develope our own technology to protect ourselves against the elves, those are merely an imitation of elven technology."

"I hear it's relatively powerful"

"Relatively...... can't really say for sure. I am, after all, nothing more than a priest's daugther"

"Oh I remember something like that"
Losing his interest, Joseph turned back and looked forward again.

"Your highness, you, don't love Miss Elisabeth?"
Remembering Joseph's attitude previously, Sheffield asked her master.

"Elisabeth? How's could I. There is not a father in the world that doesn't love his daugther, to me, this is nothing but a praise for fathers. I don't see anything special between this relationship. After all, parents in this world not loving their children, there are also plenty."

"Suppose I actually loved her...."
Joseph wondered with a dull tone
"Un, I would definitely take care of her first. But I don't think she's a human that worthy to begin with. Every time I see her face I find traces of myself, so disgust always comes out first."

"No matter what she does, just don't obstruct your work. Is that it?"

"I guess that's pretty much it"

Sheffield hanged her head at the ground sadly. Joseph, who was walking alongside with her, didn't even bother to take notice.

Flowers blossomed on both sides of the road. After multiple stone paved walkways, a church with a shining sacred object on top of this pointed tower came into their sights. In front of the church, not a signle guard could be seen. It's because the person conducting experiments inside, didn't need any to begin with. These people called elves, since ancient times, have long formed a contract with the spirits of the earth. The energy of the ground, can be called as the most powerful existance ever.

Joseph and Myozunitonirun just stepped into the church, already a bone chilling wind welcomes them. Apparantly it's the beginning of summer, this wacky wind doesn't seem like a product of the building structure itself either.

Joseph, lightly sneezed.

"Have you already noticed?"
Myozunitonirun asked.

"Unn, although not as apparant to me than to you. Looks like I really am a 'bearer of the void'. Feeling the true power of the enemy, my body is shaking at such a magnitude."

Deep inside the church, Myozunitonirun pulled open the veil behind the altar. What it was hiding, was a flight of stairs leading downwards.

It used to lead to the storage room of the church, but not anymore. From the look of the faint smoke coming out, it's as if there's a fire going on below.

Every step down the flight of stairs, the amount of smoke denses more.

Around halfway down, one can already see a firece burning fire deep down. Loud fire crackling sounds echos throughout the tunnel, more painful to the ears when every step progressed.

It came from a large bonfire fueling on oversided logs.

Its sides of length around 3 '''miros (玫魯)''' ''(standard Halkenia unit length, I guess)'', forming a huge square shaped pile of wood.

There were a total of four piles like these.

One placed at each corner of the room, each one of them spouting black smoke. From a crudely made hole in the wall, large amounts of air continuously poured in, making sounds like a trumpet.

More incredible was, despite the enormous amount of fire generated, there was not an inch in this basement that can be called hot. On the contrary, it was as if one was in mid-winter.

"Although I have heard most of it before, it is still one heck of a sight"

"By asorbing the heat around it, formed by condensing. The thing called, the jewel of fire....."

The inexplicable reason for the contraticting sights and temperature has been revealed. A faint smile floated on Myozunitonirun's face.

In the excat center of the room, there was a small sized altar. In front of the altar, having long, as if transparent, golden hair, the elf had his hands raised high, completely focused of chanting spells.

It's the figure of Bidashal.

"''O'Flames. O'Flames by thee contract, heed my words and reside here''"

Chanting, the so called 'elemental' magic, in Bidashal's hands, laid a fist sized red gem.
<center>[[Image:ZnT15-119.jpg|thumb|"......"]]</center>
Red, or more accurately, a brilliant glow came from the flame-like interiors of the transparent gem.

Realising Joseph walking close, Bidashal raised his head.

"I heard it's already done."

"I merely nodded my head when that woman asked 'Is it ready to a degree that can be used?'. There's no definite concept to define the completition of 'the jewel of fire'. It's a gem that condenses the power of fire. Regardless of size, the gem is just that. Finished or not, will depend on your judgements."

After hearing his words, Joseph laughed loudly.

"Elves really are a different kind! These sort of things, just make your own sensible judgements."

"My kin abhors ambiguity"
Bidashal winced his eyes, staring straight down at Joseph. A natural jewel of fire, is made from the natural energy underground. A level so deep that it would be impossible for humans to reach. To the elves, even if they were to dig such a hole, its gain would not be nearly enough to cover its losses.

To control the powers of the fire requires immense skill, definitely out of a human's capability, explaining the tiny amount of population in Halkenia with knowledge of its existance. Unfortunately, right beside Joseph..... the mysterious lady called Myozunitonirun is part of the tiny population, and raised Joseph's interest in it.

"And, how do you plan to use it?"

"Jewel of wind is a gem containing the powers of wind..... Jewel of fire is a gem containing the powers of fire, no?"

Even in the elven populations, only a few highly regarded powerful users have the ability to produce one. Bidashal, is one of those few.

"Simply said, yes. I do not believe you nobles can correctly understand the concept anyway"

"Concept or whatever. The result is everything. Then, this small little stone, how many acres of land can it turn into ashes?"

Bidashal frowned hard. From Joseph's words he has a fair concept of Joseph's intention. For the elves, the jewel of fire is only a tool for warming the streets in the winter; illuminating the streets at night...... using it for destruction, they've never dared thought about it.

"According to me..... if you release all the stored energy instantaneously..... in terms of your units, a 10 square miles, no, if it's this size, everything within 20 square miles will not be spared. But, how do you plan to release it? Against something powerful enough to seal this amount of energy, it's impossible to just unlock it."

"Using your 'void', you should be able to do it, no? Myozunitonirun?"

Myozunitonirun's smilled even more.
"Affirmative"

Hearing this, Bidashal's face lost colour.
"Using void magic? You? How, possible.... you?"

"What, you never knew?"

"How could, no, is it true? You are the bearer of this evil power? How could it....."
Bidashal shook his head in disbelief.

"Who else you thought would be more worthy being of Gallian's King?"

"At least, I never thought it would be you. This is such a coincidence'

"Why would you say that? I never intended to hide anything from you"

"I completely don't understand what you're thinking. Are humans creatures at all? And yet you stand in front of me like nothing! To you guys, isn't this the final blow? What you're doing right now, isn't it, what you call, 'revealing your final card' to your enemies?"
Feeling disgust for the first time in his life, Bidashal gave Joseph a look of hatred.

"Is that so. So, what do you plan to do after you know? Kill me? You can bury the man capable of 'reviving the void', your worst nightmares, in your own hands. Or, do you continue to insist what you said 'I don't like wars' that kind of thing?"
As if happy with glee from the bottom of his heart, Joseph said. Bidashal gave expressions of regret.

".....It will only cause a new demon to revive."

"Oh, interesting. Do you mean there will be something else to replace me after I die?"

"....It's about time for that to happen. If it's you, you can stop it"

"Great. Like those Romalia idiots, in addition now we have a even more horrible nightmare. Therefore you must protect me with all your power, follow my words"
Joseph patted Bidashal's shoulders sarcasticlly.

"Maybe, I will turn out to be the person who understands elves most."

"This is Not 'understand'"
Bidashal said, trying to control his raged voice.

"Different point of views. Let me answer your question just now. But, seeing how smart you are, I'm sure you already know how I'm going to use this gem"

Bidashal understood everything in an instant.
"Are you serious!?!? You. There will not be a single strand of grass, a single bug left. This is not even a metaphor! Can you do that kind of thing, to your own kind?"

"If it's me, of course"

"Demon!"

"I wonder who of us is the real demon? The person who made this terrible terrible crystal, who was that person from where again? No matter how much you point at me, you know that I won't change my mind. Come back to your senses. You don't care how many I kill anyway, my dear elf"

Bidashal's eyes showed signs of fury. To an elf that seldomly show any emotions at all, this is a very rare occasion.
"I shouldn't have came here after all."

"No you shouldn't have. That way you would've never noticed the demon inside yourself. But relax, bows and bullets have done no wrong. To do good or evil is up to the free will of the user. Just look at things simply like that."

Joseph left Bidashal's side.

"Make 2, 3 more of things like that. Relax, you will not be the person who gets use it. I will."

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume15 Chapter4

2012-04-20T18:44:00Z

Zeth: /* Chapter 4: The Jewel of Fire */

===Chapter 4: The Jewel of Fire===

The Capital city of Gallia, Beautis
As of now......

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume14 Chapter6

2012-04-17T21:32:37Z

Zeth: /* Chapter 6: Tiger Highway */

===Chapter 6: Tiger Highway===

Being called ‘Gallia’s spine’ of the Fire Dragon Mountains, the eastern end of the location is extremely interesting. The watershed spanning from the north all the way down south cleanly marks the border of Gallia and Romalia.

At the bottom of the Fire Dragon Mountain, on a piece of the land facing the sea lays the Street of Aquelia.

A street in perpendicular with the Dragon Mountains.

That is what's known as the 'Tiger's Highway', a narrow street located in the valley that is more than 10 leagues long.

Taking advantage of the giant 10 leagues fault line, a bunch of mages created this with their power.

Being the only availiable path from Eastern Romalia to Gallia, the streets are often crowded with merchants and travelers.

To the left and right of this street are huge cliffs; making daytime and nighttime almost undiffrentiable.

Back in the days when this street had just been established, tigers brazenly lurked even on clouded days.... the appearance of man-eating tigers cried out loud for brave crusading teams again and again. Just as their existance was fading, then came the rumours of bandits.

Those who have passed through this street, saw no difference between bandits and the already-gone man-eating tigers, and hence came its name - "Tiger's Highway".

Fortunately, ever since the end of border expansions, even the appearance of bandits have diminished. Only occasional stories of starving bandits trying their luck. Traces of the previous dark impressions had been completely erased.

The two sides of the cliffs have been lit up brightly with torches, even hotels can be found embedded in both sides of the cliffs.

As one of the main trade routes of Halkenia, "Tiger's Highway" represents the symbol of Romalia's prosperity.

At the customs of Gallia, there seems to be some kind of dispute.

"What? Access denied? Officer, what's going on?"

The gate of the customs were tightly shut, piling up travellers and merchants in front of it.

"Orders are orders, just sit tight and wait here for the release orders"

A merchant squeezed out from the crowd.

"Hey, wait a second, if this shipment does not reach Romalia by tomorrow night, my losses will be immeasurable. Are You going to compensate me?"

“Don’t talk nonsense”

The people have the officers surrounded by layers.

“The Third Annual Enthronement Ceremony of the pope is about to end. Do you know how long I have waited for this day?”

"My fiancée is sick, I have to see her!"

An officer raised his staff and said:
“We don’t care. We're only following orders from above, as for why, we have the least ideas ourselves.”

The gathered crowd looked at each other puzzled; at that moment.....a calvary came dashing forward. Before he was even able to get off his horse, he was already flooded by the people.

“Emergency, emergency.”

“What happened?”

“Two fleets has rebeled and are currently marching towards the 'Tiger's Highway'”

Rebel? Marching?

“Don't joke with me, rebellion these kind of stuff.”

The knight did not reply, but instead looked up to the sky. Northwest of where they are.... a few black dots were gradually enlarging.

“T-two fleets!”

However, unlike the past, the tail of the fleets were not hanging Gallia’s warship flag. In other words, the fleet are not acting on Gallia King's Government’s orders.

“We might as well call them the anonymous rebellion fleet ......”

The gathered crowd all stared at the sky with unease.

“Quick, look, something seems to be dangling under the ship.”
Someone shouted out. Under the few dozen ships in protected by other ships in formation, a rope was seen hanging something. On closer inspection, it seemed to be of a human's figure.

"What's that, Golem? Or is it '''(卡格伊鲁)'''?"

“They're even brazenly wearing armour!”

Looking at the golem emitting a metallic sheen, the officer's back naturally broke into cold sweats.

The feelings of fear is almost instinctive.

In silence, the watch the fleet slowly steer into Romalia borders.

“What on earth, will happen next......”

On the decks of what was originally "Charles Orleans", on the charcoaled face, due to long years of services, of fleet captain Claville, expressed signs of confusion and anticipation.

“Don’t understand. I just don’t understand”
He mumbled to himself with effort in each word.

Having spent almost his entire life in the sea of air, he could not understand what his lord’s intentions were.

“Pretend to rebel, turn Romalia into ashes.”
Was the only order from his majesty. 30 years of service since being a cadet, never have he heard a more simple and yet brutal command.

He is more of a person who prefers to command a battle than politics. Most former colleagues who turned to the political line, are involved in civil strifes, bringing themselves to their own destruction.

Bowing his head, faithfully carrying out his orders..... without realizing, he have already been promoted to Governor.

After going through several large-scale battles, both his fame and experience have gradually risen.

Is this position really suitable for me?

In his mind, these issues often appear.

Duties weren't excatly busy to the point that he had no time to consider these questions.

Time flies.

Just as he was about to retire, perhaps getting a few more medals before return to his own territory, spending the rest of his life hunting or whatever.....

“I’ll give you Romalia.”
Was what the incompetent King said.

To be able to get your hands on a country, at the very least, one can lead a life like a noble. No....if it’s a piece of land as large as Romalia, there would be no shame in claiming the title King.

'King'.

An idea that never came across him even once.

There is no sense of genuinity in it.

Yet, the idea had blew Claville's mind.

“I thought I was a person with no aspirations, no, I’m definitely am....”
As if talking to himself, Claville quietly said.

Determining that it was to question himself, Chief deputy Viscount Julian opened his mouth.
“After reducing the land to ashes, exactly what kind of regime would be built, our Highness.”

His words sandwiched irony, but not forgetting respect for their king.

“Don’t know.”

“Straightforward, aren’t you?”

“How long have we known each other?”

“More than 10 years already, I guess.”

"From the beginning, I have always been faithfully carrying out orders. Before I knew it, I already hold my position today....if I were to call myself talanted, I wouldn't spit a syllable even if my lips cracked. However,..... as for ambition, I can't admit having none.”

Julian replied with a tired voice.
“I’m the same”

"Turning what into how much ashes, it'll all have to depend on my strength. A mission of this level, the king wants to mention as little as possible."

"As for whether this mission will end up smoothly? The guest we picked up at St. Maran.... That mysterious woman and the bounded up knight mannequins. For them, they might really turn Romalia into ashes. After all, no matter which way we think of it, the power to command these ship lies completely in her hands."

Claville recalled that King Joseph had a female Magistrate by the name of Sheffield. That woman exudes an ominous atmosphere. If it’s her, she’d really execute the command word by word, transforming the entire Romalia into ashes without so much of a blink of an eye.

"Not only that, between non-commissioned officers, many people have placed themselves against this operation. However, this is natural... according to rumors, at the capital a Knight of the Roses formed a real rebellion, though it seems it was immediately suppressed. If a fraud rebellion turned into a real one, this will definitely become a good plot for future operas."

“After this, every non-commissioned officers on the ship will be given territory, and the status of the Baron. Julian, you will be the Duke. "

Viscount Julian nodded.

“It’s going to start. Speaking of which……”

“What’s wrong?”

“This conspiracy, I wonder how many lifes with it claim?”

This operation does not concern only of war, Claville inadvertently discovered.

This is also a simple gamble.

Whether Romalia will turn to ashes is one.

Whether he is able to become king smoothly is another.

Whether the crew will obey is another.

This kind of despicable conspiracy was unheard of, but, it's too late to get out of it already. The pain of his conscience, is nothing in the face of his just awoken ambition.

"Perhaps I myself, am also longing for this gamble”

Lives include his own, are all thrown into the stake like coins.

Cruel to the extreme, there is nothing worth sparing in this relentless gamble.

“11 o'clock, Romalian fleet." The watchman cried out with a trembling voice.

On the gunning deck of "Hallue, Othellon", Second Lieutenant Williams was shaking with anger.

"What's wrong with this, this battle, is there no room for discussion?"

The ship’s non-commissioned officers shared the same mood as Second Lieutenant Williams. Since yesterday, before they have even a firm grasp of the situation, were already ordered to strike, and came all the way here.

According to what they heard, it's to trigger a war between Gallia and Romalia.

“I don’t understand.....why must we fight with Romalia’s soldiers?”

The soldiers all watched their own commander with the same puzzled eyes.

An aide-de-camp desended from the upper decks, bringing news to the confused soldiers.

“Fleet commander ordered that all the soldiers who participated in this campaign will have a special reward after the war. All non-commissioned officers are to be knighted and all soldiers are to be given noble statuses.”

But even so, no cheers could be heard from the gunning deck, everyone looked at the aide-de-camps’s face coldly.

"Over the reward, we'd rather have a suitable explanation. Why do we have to fight Romalia? Is Romalia not an ally of our country? Although it is of our duties to comply orders, this is just too puzzling."

Looking at the questioning Second Lieutenant Williams, the ADC only gave orders
“Everyone back into places, we’re about to engage our enemy”

“Enemy, are you referring to the Romalia Army? Why would the Romalia Army be considered an enemy? Between us and them, for what reasons should we fight with them?”

The gunning officer around Second Lieutenant Williams also casted a skeptical eye to the ADC.

“Why, are we not hanging our flag?”

“T-this is because……”

"'We are now rebelling' kind of rumours are everywhere. How are we going to deny this now! Who excatly, is at the bottom of managing this rebel."

“R-rebel?”

Unrest in the cannon’s deck peaked. Second Lieutenant Williams grabbed the collar of the ADC's shirt.

"Even if we were to rebel, isn't there a standard rebelling procedure, are you supposed to gather all soldiers and ask for their opinions? What exactly are the captain and commander thinking?"

“Insolence!”

The ADC brandished his wand. In unison, 2nd Lieutenant Williams and the other officers all brandished theirs. The gunning deck was packed with tension.

This time, another order rang out.

“R-report, Romalian fleets approaching! All cannons get ready!"

Hearing the report, the ADC put away his wand.

“.....if you have something to say, leave it for later. We should first consider how to survive through this.”

“Damn!”

Unwillingly, Second Lieutenant Williams punched the wall.

The closing Romalian fleet totalled to forty something ships. Though said they're all the newest version ships, they are still far outnumbered by the opponent - a total of one hundred and twenty something Gallian amphibious fleet.

Even so, the approaching Romalian fleet is alerted for battle. Baring their sides, entering formation, they extended their cannons together.

Shortly followed by issuing their warning.

“To the unidentified approaching fleet. What lies ahead of you is Romalian territory, please immediately turn back. You are entering Romalian territory.”

Towards the knowledge of that the opponent was the Gallian amphibious fleet, the Romalian know completely. But since there was a lack of identification, following protocol was the most sensible thing to do.

Claville repeated the prepared speech:
“We are the‘Gallia fleet of Volunteers’. We can no longer tolerate the brutality of the Gallian regime and wish to establish the rightful king to the throne. We hope that we can receive the support of Romalia, offering us an escape route.”

This was an absolutely fictional and completely unrealistic reason.

But, as long as they claim themselves as "a volunteering army for the establishment of the rightful king", then the rules of the Alliance of Kings does not conform anymore. Alliance of all four countries, only functions if everyone is hoping for pacifism.

“We are seeking orders from the government, please be patient”

That answer was to be expected.

So marks the end of standard greetings procedures.

The rest of the plan should be very simple to execute.

Defeat the overwhelmed Romalian army, dash all the way to the ceremonal grounds, drop the "armoured dummies"....

After that, they'll have to wait for the orders of female Magistrate Sheffield, who's authority is just below that of King Joseph's.

Out of everyone's surprise, the Romalian fleet pressed forward.

It was as if they had seen through their plan.

“They, already know of our plan?”
Julian whimpered with a small voice.

“Doesn't matter. No matter what happens, they’re fated to turn into ashes”

The entire fleet turned，and laid parallel to the Romalian fleet.

“Fire all right cannons! Target, Romalian fleet!”

The order was immediately relayed to the gunners' deck and issued to the other ships via flag signals.

However,regardless of how long they waited, rounds of gunfire could not be heard. The other vessels also stayed silent.

“What, is there a malfunction？ Go and check.”

The ADC who was standing on one side dashed downwards, just to find himself coming back up with an embarassed face.
“The gunners' deck are rebelling, they refuse to fight.”

Julian smiled bitterly.

"Looks like our extistance is destinied to become future opera stories."

Claville’s face turned red.

“Deck officers, pull out your wands, follow me to and suppress them."

When Claville was about to rush onto the cannon's deck....behind him came a woman’s voice.

“Commander.”

“Is, isn't this Magistrate Sheffield?”

Claiming a title of King Joseph's personal magistrate, this mysterious lady stood there.

Her body was wrapped with a black cloak similar to the fashion of ancient mages, a hood long enough to shadow her entire face. Her revealing lips, were crimson red like fresh blood.

“Let us down”

“But.....we’re not over Aquelia yet. We're just at the country’s border.”

Claville indicated at the "Tiger's Highway" below.

“That's alright. Time is precious.”

“Wouldn't that be too risky?”

Sheffield started laughing.

“The enemy army is not worthy of being feared.”

Claville was quickly brought back to reality by her smile.

“An order to all ships, cease fire. Release the ‘package’.”

Sheffield did not turn back. For the purpose of sitting on the '''Golomonta's (約路蒙鋼特)''' shoulder, she leapt off the railings of Charles Orleans.

She couldn't be seen using any levitation magic, yet light as a feather, only grabbing her sleeves, she floated down onto the Golomonta's shoulders. After confirming she has sit tight, Claville ordered the soldiers on the deck to cut the tethering rope.

From the middle of each vessel, Golomontas can be spotted dropping down to earth, all of them carrying oversized weapons such as cannons, large swords, spears so on so on.

Watching this scene from a close distance, one can, amazingly, feel a pressuring aura different from golems, emitting from each one of them.

The gigantic metal bodies all desend slowly. This is probably due to the activation of the "Levitation device" installed within them. If so, then that must be some terrifying power stored within.

According to rumours, the technological advance of these Golomontas, involved elves as well....., granting these Golomontas hair-raising abilities.

These things can use cannons as easily as if handguns..... even castle walls won't stand against them.

Plus, imagine this metal puppet swinging its sword. Just how much destruction will each blow cause?

Where on this world would they obtain magic strong enough to pierce the armour of these things?

Through even just imagining, already it sends shivers down one's spine.

The woman.... the one named Sheffield - the female Magistrate directly under his Majesty, is planning to expand a battle that she herself does not understand.

Turn Romalia into ashes.

These may be unrealistic words. On the other hand, with the aid of these murderous Golomontas, it might not seem so far fetched after all.

"How the hell did this happen"

Though says he's only driven by desire, he's starting to actually want to help.

He should no longer have any ties with those guys anymore, Claville secretly decided.

Putting the skies one side, on the camps of Romalia, they were the first discover Golomontas dropping everywhere from the sky, and deployed troops to stand guard, surrounding the exit of "Tiger's Highway".

Since the inaguration of the coronation ceremony, they have been issued an order, alerting them of Gallian army's invasion, and have been standing guard since.

Originally taking the idea of Gallian army invading as a joke, the appearance of Gallian fleet above their heads turned their heads around completely. What reason would there be, which might, even potententially, cause the Gallian army to invade?

As soon as they cross the border, the Romalian army a new order.

'No matter what class of soldiers it is, wiped them out. If a woman with runes engraved on her forehead is found, capture her alive.'

Even the Captain of the Crusades spoke to himself with a nervous tone.
“Those armoured puppets that the Gallia fleet dropped......are golems?”

One by one, the armoured puppets rushed over to the canyon sandwiched by the two cliffs of "Tiger's Street".

“By just these golems, they're planning to attack us?”
Vice-captain scratched his ears and muttered.

"From what it seems, there aren't any more airborne units.... probably still on top of those ships."

“Now what?”
The vice-captain asked。

"Ignore them. As long as we take advantage now and take them down one by one. Let’s go”
The Captain's voice could be heard overflowing with confidence. There's a perfectly valid reason to support his confidence. After all, under his command is not any squad.

It's a mobile "artillery" squad.

Seeing the two squads of infantrymen heading into Tiger's street, the "artillery" units paused eating grass, lazily stretching their bodies.

They are the "Tortoise Artillery Units".

On the lands of Halkenia, they are a very popular choice for armies.

Contary to popular belief, tortoises are not species with a slow-reaction.

In addition, tortoises have a large weight carrying capacity, through them, an army can quickly deply cannons across the entire battlefield. It is said that the appearance of this unit, completely reshaped Halkenia's castle sieges.

Soldiers in charge of steering these tortoises, untangled the rope holding these tortoises in place, allowing "artillery units" to march forward. Heaving cannons on their backs, each step giving a dull 'thud', they emit an antic feeling out of place with the idea of battlefields.

On the other hand, the cannons they're carrying have nothing to do with the word farce. Less agile golems, if they were to take one of these rounds directly, the result would be scattered pieces everywhere.

Entering the street into around 5 squares on the map, the captain ordered them to stand guard.

This place, of the entire canyon, is the only place where it gets wide. Lined up by buildings on both sides, this forms a small-scaled camp.

Usually packed with people, yells everywhere, have now become empty and eerily silent, the only noise coming from the occasional rustles the squad makes from waiting the enemy.

Around one square in front of them, a blurred shadow of the enemy can be seen. The captain laughed. Probably a team of amateurs, stupid enough to let golems march in such a narrow space without any coverage.

"Ha, this'll be great target practice! Artillery units, load!"

Soldiers in control of the tortoises, popped cannonballs into the cannon. These cannons have a range of two squares. If they want a lethal shot on targets with size of a golem, they must wait until they are in 500 metre's range.

The captain silently awaits for the perfect timing, thinking of putting them down in one go. In the squad, conversation teasing the enemy can be heard continuously.

Yet, as these "Golems" approach them, laughters turned into shocked cries in no time.

"Wearing armours?"

"How are come their motions are so smooth?"

Just by looking at it, the captain has instinctively felt fear.

This is no normal golems.

"Fi- Open fire!"

A result of being blinded by fear, the captain impatiently issued the attack orders.

The artillery units' continuously fire into the narrow space in the canyon, echoing thunderous 'booms'. The tortoises retreated into their shells, acting as a better force against the enormous recoil of the cannons.

Although they aren't completely into the 'lethal' distance yet, the target is locked and they have lots of cannons to spare.

The shells beautifully lands in the middle of the "golem" croud, bring up a thick cloud of dust. Loud hit-confirming clangs of metal colliding together can be heard.

These are, after all, cannons fitted for enlarged shells.

If the golems get hit, they are sure to have limbs flying everywhere.....

And yet....among the smoke, those golems were still progressing as if nothing happened.

“Unharmed!?!?”
The petrified vice-captain said.

“Not possible.....that was a direct hit from the cannon? Not even the walls of a castle can withstand a shot from even on round of these artillery units!”

“Next round, fire! Continue! Hurry!”

However, the second rounds never begun. The "Golems" were already in front of them, holding big cannons in their hands.

“Those Golems can run! Are these Golems at all?”

“They have cannons!”

“Wuahhhhhhhhhh!”

Endorsed into a state of panic, the soldiers all hurriedly threw down their heavy armour, pushing one and another for escape.

At this moment, the Golomontas fired Their cannons. Hot burning spraying rounds, laid holes in the fleeing soldiers.

一声远远超过刚才炮龟兵们发射时的巨响过后，落弹处的周围好像化为了地狱一般。在如此狭小的地点，塞满火药的榴弹爆炸开来的威力，实在是惨不忍睹。

提波利的混成连队，被一炮歼灭。

在一片火海之中，约路蒙钢特沿着街道南下，它们的身姿宛如撒播地狱的古代恶魔军团。

一位侥幸逃过劫的士兵，躲在脖子紧缩在壳内的炮龟旁，仰望着通过的约路蒙钢特，说道：

“S-strange monster……”

在艾克蕾亚的圣露蒂亚教堂休息室内，好像蜂巢般吵吵嚷嚷。神官们面对不断收到的国境附近的战况报告露出惊恐万状的神色，不安的气氛笼罩了各个角落。

圣堂骑士队的队长们为了赶赴自己驻扎在郊外的部队，已离开圣堂。在外面，由于流传出教皇突然中止弥撒是由于加里亚军发动了侵略，这个流言如星星之火般呈现出扩大混乱的趋势。

Among the crowd, Henrietta did not know what to do so she stood foolishly in the lounge .

Numerous curses.

Reports arriving.

War?

Gallia instigated a war?

This truth, she could not believe her own ears. ‘The plan’ failed, why must they still instigate a war?

A knight brought news from the country’s border fight between Gallia and Romalia.

“The one fighting is the Gallia’s rebellion fleet!?”

The 武官 sitting side by side took it in their stride when they learned the news.

“Why would the rebellion fleet want to attack another country?”

“Because we rejected their request to escape”

武官们laughed loudly。

Even Henrietta shook her head when she heard this poor reason.

Knowing that the war had started, she felt frustrated.

She did not think that Gallia would be that desperate to instigate a war.

这里是外国，安莉埃塔没有任何指挥权。什么也做不了的焦急感，在她心中燃起。虽然手上还有随行的水精灵骑士队和露易丝可以用。但他们之前已转为负责圣堂外的警戒工作。

安莉埃塔判断加里亚突然的侵略，有可能是因为罗马尼亚的挑衅所致。因为在国境不断囤积兵力，刺激到了加里亚。

只停留在识破‘阴谋’的在纸上谈兵，果然还是……她为自己的无能而咬牙切齿。

就在这时，常驻在艾克蕾亚的加里亚领事，带着自己的骑士，满脸傲慢地出现了。替代拜多里奥，担任临时负责人的武官团，站起来迎接他。

“太遗憾了，真是太遗憾了。这次，我国的叛徒们，给贵国带来了很大的不便。我王深表歉意。因此……”

察明事态的武官，毫不掩饰地对领事宣告道：

“无法贵国遣兵镇压。这里没有会引狼入室的傻瓜。你回去告诉约瑟夫。我们信仰固定的罗马尼亚精兵们，会把所有加里亚的异端一个不剩地全部消灭”

“What are you saying? This is my country’s rebellion. To them, my country…..”

正当加里亚的领事准备继续鼓动三寸不烂之舌时，罗马尼亚的武官一把举起法杖，指向他。一旁的神官们不禁发出惊叫。

“武官大人，武官大人，若是让鲜血玷污了圣堂……”

对着惊恐万状的领事，武官说道：

“失礼了，我们罗马尼亚的武官几乎都是由圣堂骑士中选拔出来的。希望你能原谅我的粗暴。不过，还请你多我注意自己的言词。对你们文官来说，语言就相当于是我手中的法杖。在拔出之时，请一定要有所觉悟”

领事点头哈腰地离开了。对于漂亮地回击了加里亚领带的武官，众人抱以热烈的掌声。

看着这场骚动，安莉埃塔终于真实地感到。

‘The war has already started’

随着教皇休息室的房门被打开，拜多里奥带着神官团走出进来。安莉埃塔顿时感到一阵气血上涌，她迅即走向那里。克制着想要扇对方一个巴掌的冲动，安莉埃塔心中涌起的感情爆发了。

“猊下！You intend to be responsible? Because of your挑衅, Gallia has finally instigated a war!”

“My挑衅？”

拜多里奥asked in surprise.

“Yes! You 在国境上配置的军队 to provoke a war that could be avoided!”

“您谬论了。若是不在国境配置军队，恐怕连留给我们开会的时间也没有了吧。正是由于军队带着拼死一搏的觉悟抵抗敌人，我们现在才能坐在这里商讨对策”

拜多里奥leaned near Henrietta.

“为了杀戮‘我的同胞’，约瑟夫动用了军队。这件事不是如此简单吗？”

在短短一个交锋过后，便颠倒了是非。安莉埃塔流出悔恨的眼泪。

“B-but……whatever happens, there’s no need to use…”

“You misunderstand. Henrietta your Highness. This war is not the product of 政治斗争, it is also not because of the conspiracy being exposed which caused its failure, this is not like the games in court, and it is fundamentally different. This war is related to both the survival of irreconcilable war. Break through the conspiracy, is but only a mean. And war is also …... one of the steps”

Henrietta looked at 拜多里奥 in a daze.

这位教皇的心中……竟然同时盘居着慈悲与残酷。

“交涉？调解？这种东西已经不会存在于这场战争之中。事已至此，唯有全力击败敌人。既然同为实力之国，只有完全同盟，或是完全敌对。除此之外，再无第三条路可行。这次事件，若您只将其认识是普通的外交，那便让我太为难了。恐怕，约瑟夫国王也是这样想的吧”

拜多里奥转头面前神并肩而立的神官和武官们。说起来，聚集在这里的，都是位居罗马尼亚中枢要职的大人物。

看着他们的阵容，安莉埃塔不禁自问‘为何此前没有注意到？’

‘Capture the evidence of a conspiracy, force King Joseph to give up his position’

‘Let the elves return the holy land，进入交涉’

如果交涉不成的话，又该如何是好？

双方老老实实地各退一步？别傻了。如果能办到这点，最初就不会有什么可操心的。拜多里奥早就看穿了这点。他一定是从最初就打算在交涉破裂之时，动用战争手段。一切不过是早一步晚一步的问题……

He said it before.

「普里米尔教徒们希望为愚蠢的争斗划上永远的终止符」

啊，从一开始拜多里奥就为了这个目标，而不惜把整个国家和所有人民都当作筹码，展开一场乾坤一掷的大赌博。

他把巨大的疯狂一次用尽，用来收搭所有的对手。

“加里亚的异端们，work together with the elves，plotting to wipe us out. As the servant of our ancestor and god, I hereby launch this holy war! “

There was silence in the church and what happened next was like boiling water.

“Ooooooooohhhhhh!”

‘Holy war’

For the people of Hal Genia, this ‘field’ change is a big gamble.

In this world, only talented people can advance, an endless fight……

There will not be an ending for this frenzy. From this moment onwards, they will be soldiers who are not afraid of dying for their god and Founder Brimir.

Henrietta’s legs turned soft and she fell to the ground. The 'Holy war' has been released. It’s either I live or you die, if they don’t annihilate each other, they won’t give up. This endless madness of war had finally begun.

It is already unable to stop; no one can stop this war.

This man as the (代始祖拜多里奥), continued saying:

“To obtain this 'holy war' victory is to recapture the 'Holy Land' from the elves. Giving all the soldiers of the god blessings”

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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter6

2012-04-14T16:18:54Z

Zeth: /* Chapter Six: Private Lesson */

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===Chapter Six: Private Lesson ===

Now, in the middle of the huge uproar, Saito managed to slip away and found himself in front of a library. The library was located in a tower. At the entrance, a librarian wearing glasses sat and checked the students and teachers who went in and out. Books were heavily guarded in there because they had the components of magic potions written in them, and couldn't be handed out to a simple commoner.

A young librarian girl glanced at Saito and confirmed his mantle, then returned to reading a book.

''Hm, knighthood is useful after all'' – thinking so, Saito entered the library.

“Wow. It’s amazing.”

The size of the library's bookcases was overwhelming.

Some were as much as thirty mails in height. It was an incredible height. Apparently, the library occupied the larger part of this tower. Anyways, facing such a huge amount of books, Saito hesitated.

It was somewhere around 8 PM. A whole eternity – thinking so, Saito took one book in his hands. The characters of Halkeginia’s alphabet were written there.

Though he stared at them for a while, he was not able to understand any of them.

“Dang, pretty tough…”

Saito came to look at the books in order to memorize what characters mean. ''There is a new enemy - the king of a large country. It is absurd to only swing a sword. Being a knight, one cannot just rely on talking, but needs to write as well'' - he thought.

“I wonder if they have a Japanese dictionary.”

Of course, there was no such thing.

But how could he talk?

When he asked Derflinger some time ago, he answered, ''“Though I do not understand it well, I guess it’s something you gain when you pass the gate to this world.”''

Well, seems like magic anyhow. And thanks to this magic, everyone can communicate by speech.

Flying and jumping, putting out fires, healing injuries, making strong love potions – considering all that, Saito was not surprised by such magic.

Possibly, it may be related to Louise's "Void."

Being in charge of Louise, he did not understand what the magic exactly was, but it was not hard to assume that there was some kind of translating magic as well.

''However, I want learn the characters in any case'' - Saito thought.

Wondering what to do, he turned his head, and at a distant table saw a familiar face.

“Tabitha.”

It was the girl with short blue hair. Since the rescue, they had hardly talked. She had that atmosphere of not being easy to talk to, then there was going to Louise's family, thus it was too hectic.

However, why, after leaving her mother in Germania, did she return to the Academy of Magic again? - Saito approached Tabitha and said.

“Yo.”

He thought he would be disregarded as usual, but this time it was different. Tabitha shut the book she was reading and looked up at Saito.

“Yes?”

Tabitha answered looking at Saito with round, puppy-like eyes. Saito was somewhat at a loss by such a surprising attitude.

“No, that…it’s not like it’s my business, but are you alright...?”

“I’m alright.”

“I-I see… Aah, I have something to say. Seems like Guiche, well, blurted out who you really are. You are a Gallian princess… r-right? That was stupid.”

Tabitha shook her head.

“Doesn’t matter. It’s the truth anyway.”

“I-I see. But didn’t you want to hide that? You were using a false name…”

“It does not matter now. I do not mind.”

Tabitha said as a matter-of-fact.

“Is your mother alright?”

To this question, Tabitha hesitated a little bit.

“Her mind is at peace in Germania.”

Whether it meant what it meant, he hesitated to ask any further. Surely, Tabitha’s thoughts were Tabitha’s after all.

Besides that, she was a reticent girl to start with, Saito thought the flood of questions would be pitiable. Even now it may still be impossible to answer.

“I see, understood. Sorry for disturbing your reading.”

He turned to leave while laughing.

“Do you read as well?”

She asked.

Because it was the first time that Tabitha asked about something, Saito was confused.

“Eh?”

He instinctively asked back.

“Did you also come to read?”

“Aah, it’s different, different. Far from reading, it would be difficult as I am not even able to read the letters of this world…”

“This world?”

When being asked back, Saito panicked.

Tabitha didn’t know he wasn’t a human from this world. It was Henrietta, Louise, Siesta, Cattleya, Tiffania, Osman and Colbert…who knew. That was pretty much it.

Even his colleagues from The Undine Knight Corps do not know.

“Hey, because I am a former commoner, I cannot read the characters. However, because I became a knight, I thought that I could learn a little. However…it is impossible after all. It’s just gobbledygook.”

Then, Tabitha abruptly stood up and left the book she was holding.

“Ah, oi.”

Though he called her to stop, Tabitha flew up to the high to the bookshelf using the spell. Not being able to fly and her being about twenty mails off the ground, Saito could not stop her.

And just when he started to think that they may disturb the readers and that he should get out of the library, Tabitha suddenly landed right in front of him.

“Uwaa!”

Tabitha abruptly thrust out the book to the surprised Saito.

“…eh?”

“If it’s this book - it should be easy.”

Apparently, this book was for learning the letters – just the book he was searching for. However, the really surprising thing was the usually indifferent to others Tabitha. He took it while thinking what on earth was the matter with Tabitha, when she said surprising words.

“I’ll teach the characters.”

“Yes?”

“If you just stare at the book you won’t learn anything.”

“No, well, that is right, however…is it alright? It would be pretty difficult I think. I'm not the brightest student.

“Don't care.”

Then Tabitha took Saito's hand and walked him over to sit at the table.

The characters of Halkeginia were a little bit different when looking at the alphabet. Slowly, Tabitha taught him the pronunciation of the characters.

“A, B, C.”

Though he heard the sounds somewhere, it was not possible to recall them well. Maybe it was because he only heard them.

Tabitha continued to point at each one of the characters, patiently teaching him the meaning.

But somehow, the words started to mysteriously turn into… "Prologue" and "August" and "I."

Once he heard them, they were converted to Japanese again.

Probably, Tabitha pronounced them in Halkeginian. However, when they reached his ears, they turned back into Japanese.

But, as Tabitha continued to teach the meaning of the words little by little, sentences that he had seen only as a random mess of characters up till now, slowly gained an understandable meaning just from his watching alone. As if they were translated inside his head.

[[Image:ZnT11-133.jpg|thumb]]

Once he got the hang of it, it started to run more smoothly.

And after one hour, he could already read basic sentences. So Saito, using an easy book as a textbook, was able to read out.

“What does it mean?”

Not changing her usual tone, Tabitha asked.

“Eh?”

Tabitha pointed at one sentence.

“Here, it’s written ‘No use crying over spilt milk.’ However, you read it as ‘An irreparable event happened.’”

“No, that’s just the way I read. Sorry, is it a bad thing?”

Tabitha shook her head.

“No. You are not wrong. Sentences like ‘No use crying over spilt milk’ are idiomatic expressions. Their meaning is certainly ‘An irreparable event happened.’”

Tabitha continued to speak.

“It's subtly different the way you read written sentences. But it is not wrong. It is often summarized instead, to give an expression adequate to the context. Entire sentences can be grasped by just a few words. Indeed, it is like dog or cat familiar being able to speak human language. However, the summary does not explain the reason. In such cases you cannot read like you did just now.”

Tabitha looked at Saito with clear blue eyes.

In these cold-looking eyes, Saito felt a faint glimmer of curiosity. ''Tabitha wanted to learn the truth. Of who I am…''

“…that’s how it is. No, I mean, what I am doing is not exactly ‘reading.’ The reason why I learn Tabitha’s thought's words…is because I understand the ‘meaning’ of the written thing directly.”

“Why?”

“I think it’s because I am not a human from this world. Maybe it’s because my words are different from Tabitha’s and others. In other words, a word is already directly translated in my head…maybe that’s why there are those subtle changes? Aah, that’s how it is!”

Unnoticed to Saito, he started to shout.

“For the book – it is translated in my head at once, just like the words of this world are translated after they leave my mouth.”

''Just like when sentences written in Japanese are translated to English. And when that English sentence is translated back to Japanese again, there are some subtle changes from the first sentence. That’s what happens when I read a book'' Saito thought.

Indeed, it must be so, yes, he realized, and then was asked by Tabitha.

“This world?”

“Damn!”

Because of such turn of events, Saito had to explain the circumstances to Tabitha. Since Tabitha was sharp, he couldn't hide it from her any longer.

“So… A person from a different world.”

Hearing Saito’s story, Tabitha narrowed her eyes a little.

“Do you believe me?”

“You do not tell a lie.”

Tabitha said, looking straight at Saito.

These words made Saito’s heart beat faster. Embarrassed for some reason, Saito turned his face away from her. Being looked like this by this small young girl, his heart throbbed and it was hard to meet her eyes staring straight at him.

“Do you want to return?”

“Eh?”

“To your home…to your mother, do you want to return?

“I want to return.”

Saito said.

“Then why…”

Do you not return? That’s what she was probably wondering.

Saito shook his head.

“It’s because I cannot find the way to return.”

“You just have to look for it.”

“I don’t have a clue.”

“You do not seem like you are looking for it.”

Tabitha said. Hearing that, Saito lowered his head.

“No…rather than not wanting to return, I cannot afford to leave.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is a fellow who is aiming for Louise's power…”

“Void?”

“You knew?”

“I understood when I saw it.”

Tabitha said calmly, leaving the other world issue behind. Indeed, it might have been useless to keep any secret from this girl who was extremely knowledgeable.

“Anyway, since I have someone to protect, I cannot leave the place. Besides…”

“Besides?”

“I was gifted with Gandálfr’s power. Having such power, I may be able to do something for this world…that’s another reason.”

Tabitha said with conviction. “It is unreasonable.”

“Eh?”

“Inside, you feel like you belong to this world’s people and you say what you feel."

Saito was shocked. Then Tabitha whispered silently,

“…you are a hero of this land.”

“What?”

It was so quiet that he could not hear it well. Tabitha lowered her eyes and shook her head.

“Nothing.”

After these two questions, silence settled in. Somehow, the atmosphere became awkward.

The librarian stuck her head into the reading room, and informed them that the library would soon be closing. Saito happily stood up.

“Thank you. You helped me a lot. Now I can study alone.”

Tabitha shook her head.

“I will supervise it till the end.”

“Eh?”

“There are difficult words. Runes too. It’s impossible to study alone.”

It might have been the way she said it. However, he thought that it would be bad to make her help him any further.

“No, I’d feel bad for hogging your reading time…”

“Don’t care.”

When Tabitha said so, she took yet another book out of the same bookshelf.

“Next textbook.”

“Now? Isn’t it already getting late?”

Showing no hesitation, Tabitha nodded.

After providing the hangout with food, Siesta and the others went back to clearing rooms and cleaning tables. When they returned and peeped into the hangout again, they could see drunken apprentice knights and students, but there was no Saito. So they never found out whether their dishes or the noble girls’ were more delicious.

''I wanted to ask Saito for his impression,'' thought Siesta while going back to her room.

“Miss Vallière?”

Siesta looked at the pink-haired girl who was Saito's master. No, the girl in there was…

“A bad imitation of Madam Butterfly?”

Louise walked towards Siesta with her hands crossed in front. For some reason she was swaying her hips with each step. Noticing Siesta, she let her arms drop to her sides - though she looked like the usual Louise, something was amiss.

“Who are you calling a bad imitation?”

“S-Sorry! But why are you dressed like that — is this some kind of costume party? But I haven't heard of one…”

“Why costume party?”

Louise stared intensely at Siesta.

“B-Because, for Miss Vallière to wear that…”

Shocked, Siesta looked at Louise's clothes. Usually Louise would wear a long, cute camisole.

Yet, what Louise wore today was a black babydoll.
<center>[[Image:ZnT11-006.jpg|thumb|]]</center>
Louise, with a composed expression on her face, sat down on the bed and crossed her legs.

“Hmph...”

“Ha—”

Siesta tried hard to suppress her laughter. Louise quickly stood up and took out the riding crop from the drawer behind Siesta.

“Tell me. What are you laughing for?”

“I'm n-not laughing at all!”

Louise, as if remembering something, moved away from Siesta.

“I should not. A mature woman wouldn’t be angered this easily.”

“For an adult, your chest pretty much still falls behind…”

Said Siesta pointing at the chest area of the babydoll. Louise’s cheek started to twitch.

But Louise shook her head and said:

“Breast size is unrelated to the charm of a lady. The important part is behavior, education, and…”

“And?”

“Atmosphere.”

She said lazily, curling her hair with her fingers.

''Hah, seems like someone convinced Louise to wear another strange outfit. Black cat, maid…and now a mature woman'' Siesta guessed.

“However, somehow I think it should be a much stronger atmosphere…”

After hearing what was said, Louise turned around.

“It is different. You are mistaken. Don't you know? Saito is crazy about me.”

“Eh, then you don’t think Saito is drawn towards the Queen? Do you know Saito so well? Can Miss Vallière reach his deepest feelings? I think it's a difficult thing to know.

Louise stopped triumphantly curling her hair.

“It’s stupid — I was chosen.”

“Eh.”

“The Princess said so herself. Right now, Saito sees only me. What a bother! For me, even though it’s love, it is…t-troublesome. Well, I feel sorry, so I go along with those feelings.”

Louise said with glee, striking a pose in front of the mirror. Siesta coldly watched Louise.

“You look awfully happy about that, though.”

“A-Anyway, I do not value it but I do not disregard it. But it would be hard to be valued when you don’t dress well. It’s not just big breasts and the empty head of the maid, it’s different here. How about that? Does it suit me?”

Calmly, Siesta said,

“Poorly.”

After a long silence, Louise took out her wand, and started poking Siesta with it.

“What was that? What was that? What was that?”

“Because! Miss Vallière’s body is far from an adult’s in every respect. So, only cute clothes suit her body!”

Then Louise stood up and turned her back towards Siesta.

“Sooner or later, the atmosphere will come out.”

“Come out?”

“Come out. It’s what I said. Mood is important.”

“B-Being an adult is nice but…as promised before, could you loan me something to wear for one day?”

“Something you like? I don’t mind.”

“Really? Is it alright?”

“It's alright. Can’t break a promise that’s made by a mature woman. I’ll diligently keep the promise.”

“If that's so, I'll take it then. I wonder what dress to wear. Hmm.“

“If you like, I can lend you any of these clothes.”

“Truly?!”

Then Siesta danced with joy and opened the closet.

“I can actually wear them, how about this dress? Hey, this!”

Louise had once worn it — it was a black dress. The neckline was pretty deep and it was sleeveless.

“You like something this plain? Hm, I have a lot that are similar to that one.”

Siesta gladly put on the black dress.

“Uwa…great! And this fabric stretches too.”

Siesta, wearing Louise's dress, struck a happy pose in front of the mirror.

“Uwaa, it shows the body lines well. No, it is perfect. Don’t say this dress is plain♪. Bit embarrassing though… This…”

While saying so, with a smirk on her face, Siesta bent over. Certainly, the black dress emphasized the wonderful chest of Siesta that threatened to burst out at any moment, and with each movement it sunk lower.

The white valley between her breasts, stretching the opening further, seemed to empathize her words.

Siesta displayed her arsenal to Louise.

“How about it? Do you get a mature atmosphere from this?”

“It is different. He likes tiny girls like me. Therefore, the Princess and you should not have false hopes.”

“Tsk, but he sure watches cleavage with a great interest.”

“Only because they are unnaturally big. Surely it’s just a biological curiosity. Alright? I do not need clothes to make a mature atmosphere. I, myself, am a small lady who has a mature atmosphere around her. Moreover, that’s why I am generously not getting angry. Yeah, because I am unrivaled.”

“Is that so?”

“It is so.”

Louise hit another pose while humming. Siesta, on the other hand, did not look convinced by Louise’s performance…and when she glanced over the window, she shouted,

“Saito!”

“Saito? The door is still closed.”

“Not there, outside the window!”

“Yes?”

Louise pushed her head out of the window.

“W-What’s the meaning of this!?”

It was Saito and Tabitha, who was leading him by the hand, walking together up the moonlit stairs to Tabitha’s room. In an instant, Louise dashed out of the room, stormed up the stairs, jumping two steps at once, and, with a loud ''Bam!'', tore Tabitha’s room’s door open.
　
The small, dark figure of Tabitha sat at her desk and Saito stood beside her. They both turned around at the same time.

“What, Louise? What’s the matter?”

Saito asked with a blank look on his face.

Louise was boiling with anger. However, she firmly held that anger down.

''Control yourself, control yourself.''

''A mature woman would not be getting angry. ''

''Besides, it's still not clear if he had an affair to begin with…''

Looking around the room, Louise started curling her hair.

“Um, you. What are you doing in here?”

“Well, learning the words.”

“Words?”

“Yep. Wouldn’t it be convenient to read the words of this world?”

It seemed like Saito was learning the words from Tabitha.

Louise’s cheek twitched. ''Why you couldn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you ask me if you wanted to learn how to read?''

However, Louise swallowed the pain.

''Today I am an adult. Today I am a lady. '

Louise touched the place of her palm where she had written "lady."

In her mind, the mature Louise calmed down the raging child Louise.

''Alright? Child Louise. You are a mature woman, right, so do not forget that attitude.''

Pretending to be all cool and calm, Louise asked Saito,

“You didn’t consider asking someone else to teach you?”

“Because Tabitha offered to teach me.”

This reticent girl started a conversation by herself?

Louise stole a glance at Tabitha. However, Tabitha seemed to be expressionless as usual. No feelings could be read from her eyes. But...her holding a romantic interest in Saito still seemed impossible.

''Maybe she just expressed her gratitude for the help.''

Feeling relieved, confidence boiled up again.

''At any rate, the current me emits a lot of charm…''

“Eh?”

Louise saw Saito averting his eyes in embarrassment.

Augh. Not good.

''I just burst in here wearing nothing but underwear!''

''Dressed in this, I dashed wildly through the corridor and intruded into someone's room.'' Though she was ready to die from shame, Louise tried to endure it. And she was so close to dying.

For something trivial like learning words…

''I have to appear like the mature me again.''

Coming to see the room like this would have a big impact, wouldn’t it?

Hmm, her mind started to work furiously.

''Whatever, I’ll just use this mature attraction to completely turn him into my slave forever — Louise finally decided triumphantly.''

''Fuun'', Louise nonchalantly placed her hand against the wall and thrust her hips to the side.

To fascinate Saito, in an act that she herself thought to be sexually charming, she started to lightly suck on her finger.

“W-Wait. W-What’s this. This look…”

''Get it. Not get it. Stupid dog.''

''Do you finally notice the attractiveness of the mature me?''

Caught in the moment, Louise placed her right hand behind her neck, turned her hips, and threw a tempting glance to Saito through the corner of her eyes. Louise’s slender limbs created a tense atmosphere.

Saito's face reddened more and more. The expressionless face of Tabitha, sitting by his side, was not fazed at all.

“It’s ridiculous. That…”

''Ridiculous?''

''This is my power.''

''Hey, dog.''

''Do you notice, dog?''

''Have you noticed your mistress’s unexpected charming side?''

''Now then, why don’t you swear your eternal servitude to me?''

Louise pulled out her final trump.

Guiding her right hand from her hair onto her breasts, she let her left hand slip down and slightly lift her babydoll’s hem up.

“Hey, stop doing this embarrassing stuff in front of me!”

Saito finally erupted. To Louise, it sounded like a loud hymn of her triumph.

“Not picchibichi!”

Eh? Picchibichi?

“Siesta, is that Louise’s dress? Do not wear it! It's not your size! I can see all your parts, all your body lines clearly, so I do not know where to place my eyes anymore! What if someone else sees that!”

''I see.''

Louise’s triumphant song broke with a loud ugly noise.

Siesta, who stood next to Louise, tried to cover herself.

“Don’t stare at me this much, it's embarrassing!”

“You are the one who is embarrassing! Hey!”

Saito blushed and turned his eyes away.

Louise asked Saito in a tiny voice.

“W-What about your mistress?”

“Ah? No, Louise, you look kind of awkward wearing this. Is this a curtain?”

Curtain?

Louise's shoulders began to tremble.

Tabitha politely coughed.

“Doesn’t suit.”

At the same time, Saito burst out laughing.

“Uwaa, Louise! What’s this! Could it be a babydoll dress?! No, it hung so loosely on you that I thought it was a curtain!”

Then, Louise silently drove both of her feet into Saito’s plexus with a skillful flying kick.

Once Saito hit the wall and fainted in agony, Louise aimed her wand.

“Die you, then resurrect, and then die again — you need to die at least twice for this!”

But Tabitha, with her staff readied, blocked her.

“What?! You?!”

“I won’t allow you to lay your hand on this person anymore.”

Though her words were purely defensive, Louise took them in a different meaning.

“So, you already laid your hands on her? No, it wasn’t just hands.”

“That…”

“A c-child who is smaller than I, s-s-smaller than I! Smaller than I!”

Thinking that her only advantage was denied, trembling, Louise aimed and lowered the wand.

“Uwaa!”

Saito covered himself.

However...nothing happened.

The sound of the explosion that he feared did not come.

“Huh?”

Louise’s surprised voice rang instead.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“It doesn't work. The ‘Explosion’ spell doesn’t work!”

“Narrow escape from death.”

Saito sighed in relief, while Louise was already half-frantic.

“Eeeeeh!? How!? Why doesn't it work!?”

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| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter1

2012-04-14T05:07:24Z

Zeth: /* 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 go on the computer,'' 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 go on the computer.
Tonight's dinner is [[Talk:Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter1#hamburger|hamburger steak]]. My mom said so this morning."

"Computer?"


"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 twice 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?"

"They're catalysts used 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."
[[Image:ZNT-Colour-Fold up 01 v2.jpg|thumb]]
"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.



<noinclude>{{Nav|{{FULLPAGENAME}}|{{ZnT List v1}}|Zero no Tsukaima}}</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume9 Chapter8

2012-04-14T05:01:27Z

Zeth: /* Chapter Eight: The Ball of Sleipnir */

===Chapter Eight: The Ball of Sleipnir ===

A week later, on the Day of Void.

The Ball of Sleipnir was finally going to be held today.

It was supposed to be a day of rest, but the students of the Academy of Magic were restless all morning, even during breakfast.

"Who are you going as?"

"I'll try that."

It was what all the conversations were about.

Guiche crossed his legs, as proud as a peacock.

“I wonder who I should become? But, for someone as handsome as myself, is it not better to just remain as I am? Don't you think so too, Saito?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Saito replied idly, regarding Guiche as something that was little more than a breeze in the wind. Sitting across from him was Malicorne, who was hugging himself.

“What should I do... If it remains like this, it looks like I'm going to have to become a beautiful girl."

“Just do that already."

“Sigh... What should I do? Isn't that a crime?"

“Of course it's a crime. I reckon that it warrants a death sentence."

“Haa... A death sentence... Ha... Ha..."

Malicorne stammered as he held his trembling body together.

Imagining the fat boy acting in the manner of a young girl almost made Saito throw up his breakfast.

''However... To get so excited over some masquerade ball, these people sure were easy to please.''

''It's only putting on a little disguise, did it really require so much thought?''

Saito thought to himself, not knowing that they would be disguising themselves using magic.

It really only required a little bit of thought to realize that the Academy of Magic would never hold an ordinary masquerade ball... but, being completely uninterested in the matter, Saito never considered this.

Siesta was cleaning the room when Saito returned after breakfast.

“Welcome home, Saito.”

“Yeah, I'm back."

Siesta was cleaning the room with a bright smile on her face.

“Today's the day of The Ball of Sleipnir.”

“Is Siesta going too?” Saito asked.

“I'm going... because they are shorthanded..." Siesta replied shyly with her head down for some reason.

“I see..."

''So, should I go or not?'' Saito pondered.

Siesta walked towards Saito and looked into his eyes.

"Umm..."

“Ah, yes?"

“I've been reading a book lately." Siesta said, as she pulled out a book.

“What's it about?"

''Siesta can read as well'', Saito thought.

“Oh, I forgot Saito can't read."

Siesta blushed as she explained the story to Saito.

“The name of the book is 'A Housemaid’s Afternoon.'”

“Uh huh.”

“It's a story about a young maid serving in an aristocrat's residence. And the master of that residence is a man who is corrupted to the core.”

“Uh huh.”

“Every night, he would coerce the maid into doing unpleasant things with him."

“Unpleasant things?”

Siesta muttered something into Saito’s ear.

A painful sensation tingled in his nose, and a torrent of blood flowed out. Five seconds later, he finally held it in.

“...What sort of books do you read?"

“W-What do you mean by that? It's from a girl in my dorm. She let me borrow it!"

Siesta blushed as her hands shook.

''So, this is the stuff Siesta and the maids read in their spare time... But, then again, the girl magazines in my world are pretty risque as well...''

Saito accepted this with his strange justification.

“Well...?”

“I’d hate it if a person like the master from the story were to touch me like that… but, if it were Saito…”

“What are you-”

Siesta covered her blushing face with her hands.

“N-Never mind! I was only joking!”

“O-Of course…” Saito laughed.

Then, Siesta tilted her head towards Saito with a curious glint in her eyes.

“But… how about we give it a try?”

“Huh?”

“A little trying won't hurt.”

Shocked and confused, Saito remained planted where he stood, as Siesta ran over to Saito with a look of distress, looking as though she had broken something.

“Ah! Oh no, I broke master’s cup!”

“…”

“It's Saito’s turn now.” Siesta said in a serious tone.

“W-What am I supposed to do?”

Walking up to Saito’s side, Siesta began to mutter in a slight whisper.

Pshhh~~ 

In that instant, blood spurted from Saito’s nose.

“S-Siesta?”

“Please punish me! I wish to be punished by Saito! L-Like this!”

With a cry, Siesta melodramatically fell onto the floor. She tilted her head up towards Saito, her face as red as a ripe apple. An intense aura of abuse and neglect seemed to emanate from her.

Siesta gently lifted up the hem of her skirt.

“M-Master, please punish me as you see fit…"

[[Image:ZnT09-193.jpg|thumb]]

''What is that maid rambling on about… and what’s a guy like me supposed to do…''

Only meaningless words passed through Saito’s lips.

At the same time, Louise was quickly approaching by horse.

Saito hesitantly went to the shelf where the horse whip was hidden. Nearly fainting from all the blood rushing to his head, Saito could resist no longer.

At that instant, Louise opened the door.

In front of her eyes was Siesta, collapsed on the floor with her skirt pulled up and saying something about waiting for her master’s punishment, and Saito, with the whip from the shelf in his hand. Louise promptly spun around and landed a kick directly on Saito’s crotch.

“The two of you, stop this at once!”

Saito collapsed onto the ground with his hands between his legs. Louise planted her foot on his face and ordered,

“Maid! Familiar! The two of you, listen!”

“Yes!” Saito and Siesta replied in unison.

“There better not be a next time... You may be an incompetent familiar, but, your master has a task for you.”

“W-What is it?”

“The Ball of Sleipnir is today. You know that, right?”

“Uh huh.”

“Do you know what kind of ball it is?”

“Well, umm… is it a masquerade ball?”

“That’s right. A ball where you ‘masquerade’ as your ideal. S-so, y-you must find me during the ball.”

“Huh…?”

''What is the meaning of this?''

Siesta and Louise glanced at each other.

''Huh—it looked like they were plotting something.’’

''Women sure are so superficial…'' Saito thought. ''The war had only ended not long ago, and already they are engrossed in something like a ball. Shouldn’t they be more concerned about contributing to society or something?''

“The two of you…”

Saito sighed, removing Louise’s leg and pulling himself up, silently brushing off the dirt on him.

“Ehh? What?”

“Yes?”

“The two of you, sit here.”

“What is it?”

“Listen up.”

The two of them looked at each other before reluctantly sitting on the bed.

Saito faced the two of them.

“You two should be more concerned about this world and the people in it!”

Louise was shocked.

It seemed that a desire to help the world had suddenly awakened in Saito. It was probably because of Colbert. That teacher had always pursued his research for this same reason… Was he trying to succeed his dying wish? It seemed so.

''So that's why he was so willing to pour everything into his duty in the knight corps.''

In Louise’s view, however, it was never his duty to begin with.

''What Saito should be doing… is to find a way to return to his world.''

It was only after doing this could Saito seriously consider the matters of this world. Whether to remain or not was up to him… Plus, even if there was a way, would one be able to travel freely between the two worlds?

Her mind raced back and forth.

“To change the world through the knight corps? Are you a fool?”

Louise spat out, angering Saito.

“What? Why do you insist I’m a fool?”

“There are other things you should be doing!”

“Like protecting you? Didn’t I already tell you I’ll do that too?"

“It’s not that!” Louise yelled.

“T-Then what is it?”

“It’s finding a way for you to return to your world, of course. To send you home, and relieve your family.”

''Idiot...'' But Saito had nothing to say.

“Looking at the you right now, it just doesn’t feel natural. The matters of this world should just be left to the people of this world."

“B-But…”

“If we were to take the duty of the knight corps, for example, all there is to it is war, that, or protecting Her Majesty the Queen. Sure, it is without a doubt a duty of the utmost importance, but it is not one for you to take. Why are you so intent on this?”

''...''Saito lowered his head.

Everything no longer looked clear to Saito.

True, Saito had wanted to accomplish something.

Up until now, he had always lived a simple, ordinary life... And that’s why now he wished to accomplish everything that he could. But it would be too difficult to explain this to Louise.

Louise sighed.

“Regardless of what happens... you must attend the ball today. You haven’t forgotten what I said earlier, right?”

“Yeah, yeah."

Just when it seemed like she was done, Louise began to blush.

“If you do…”

“If I do…?”

“Then… I’ll let you finish what you started that night, back in Albion…”

Siesta glared at Louise.

“To use such seductive methods...”

Louise angrily turned her face away, and left the room.

Left where he was, Saito slowly collapsed, his nose spouting blood like a geyser.

“Keep yourself together, Saito!” Siesta urged as she tended to him.

When evening came, “The Mirror of Truth” was drawn out from the treasure vault onto entrance of the dance hall in the second floor. A black curtain was pulled around the magic mirror. No one could tell what form the person within would transform into.

Miss Chevruse , wearing a butterfly mask, stood at the side of the curtain.

“Noblemen and Noble ladies, tonight I will guide you into a world of fantasy.”

She enthusiastically announced to the line of students. Louise, who was also in the queue, was pondering who to transform into.

Doubt began to creep into her mind.

''Will Saito recognize me after I've changed?''

''He should be able to…''

It was Louise’s turn. She walked through the curtains. There was only a mirror inside, which was roughly two meters high, installed on a simple frame, and covered by a cloth.

Miss Chevruse’s voice echoed from outside,

“Please listen well. You must think only of the person you wish to become the most and not be distracted by anything else. This mirror will look into your heart’s deepest desires, and grant you that form. Once you’ve prepared yourself, please remove the cloth.”

Louise took a deep breath. "Okay." She lifted the cloth from the mirror.

A beautiful mirrored surface emerged from beneath it, radiating all the colors of the rainbow.

The reflection that graced the mirror’s surface was gradually enveloped by the radiant glow.

The flowing lights suddenly disappeared, once again returning her surroundings to darkness.

However, it was no longer Louise in the mirror.

What had appeared instead was the reflection of a gentle, warm, pink-haired, twenty-three-year-old lady.

It was the figure of Louise’s second sister, Cattleya.

Cattleya was her ideal. Her sister, who was kinder than anyone else… Louise gently placed her hands on her breasts.

Walking into the hall, it was filled with all kinds of people: heroes of legend, famous royals, renowned nobles, as well as old gentlemen and ladies. ''They're probably the students’ parents.'' There were even fellow students, but they were probably not the actual people.

''I didn’t think there would be this many Henriettas.'' Louise smiled wryly.

It was only on this day that it was practically impossible to tell who was who. To wish to dance with a promised date, there was little else one could do apart from telling the other who you had become.

''Saito should be able to find me, right?'' Louise sighed to herself.

''I think he should be able to recognize me. After all, I took on Cattleya’s appearance.’’

Seeing that all the students were more or less present, Headmaster Osman walked onto the platform.

“Greetings, everyone. I would like to welcome you all. Tonight, we hold a ball to help our new students deepen their relationships and friendships. This ball is, of course, anonymous. This is so that not one person should be afraid to be discriminated against because of their family, status or nationality. It is also to let everyone know that everyone is equal within the walls of this academy. And I hope it will leave such an impression on you, as if it does not, it would become impossible for you all to study and develop harmoniously as one.”

Osman then made a dense cough.

“If you wish to introduce yourself to your partner, simply introduce yourself politely. Do not be caught up in the other’s appearance or status, or feel a need to introduce yourself in a dignified manner. This is one step of the decorum in the noble’s code we do not need to follow.”

The students who had gathered nodded their heads.

“Because of the alarm it might have caused everyone, it has yet to be announced... that Her Majesty, Queen Henrietta, is also here tonight.”

The hearts of the students leapt.

“Moreover, in the spirit of this ball, Her Majesty herself has also changed. Let us all try to guess who Her Majesty is… I think this will be quite interesting.”

The students grew restless. An opportunity to converse with the Queen like this did not come very often. There were already many people who were glancing left and right to spot any likely candidates.

Louise was surprised too. ''If you were coming, would it hurt to tell me first?'' Louise fumed silently.

“Carrying on… I would like to speak about the aim of this ball. Everyone, listen well. You have all now become an image of your ideal. I hope that in getting closer to achieving your ideals, you are not daunted by it, but rather are willing to study hard in the new term, so that you may one day become outstanding nobles that others will aspire to. That... is all."

The hall resounded with thunderous applause.

Headmaster Osman, with a grim face, left and passed through the mirror, then returned. He had transformed into a young, dangerously seductive young woman. Striking a pose, the woman declared:

“I’m Little Osman~~"

The students, still captivated by the speech earlier, instantly fell into a stunned silence, like a flame that was just doused. The teachers silently grabbed both of Osman’s arms and dragged him aside.

“E-Everyone, make sure you enjoy the ball!”

The struggling Osman was swiftly escorted from the hall.

Music began to play… the Masquerade Ball had finally started.

Louise looked left and right, but could not see anyone who could be Saito.

''It looks like it’ll be a while before he gets here…'' Louise sighed as she leaned against the wall.

When Saito had arrived at the assembly hall, the ball had already started. It was because he had to take care of his horse that he was late. He had experienced how difficult it was to feed an animal, and wasted no short amount of time doing so.

As he walked past the curtain at the entrance, he didn't notice the mirror within it. Rather, it would be more accurate to say that he was completely unaware that the mirror had something to do with the disguises.

Saito walked into the grand hall, and was about to be questioned by the guard at the entrance before he noticed the Chevalier badge on Saito’s mantle and nervously saluted him.

It was dim inside the hall, making it difficult to see clearly.

Saito remembered what Louise had told him earlier:

''I’ll let you finish what you started that night back in Albion.''

They were such moving words…

''To actually say such a thing… if I were to not find her after that…'' Without any time to waste, Saito frantically searched for Louise.

However, she was nowhere to be seen.

''Since it’s a masquerade ball, maybe she put on a mask? That's what I would think, except there isn’t a single person here who's wearing one. And, there isn't anyone I recognize in the crowd, apart from the few students mingled within.'' Everywhere you looked, there were seemingly important people dancing and conversing.

Saito finally found Louise standing next to a wall and enthusiastically ran towards her.

Raising her head to see Saito running towards her, Louise blushed.

''A promise is a promise.'' Saito began blushing as well.

“Didn’t I find you pretty quickly? So... is it okay… to fulfill that promise?”

Louise squirmed nervously.

“…Promise?”

“What, have you already forgotten?” Saito asked back.

“I’m sorry, dear...”

“Dear? But you've always called me…”

“Saito-san.”

“That’s right.”

Louise’s face blushed and became redder. ''What’s wrong with her… Did she fry her brain?'' But, it only made Louise even cuter.

“About what you said before... What were you trying to say?”

“What I said before?”

“Quit acting like you don’t know! Isn’t that what you said?”

“…What kind of promise was it?”

''Why is she speaking in such an excessively polite manner… Is she just messing with me?'' Saito exasperated.

At that moment, the orchestra began to play a vigorous melody.

“It’s so noisy… Let’s go outside.”

Saito, grabbing Louise’s hands, led her to the veranda outside.

“…Ah!” Louise cried out in surprise, but, she obediently followed Saito.

Arriving at the veranda, Saito faced Louise,

“Geez… didn’t I already tell you not to joke about those kinds of things? Did you think I wouldn't take them seriously?”

“…I-I’m sorry.”

Louise appeared even more endearing as she apologized, making Saito want to just grab and hold her in his arms. ''I’ll just think of it as revenge for everything she’s put me through.''

“If you won’t apologize properly, I’m going to kiss you right here.”

Louise silently lowered her head, but Saito raised it with his hand.

“…Ah.”

Louise looked up at Saito, her eyes glistening. Such an expression seemed to stop his heart, drawing his breath away...

And, passionately wishing to place his lips upon hers, Saito tightly embraced Louise in his arms; Louise leaned her body against his.

It was like this that Louise was pressed against the wall of the veranda.

''Although there was no one else on the veranda, if someone were to see this, it would become quite troublesome.''

Saito decided to slowly separate himself from her.

“Nn…!”

But today’s Louise was strangely assertive, continually pressing her body against Saito’s.

“Louise…”

''Could it be that Louise… has always been this lonely?''

Saito’s heart overflowed at Louise’s act of affection. Unknowingly, Saito already had his hands on Louise’s chest.

Completely unlike the Louise from the past, she did not express any displeasure.

''"It was only a reward!"... When Louise had said that, my heart was deeply hurt… But, now I realize that it wasn’t just a reward! To Louise, I am…''

“Louise—”

Saito tightly embraced Louise. A warm sigh escaped Louise’s mouth… ''Saito forgot me.''

Meanwhile, at the entrance to the hall, the guard stationed there was questioning a very suspicious looking woman. Wearing a long black robe with long strands of black hair flowing from the opening of her hood, no matter how you looked at her, she didn’t look like a student or teacher.

“Who are you?”

“I was sent from the Royal Palace to attend this ball.”

“Royal Palace? Well…”

The guard began searching through the list of attendees.

“I’m afraid you won’t find my name written on that list.”

Before he could question her, the woman quickly revealed a small bell from her bosom.

“That’s…”

''I had seen this when I was patrolling the treasure vault…''

“The Bell of Slumber? Why-”

Just as he suspected something was wrong, the small bell rang out. ''Cling…'' The sound made a clear echo.

A deep drowsiness overcame the guard.

''Going to fall asleep… was ambushed against…'' But the guard was unable to resist.

His body fell against a wall, sliding slowly downwards along it… And he fell into a deep sleep.

“It ''was'' the Royal Palace… just not Tristain’s.”

After confirming that the guard had fallen asleep, the long-robed woman walked into the curtain, and, noticing the Mirror of Truth within, revealed a wide grin.

She lifted the cloth and gently touched the mirror…

The mirror emitted a bright light, and, at the same time, the long-robed woman's forehead glowed.

''If I can’t tell how they look like, this mission would be impossible.''

Ancient runes began to shine on the woman’s forehead...

She is Myoznitnirn…

Saito kissed Louise’s lips.

''Nn… Ah… it's like I'm in a dream…'' Standing on the tips of her toes, Louise wrapped her arms around Saito’s neck.

''She's different… more assertive than the usual Louise.''

''To actually be so…''

A desire to love her even more emerged from within his heart.

Instinctively, he slipped his hand… onto Louise’s small breasts.

“…Wha—?”

Saito immediately froze.

''Her chest… was not small at all.''

''Actually it was… huge!''

The full, soft and warm mound shifted and moved under Saito’s palm. And each time he grasped it, Louise would pant ever louder…

“When did it become…”

Saito opened his eyes.

He gasped in surprise… in front of him was…

“Your Highness!?”

It was Henrietta.

''What the — when did they change places with each other? The person I’m hugging is the Princess?''

The frantic voices of students echoed from the hall.

“What the-!? The magic was dispelled!?”

“But the ball hasn’t ended yet!”

Saito finally understood that this was no ordinary ball, but a masquerade ball, where one could transform into another person through magic.

''Does that mean Henrietta became Louise?''

“But, why did you become Louise…?”

Henrietta shamefully lowered her head when asked.

“Today is the ball where you could become your ideal.”

“Your ideal?”

He still didn’t understand.

“But, why Louise?”

“Well, that is – that is because I’ve always admired that girl… A girl who's always acted with her heart… A pure girl with a heart and mind no one can possibly taint… To possess the virtues I have none of… I’ve always envied her from deep within my heart.”

“…”

“What kind of person am I, to tremble and waver, while that girl maintains her beliefs through thick and thin - her faith unshaken. I envy that about her. If I were to have even one-tenth of her courage, perhaps I wouldn’t have committed those sins.”

Seeing the pained look on Henrietta, Saito, wishing to comfort her no matter what, said,

“Sins…? Your Highness, you have done no wrong. So please don’t talk about things like sinning.”

“No… Just for my own personal revenge, I actually started a war. How many people paid with their lives because of that?”

“But it was inevitable anyway, that’s just how war is!”

“So many died because of it!”

Saito recalled that the expeditionary army was practically made up of nobles and mercenaries. Furthermore, there were no citizens who participated.

“Even if you were to say so, but, still… no one was forced to go. Everyone went because of their own wishes to do so; Some for glory, others for gold. Therefore, you shouldn’t worry yourself so much, Princess."

''It was perhaps a cruel thing to say - to dishonor the dead like that - but, although there were exceptions, it wasn't wrong to say that the majority were either mercenaries who fought for gold or noble officers who cried out for glory… So, perhaps it wasn’t too harsh in the end.'' Saito rationalized to justify his earlier words.

Henrietta was unresponsive.

To change the topic, Saito prepared to talk about Louise instead.

“So, why are you here today? Was it to find Louise? I’m looking for her too. Seriously, where did she run off to…”

Henrietta shook her head.

“I came here to see you.”

“…Me?”

“I don’t know why… but, whenever I hear your name… whenever I lay my eyes upon your face… for some reason, my heart... begins to…”

Henrietta looked up, the tears in her eyes slowly welling up.

“Do you still remember? That incident… that night at the small inn in Tristania…”

Saito nodded. That night, they actually pressed their lips together twice. Even now, his heart would race when he recalled it.

“Ever since that evening… every time I think of you, my heart aches. The heartache steadily grew deeper and deeper… by the time I noticed it, it had already grown to the point I could not worry about it… It was always lingering in my heart… I didn't know what to do about it anymore.”

“…”

“In the midst of all the frantic frenzy and arduous planning, it was only your warmth that protected me. When I found your name among the list of those killed in battle… the grief was almost too much to bear. After that… when I found out it was you who had stopped the army of seventy-thousand, do you know how much of a redemption it was for me?”

''For someone of Henrietta’s eminence to so frankly express her feelings…'' Saito was at a loss, thinking ‘what a frail person she was’.

But, it was because of this same vulnerability that Henrietta emanated a charm completely unlike Louise’s.

Just as he was about to be overcome by that charm, Saito turned his face away and gently pushed Henrietta away from him.

“If we were to be seen like this here… nothing good will come to Your Highness and me.”

Unexpectedly, Henrietta dragged Saito into the curtains, concealing them both within its shadows.

“Princess…”

“I understand that as well. But… even if it's only for a little while, all I wish is to spend a few more moments of happiness with you. Is that too much to ask? Are you not able to give me even this little bit of your time?”

“…”

“And, even though it will only be for a little while that I can experience happier times... If it was possible, I would remain by your side forever.”

Henrietta cried like any ordinary girl. ''The once resolute Queen was actually shedding tears for my sake…'' Saito was dumbstruck.

''Furthermore… Henrietta was more beautiful than anyone else in the world. Even Louise couldn’t compare.''

Henrietta once again lifted her face, edging ever closer to Saito.

Saito was utterly unable to resist those lips… and their lips pressed together.

After feeling out the kiss, Saito pressed his entire body onto Henrietta, pressing her against the wall.

As Henrietta panted tenderly, Saito slowly drew back his lips, watching her intently.

“Princess…”

Henrietta kissed Saito’s neck.

As though he had been struck by lightning, a shock coursed through his body.

Saito tightly embraced Henrietta.

It was at that instant…

In a small opening in the curtain, Saito saw strands of pink hair and the brown eyes below them.

“Louise…”

He felt the blood drain from his body. Henrietta also turned to look.

Louise’s entire body trembled as she watched the two of them behind the curtain, before suddenly running away, her hands covering the tears streaming down her face.

As Saito chased after her, he knocked into the students beside the curtain.

“Hey, that hurts!”

“Sorry! Excuse me! I’m in a hurry!”

However, not a glimpse of Louise could be seen within the crowd.

Because no one knew who dispelled the effects of the Mirror of Truth, the hall was in an uproar.

"What the hell?!"
[[Image:ZnT09-005.jpg|thumb]]
"Did the Mirror of Truth’s magic backfire?"

Afterwards, Henrietta, her face visibly pale, also exited from behind the blinds.

The surrounding students at once exclaimed “Your Highness!” before rushing over to her.

Before he ran off, Saito glanced over at Henrietta to signal that he was going to chase after Louise.

Louise dashed out from the main tower, running in the night through the Academy grounds.

The pain and the shock tore her apart.

''Saito and the Princess?''

''Why?''

It was after they entered the curtains that Louise saw them. Having noticed them through the opening in the curtains by chance, she had walked over…

Remembering what they had said, the tears flowed down without end.

''The two of them were so passionate… just like a pair of lovers as they made their vows''.

''And then… their lips met like long-separated lovers.''

''Don’t tell me they’ve had such a relationship since a long time ago? Could it be they’ve been lying to me all this time?''

''To be betrayed by Henrietta, whom I had trusted so…''

Louise could no longer trust anyone ever again.

''That means… Henrietta had only knighted Saito to a Chevalier and swore him in as a knight captain so that she could be by the side of her lover.''

''During the last mission in Tristania, Saito had said he had kissed Henrietta. Of course, I was angry at the time… but, it was only for the sake of the mission. I didn’t mind it much. But, it seems I was wrong.''

''Perhaps the two of them had kept this secret since that time.''

“It’s too cruel! It’s too cruel! It’s too cruel!” Louise kept shouting.

''You've always been lying to me, what "I like you"? It was all a lie!''

What Louise couldn’t forgive the most was, ''The promise he made to me, the time we spent together, that sweet kiss… the things I had always trusted completely… were all lies he had made to me.''

''The things I most valued in my heart; the memories I most treasure in my heart… were nothing more than lies.''

''And the one to do this wasn’t just anybody… but Henrietta, the person I had always held in the highest regard.''

To be doubly betrayed like that, Louise couldn’t bear it anymore.

Regardless, she couldn’t remain here.

Louise slowly snuck out the gates of the Academy of Magic, before bolting outwards in a full sprint.

The guards that normally monitored the entrance, due to the commotion caused by the dispelling of the Mirror of Truth’s magic, had all rushed to the hall. As a result, the place was empty. Without anyone to stop and question her, Louise headed along the small road leading to the city.

''I don’t want to stay here.''

''I want to go somewhere far away.''

''I want to go to a place where no one will recognize me.''

With her heart bearing such thoughts, Louise kept running forward without any regard.

Running till she was out of breath, Louise kneeled and collapsed onto the ground, her face covered by the ground and tears flowing down her cheeks…

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| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
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| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter9|Chapter 9]]
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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume13 Chapter8

2012-04-14T04:54:45Z

Zeth: /* Chapter Eight: The meaning of the Smile */

===Chapter Eight: The meaning of the Smile===


Saito woke up in Mister Colbert’s room. Lying down on the table, he was covered by a blanket. It seemed that the one who put the blanket on him was Mister Colbert, who was asleep in his bed.

It seems Saito had inadvertently fallen asleep. Rays of morning light shone through the window.

''Now I remember. I was so tired from crying yesterday that I fell asleep.''

While thinking that, Saito stared at the display of his notebook computer. It seemed like the power supply had been taken off.

''I was thinking about asking Mister Colbert to reconnect my notebook to the battery, but decided against it.''

''I memorized it last time, so I am able to recall it... so it is not necessary to do it again.''

From the window, he gazed up at the sky.

Somehow, this world was connected to Earth, one way or another.

What could it be that connected these two worlds together?

Considering how tanks and aircraft could come to this world, it should also be normal for electro-magnetic waves to enter.

''Ah, that seems to be the case.'' Saito looked around absent-mindedly as he thought.

''After all, I was a weak man.''

''I have comrades, so I think that I can accomplish something, since that's what I can accept while living in this world. Nevertheless, when I read the mail, I was suddenly overcome by the feeling of homesickness.''

''To put it plainly, I am a weak man.''

''It can't be helped since I suddenly read the mail.'' Thinking this, Saito left his notebook computer behind in Mister Colbert’s room.

Saito felt depressed. While he trudged through the corridor he muttered:

"Tomorrow will be a troublesome day. The three-year anniversary of the Pope's coronation... My spirit must not be like this."

''At any rate, my mood must be kept hidden from Louise.''

''I don't want her to get depressed again.''

''I should be thinking about more immediate concerns. Saito positively thought.''

''Okay, Let's hide this depressed face of mine. While forcefully doing that, Saito opened the door to the living room.''

"Louise, forgive me for not coming back yesterday. I was drinking with Mr. Colbert in his room and collapsed..."

Louise was sitting in the chair looking at the mirror. But it seems that she wasn't going to scold Saito. Instead she smiled back, almost as if a it were a trap.

"Good morning."

Louise’s sudden smile surprised him.

"What the...? What with your clothes..."

"Eh, this? I went out to buy this last evening."

Louise wasn’t in her usual Tristain Academy uniform, But a cute blouse with a short, deep blue silk skirt and a red ribbon which trailed from the collar.

"Why?"

Saito asked, amazed. ''Of all days, why today?'' No, even if is this is a joke in Romalia's great cathedral. Saito still couldn't understand the reason.

"Oh I understand, it's for tomorrow’s ceremony isn't it? But is it okay to be wearing that?"

Then Louise smiled pleasantly and said.

"No, it's for going to town to shop with you today."

"Мe, why?"

"In the town, there is a festival for the celebration of Her Holiness the Pope’s third anniversary. In noble society there are festivals; here in street it seems like they have festivals too. Now, I want to go to the festival with you."

"But tomorrow... shouldn't be we use time we have today to prepare ourselves?"

"No, it's okay. Practicing right now would not change the result, a pointless effort. Besides, sometimes relaxation is important too."

Looking innocent, Louise grabbed Saito’s arm.

"Okay, let's go?"

In the end, attracted by Louise’s unusually cute behavior, Saito went to town. Louise was glued to Saito’s arm. ''What, was something wrong?'' He turned for a moment toward Louise. Louise only smiled back.
[[Image:ZnT13-005.jpg|thumb]]
''As expected, I have a bad feeling about this.''

"Hey Louise?" Saito asked.

"Yes."

"What are you scheming?"

But Louise was laughing. Kyahaha.

Kyahaha? Louise laughing? Saito's head was full of questions, but Louise remained glued to Saito arm.

"I'm not scheming anything."

"Lie!"

"It's not a lie. Honestly, for today I just want to take a stroll with you through town. That's all."

Looking at it from all sides her smile was not a scheming one. ''Still, there is something hidden'', Saito thought. Then Louise pointed at something.

"Eh, that's right, for today I will listen to anything you request."

"Huh?"

"Really, I'm serious. So don't be polite, okay?"

Smiling and leaning to him. Saito felt more and more suspicious. For the sake of testing, he said.

"Then, show me your underpants."

He thought he was going to be kicked, so he prepared for that.

But, neither kick, punch, nor magic attack was launched. Instead, Louise shyly began to slowly lift up her skirt.

"Okay."

''It's been a while since I last saw Louise's underpants'', he thought.

She didn't seem to be angry.

Meaning...? “Hey, this is the middle of the street, there’re a lot of people here.” Saito said while furiously trying stop her.

"Stop it, People can see that."

With a smile, Louise returned the skirt to its original position.

Too suspicious.

Is this really the real Louise?

Could it be that someone transformed her?

Right, Myoznitnirn’s magical tool, for instance...

That was an act, Saito thought. The tension began to build with his next words.

"Ah, then, allow me to touch your breasts."

"Go ahead."

Louise nodded almost instantly, with a smiling face.

"Ok, then I will not hold back."

Gulp, Saito swallowed his saliva and began to touch her small breast. Rustle, rustle. (I guess that this is the sound being made, don’t know where to put it)

Even with her small breasts, touching her there, Saito’s tension began to rise. ( I have no idea what to replace tension with)

When he looked back at her, she was still smiling brightly. A face with a color of happiness. Prepared for death, Saito started to shake. If this is the real Louise, let's try that. He thought.

"And..., is this a breast?"

"Yes, that's right."

she positively nodded with a smile.

This was absolutely not Louise! another thing!

"Nah, too small, compared to Tiffania."

"It's okay with me."

Saito jumped back that instance, taking a stance.

"Who or what are you!"

"Just like I keep saying, I am me. Please believe me."

"Why aren't you angry?"

"Because, that's...."

She hesitantly said those words, and when she figured out something, she raised her face.

"Yes! You see, tomorrow there’s going to be a fierce battle. The enemy seems to be Myoznitnirn, right? So this is some kind of reward! yes that's it!"

Louise said that in what seemed to be a joyful manner.

''You would normally, even in a situation such as this, object.''

In the end, Louise seemed to have changed her way of thinking. Perhaps it was the noble pride within her, and the Princess. Saito reached understanding.

"You want to touch more?"

"..."

"It’s alright! Go ahead! Believe me! Please!"

"..."

"Thank you."

For the ninth time, she smiled. O well, if she is enjoying this then I should too. Saito thought. This leisurely situation is not a reckless action. Besides, there is the possibility that one of us may be lost tomorrow. Anyhow, however bad the situation turns out to be we will survive.

Tomorrow is the commemoration of the Pope’s coronation, things are busy in this Romalian street. Of course, it shouldn't differ too much with the festivals usually held in Tristania.

As expected of the street stalls and the performances, the atmosphere here feels busy. Even in Romalia, in every place around here, pilgrims can be seen crowding merchants. The various goods brought by them were put in the front of the stall.

Louise was stood in front of clothes shelves that was showed in the front of a stall. Doing her best to search for something.

"What, do you really want scarf that much?, I will buy it for you, so go ahead to choose something better."

Even with that said, Louise only shook her head. And then determined to choose a plain scarf, she requested this one.

"...Hey Louise, what do you plan to do with a scarf of that color?"

The scarf’s color didn’t fit with women's tastes. A black one, with lattice pattern embroidery. But Louise just answered by shaking her head.

"See this black color, it suits you."

"What, did you buy that for me?"

"Yes"

Louise smiled sweetly.

"Could it be that you somehow accidentally drank a love potion again?"

"That's not it. It's okay don't mind me. Like I said, a reward."

I see, so this is a reward too, Saito murmured.

For the time being for today I will accompany Louise, Saito thought.

Saito and Louise loitered around the street. Around noon, priests went out too to drink and sing war songs with their comrades-in-arms.

The impression that I had, when first entering this place, though it's quite strict, it is still not too different with other town in Halkeginia. In the middle was a dance party provided by a band using of flute and drum to perform.

Louise pulled Saito. Bring him to the center.

"Let's dance."

With cheerful rhythm accompanying them, Louise and Saito danced. A pleasant want(waltz). Louise was dancing, and Saito was trying to follow her lead.

After they were satisfied they went to the tavern that they were chased into by the Templar knights.

When they entered the tavern, the table was replaced by high class looking sparkling one. Seems the money Kirche gave as compensation was quite sufficient to repair all the damage. The window and stand counter had been replaced with a glass one.

This tavern was really different from the previous one. The one that stood right now was a first class tavern.

The shopkeeper too was wearing first class brand-new polished clothes. When he saw the two of them, he smiled.

When they entered, the shopkeeper recognized Louise and Saito. And looked awkward.

Until this time many trouble has been happened(?). He grinned at Saito and without saying anything the shopkeeper started to send foods one by one to both of them.

And then he whispered silently to Saito ear.

"I will be dependent on you for the next year too."

Meanwhile, Louise was still smiling.

When the food has been served in the table, Louise offered some soup to Saito.

"Еh?"

Б, a----a・(?, maybe aah( as in say aah))

With Louise started to say that, Saito still felt little troubled. Even if this was a reward. It's still too much.

"Hey Louise, please tell me the truth, I won't get angry. Did you destroy the zero fighter by accident? So you are trying to make me feel better."

"That's not it, for today, I wanted to look cute. I want you to see the cute side of me. Please believe me, that’s the only reason."

When he heard that he was dumbfounded and couldn’t say anything. Looking happy, Louise just smiled.

Once again, they walked through town, Louise gazed at Saito, and lightly said "let's go over there."

"Hey, let's kiss." She said.

[[Image:ZnT13-244.jpg|thumb]]
"Еh? Right here?"

Something outrageous had been said, even her face looked shy. Is it possible she wants to do that in a place where there are less people. Looking flustered, Louise suddenly started to push Saito into the nearest alley.

After, she fixed her gaze on Saito's face, and stood there on her tippy toes. Full of passion the two of them pressed their lips together. It was a deep kiss.

For a moment, they pressed each other’s lips together, after satisfying themselves the two of them separated. Once again Louise showed him an extraordinary smile.

Saito could not understand the meaning behind her smiles, but Saito too tried to smiles back vaguely.

while the two of them were walking, Saito would take a peek at Louise, when she would noticed that. She would return a smile, a very lovely one. In the end they continued walking. Saito thought, for Louise, he would do anything to protect her.

But it couldn't be helped, sometimes he would remember his mother’s face. When that happened his chest would hurt.

"Something wrong?"

"Nothing at all, don't mind me."

The instant that happened, Saito forced a smile. Cooling his head.(?)

Fullheartedly, the two of them spent their time together, when the night drew near they returned to their room. In the end, Saito was with her the whole day. Calmly thinking, from whatever aspect, it was too suspicious.

"Here, have some water, you must be tired."

Louise poured water into a cup, and gave it to Saito. After taking a breath he drank it, Saito asked.

"Hey Louise!"

"Yes"

"...You see, I’m still wondering, why are you smiling so much?"

"Can't I?"

Once more Louise smiled a sweet smile.

"It's very strange you know!, As long as I remember this whole year you only smiled twice! However, today you smiled 72 times."

"I'm very happy you counted. Thank you."

Once again, she smiled. An angelic smile, a lovely smile.

"That's why I will smile continuously this last minute."

"What?"

"Оnly twice a year huh. But from now on, the time we could have spent together, twenty years, forty years?, or even fifty years....., I would have smiled whenever I could."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know, I won’t smile again for the rest of my life."

Even with her smiles still surfacing, tears began to flow down Louise's face.

"Louise?"

"For the rest of my life I won't be loved by anyone anymore. But you must not be like me, Please love whoever, anyone you love. Just like me, you can watch over that person, from your world."

Tears continued to flow and made lines on her cheeks from her eyes to her chin. That kind of form.(Huh, I don’t get that last part)

"Еh? What?"

Having said that, Saito suddenly became very drowsy.

"Еh?"

It was Magic. But the moment he noticed that, the magic had already taken effect.

"Louise... you... the water before..."

Losing strength, Louise hugged Saito, touched his face with her hands, and Pressed her lips against his.

Strength completely left Saito’s body.

The water before, just like as Saito said, had a sleeping potion put in beforehand.

While gently embracing Saito, Louise whispered,

"Goodbye, my gentle person... Goodbye, my chevalier(knight)."

Hick. (sounds of crying from Louise)

After embracing Saito for a while, she put Saito in the bed. After a moment, she stood up.

"...It's okay now."

A moment after that, the door behind her opened; Julio was standing there with a smile surfacing on his face.

"Are you really sure about this?"

With no expression, Louise nodded.

"Yes, for the sake of Saito too, to open the [Door world]."

"Then for that sake too, you will......"

"With all my pleasure, I will give you my cooperation. Whether to capture Myoznitnirn or to take back the Holy Land... All of it. Not only that. For the sake of Halkeginia’s ideals, I will give my life, my Void ability and my noble status."

Julio nodded.

"Seems like a saint has been born. Then, let's go immediately. We will explain the modification to our plan for tomorrow, since he won't be here anymore."

Just a moment before she left the room, Louise turned her head once more. Endless tears still flowed on her cheeks. Wiping those tears, Louise whispered,

"Goodbye, my most important person in the world."

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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter7|Back to Chapter 7]]
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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Epilogue|Forward to Epilogue]]
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter6

2012-04-14T04:48:22Z

Zeth: /* Chapter Six: Private Lesson */

{{Template:PREVIEW}}

===Chapter Six: Private Lesson ===

Now, in the middle of the huge uproar, Saito managed to slip away and found himself in front of a library. The library was located in a tower. At the entrance, a librarian wearing glasses sat and checked the students and teachers who went in and out. Books were heavily guarded in there because they had the components of magic potions written in them, and couldn't be handed out to a simple commoner.

A young librarian girl glanced at Saito and confirmed his mantle, then returned to reading a book.

''Hm, knighthood is useful after all'' – thinking so, Saito entered the library.

“Wow. It’s amazing.”

The size of the library's bookcases was overwhelming.

Some were as much as thirty mails in height. It was an incredible height. Apparently, the library occupied the larger part of this tower. Anyways, facing such a huge amount of books, Saito hesitated.

It was somewhere around 8 PM. A whole eternity – thinking so, Saito took one book in his hands. The characters of Halkeginia’s alphabet were written there.

Though he stared at them for a while, he was not able to understand any of them.

“Dang, pretty tough…”

Saito came to look at the books in order to memorize what characters mean. ''There is a new enemy - the king of a large country. It is absurd to only swing a sword. Being a knight, one cannot just rely on talking, but needs to write as well'' - he thought.

“I wonder if they have a Japanese dictionary.”

Of course, there was no such thing.

But how could he talk?

When he asked Derflinger some time ago, he answered, ''“Though I do not understand it well, I guess it’s something you gain when you pass the gate to this world.”''

Well, seems like magic anyhow. And thanks to this magic, everyone can communicate by speech.

Flying and jumping, putting out fires, healing injuries, making strong love potions – considering all that, Saito was not surprised by such magic.

Possibly, it may be related to Louise's "Void."

Being in charge of Louise, he did not understand what the magic exactly was, but it was not hard to assume that there was some kind of translating magic as well.

''However, I want learn the characters in any case'' - Saito thought.

Wondering what to do, he turned his head, and at a distant table saw a familiar face.

“Tabitha.”

It was the girl with short blue hair. Since the rescue, they had hardly talked. She had that atmosphere of not being easy to talk to, then there was going to Louise's family, thus it was too hectic.

However, why, after leaving her mother in Germania, did she return to the Academy of Magic again? - Saito approached Tabitha and said.

“Yo.”

He thought he would be disregarded as usual, but this time it was different. Tabitha shut the book she was reading and looked up at Saito.

“Yes?”

Tabitha answered looking at Saito with round, puppy-like eyes. Saito was somewhat at a loss by such a surprising attitude.

“No, that…it’s not like it’s my business, but are you alright...?”

“I’m alright.”

“I-I see… Aah, I have something to say. Seems like Guiche, well, blurted out who you really are. You are a Gallian princess… r-right? That was stupid.”

Tabitha shook her head.

“Doesn’t matter. It’s the truth anyway.”

“I-I see. But didn’t you want to hide that? You were using a false name…”

“It does not matter now. I do not mind.”

Tabitha said as a matter-of-fact.

“Is your mother alright?”

To this question, Tabitha hesitated a little bit.

“Her mind is at peace in Germania.”

Whether it meant what it meant, he hesitated to ask any further. Surely, Tabitha’s thoughts were Tabitha’s after all.

Besides that, she was a reticent girl to start with, Saito thought the flood of questions would be pitiable. Even now it may still be impossible to answer.

“I see, understood. Sorry for disturbing your reading.”

He turned to leave while laughing.

“Do you read as well?”

She asked.

Because it was the first time that Tabitha asked about something, Saito was confused.

“Eh?”

He instinctively asked back.

“Did you also come to read?”

“Aah, it’s different, different. Far from reading, it would be difficult as I am not even able to read the letters of this world…”

“This world?”

When being asked back, Saito panicked.

Tabitha didn’t know he wasn’t a human from this world. It was Henrietta, Louise, Siesta, Cattleya, Tiffania, Osman and Colbert…who knew. That was pretty much it.

Even his colleagues from The Undine Knight Corps do not know.

“Hey, because I am a former commoner, I cannot read the characters. However, because I became a knight, I thought that I could learn a little. However…it is impossible after all. It’s just gobbledygook.”

Then, Tabitha abruptly stood up and left the book she was holding.

“Ah, oi.”

Though he called her to stop, Tabitha flew up to the high to the bookshelf using the spell. Not being able to fly and her being about twenty mails off the ground, Saito could not stop her.

And just when he started to think that they may disturb the readers and that he should get out of the library, Tabitha suddenly landed right in front of him.

“Uwaa!”

Tabitha abruptly thrust out the book to the surprised Saito.

“…eh?”

“If it’s this book - it should be easy.”

Apparently, this book was for learning the letters – just the book he was searching for. However, the really surprising thing was the usually indifferent to others Tabitha. He took it while thinking what on earth was the matter with Tabitha, when she said surprising words.

“I’ll teach the characters.”

“Yes?”

“If you just stare at the book you won’t learn anything.”

“No, well, that is right, however…is it alright? It would be pretty difficult I think. I'm not the brightest student.

“Don't care.”

Then Tabitha took Saito's hand and walked him over to sit at the table.

The characters of Halkeginia were a little bit different when looking at the alphabet. Slowly, Tabitha taught him the pronunciation of the characters.

“A, B, C.”

Though he heard the sounds somewhere, it was not possible to recall them well. Maybe it was because he only heard them.

Tabitha continued to point at each one of the characters, patiently teaching him the meaning.

But somehow, the words started to mysteriously turn into… "Prologue" and "August" and "I."

Once he heard them, they were converted to Japanese again.

Probably, Tabitha pronounced them in Halkeginian. However, when they reached his ears, they turned back into Japanese.

But, as Tabitha continued to teach the meaning of the words little by little, sentences that he had seen only as a random mess of characters up till now, slowly gained an understandable meaning just from his watching alone. As if they were translated inside his head.

[[Image:ZnT11-133.jpg|thumb]]

Once he got the hang of it, it started to run more smoothly.

And after one hour, he could already read basic sentences. So Saito, using an easy book as a textbook, was able to read out.

“What does it mean?”

Not changing her usual tone, Tabitha asked.

“Eh?”

Tabitha pointed at one sentence.

“Here, it’s written ‘No use crying over spilt milk.’ However, you read it as ‘An irreparable event happened.’”

“No, that’s just the way I read. Sorry, is it a bad thing?”

Tabitha shook her head.

“No. You are not wrong. Sentences like ‘No use crying over spilt milk’ are idiomatic expressions. Their meaning is certainly ‘An irreparable event happened.’”

Tabitha continued to speak.

“It's subtly different the way you read written sentences. But it is not wrong. It is often summarized instead, to give an expression adequate to the context. Entire sentences can be grasped by just a few words. Indeed, it is like dog or cat familiar being able to speak human language. However, the summary does not explain the reason. In such cases you cannot read like you did just now.”

Tabitha looked at Saito with clear blue eyes.

In these cold-looking eyes, Saito felt a faint glimmer of curiosity. ''Tabitha wanted to learn the truth. Of who I am…''

“…that’s how it is. No, I mean, what I am doing is not exactly ‘reading.’ The reason why I learn Tabitha’s thought's words…is because I understand the ‘meaning’ of the written thing directly.”

“Why?”

“I think it’s because I am not a human from this world. Maybe it’s because my words are different from Tabitha’s and others. In other words, a word is already directly translated in my head…maybe that’s why there are those subtle changes? Aah, that’s how it is!”

Unnoticed to Saito, he started to shout.

“For the book – it is translated in my head at once, just like the words of this world are translated after they leave my mouth.”

''Just like when sentences written in Japanese are translated to English. And when that English sentence is translated back to Japanese again, there are some subtle changes from the first sentence. That’s what happens when I read a book'' Saito thought.

Indeed, it must be so, yes, he realized, and then was asked by Tabitha.

“This world?”

“Damn!”

Because of such turn of events, Saito had to explain the circumstances to Tabitha. Since Tabitha was sharp, he couldn't hide it from her any longer.

“So… A person from a different world.”

Hearing Saito’s story, Tabitha narrowed her eyes a little.

“Do you believe me?”

“You do not tell a lie.”

Tabitha said, looking straight at Saito.

These words made Saito’s heart beat faster. Embarrassed for some reason, Saito turned his face away from her. Being looked like this by this small young girl, his heart throbbed and it was hard to meet her eyes staring straight at him.

“Do you want to return?”

“Eh?”

“To your home…to your mother, do you want to return?

“I want to return.”

Saito said.

“Then why…”

Do you not return? That’s what she was probably wondering.

Saito shook his head.

“It’s because I cannot find the way to return.”

“You just have to look for it.”

“I don’t have a clue.”

“You do not seem like you are looking for it.”

Tabitha said. Hearing that, Saito lowered his head.

“No…rather than not wanting to return, I cannot afford to leave.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is a fellow who is aiming for Louise's power…”

“Void?”

“You knew?”

“I understood when I saw it.”

Tabitha said calmly, leaving the other world issue behind. Indeed, it might have been useless to keep any secret from this girl who was extremely knowledgeable.

“Anyway, since I have someone to protect, I cannot leave the place. Besides…”

“Besides?”

“I was gifted with Gandálfr’s power. Having such power, I may be able to do something for this world…that’s another reason.”

Tabitha said with conviction. “It is unreasonable.”

“Eh?”

“Inside, you feel like you belong to this world’s people and you say what you feel."

Saito was shocked. Then Tabitha whispered silently,

“…you are a hero of this land.”

“What?”

It was so quiet that he could not hear it well. Tabitha lowered her eyes and shook her head.

“Nothing.”

After these two questions, silence settled in. Somehow, the atmosphere became awkward.

The librarian stuck her head into the reading room, and informed them that the library would soon be closing. Saito happily stood up.

“Thank you. You helped me a lot. Now I can study alone.”

Tabitha shook her head.

“I will supervise it till the end.”

“Eh?”

“There are difficult words. Runes too. It’s impossible to study alone.”

It might have been the way she said it. However, he thought that it would be bad to make her help him any further.

“No, I’d feel bad for hogging your reading time…”

“Don’t care.”

When Tabitha said so, she took yet another book out of the same bookshelf.

“Next textbook.”

“Now? Isn’t it already getting late?”

Showing no hesitation, Tabitha nodded.

After providing the hangout with food, Siesta and the others went back to clearing rooms and cleaning tables. When they returned and peeped into the hangout again, they could see drunken apprentice knights and students, but there was no Saito. So they never found out whether their dishes or the noble girls’ were more delicious.

''I wanted to ask Saito for his impression,'' thought Siesta while going back to her room.

“Miss Vallière?”

Siesta looked at the pink-haired girl who was Saito's master. No, the girl in there was…

“A bad imitation of Madam Butterfly?”

Louise walked towards Siesta with her hands crossed in front. For some reason she was swaying her hips with each step. Noticing Siesta, she let her arms drop to her sides - though she looked like the usual Louise, something was amiss.

“Who are you calling a bad imitation?”

“S-Sorry! But why are you dressed like that — is this some kind of costume party? But I haven't heard of one…”

“Why costume party?”

Louise stared intensely at Siesta.

“B-Because, for Miss Vallière to wear that…”

Shocked, Siesta looked at Louise's clothes. Usually Louise would wear a long, cute camisole.

Yet, what Louise wore today was a black babydoll.
<center>[[Image:ZnT11-006.jpg|thumb|Louise wore a black babydoll]]</center>
Louise, with a composed expression on her face, sat down on the bed and crossed her legs.

“Hmph...”

“Ha—”

Siesta tried hard to suppress her laughter. Louise quickly stood up and took out the riding crop from the drawer behind Siesta.

“Tell me. What are you laughing for?”

“I'm n-not laughing at all!”

Louise, as if remembering something, moved away from Siesta.

“I should not. A mature woman wouldn’t be angered this easily.”

“For an adult, your chest pretty much still falls behind…”

Said Siesta pointing at the chest area of the babydoll. Louise’s cheek started to twitch.

But Louise shook her head and said:

“Breast size is unrelated to the charm of a lady. The important part is behavior, education, and…”

“And?”

“Atmosphere.”

She said lazily, curling her hair with her fingers.

''Hah, seems like someone convinced Louise to wear another strange outfit. Black cat, maid…and now a mature woman'' Siesta guessed.

“However, somehow I think it should be a much stronger atmosphere…”

After hearing what was said, Louise turned around.

“It is different. You are mistaken. Don't you know? Saito is crazy about me.”

“Eh, then you don’t think Saito is drawn towards the Queen? Do you know Saito so well? Can Miss Vallière reach his deepest feelings? I think it's a difficult thing to know.

Louise stopped triumphantly curling her hair.

“It’s stupid — I was chosen.”

“Eh.”

“The Princess said so herself. Right now, Saito sees only me. What a bother! For me, even though it’s love, it is…t-troublesome. Well, I feel sorry, so I go along with those feelings.”

Louise said with glee, striking a pose in front of the mirror. Siesta coldly watched Louise.

“You look awfully happy about that, though.”

“A-Anyway, I do not value it but I do not disregard it. But it would be hard to be valued when you don’t dress well. It’s not just big breasts and the empty head of the maid, it’s different here. How about that? Does it suit me?”

Calmly, Siesta said,

“Poorly.”

After a long silence, Louise took out her wand, and started poking Siesta with it.

“What was that? What was that? What was that?”

“Because! Miss Vallière’s body is far from an adult’s in every respect. So, only cute clothes suit her body!”

Then Louise stood up and turned her back towards Siesta.

“Sooner or later, the atmosphere will come out.”

“Come out?”

“Come out. It’s what I said. Mood is important.”

“B-Being an adult is nice but…as promised before, could you loan me something to wear for one day?”

“Something you like? I don’t mind.”

“Really? Is it alright?”

“It's alright. Can’t break a promise that’s made by a mature woman. I’ll diligently keep the promise.”

“If that's so, I'll take it then. I wonder what dress to wear. Hmm.“

“If you like, I can lend you any of these clothes.”

“Truly?!”

Then Siesta danced with joy and opened the closet.

“I can actually wear them, how about this dress? Hey, this!”

Louise had once worn it — it was a black dress. The neckline was pretty deep and it was sleeveless.

“You like something this plain? Hm, I have a lot that are similar to that one.”

Siesta gladly put on the black dress.

“Uwa…great! And this fabric stretches too.”

Siesta, wearing Louise's dress, struck a happy pose in front of the mirror.

“Uwaa, it shows the body lines well. No, it is perfect. Don’t say this dress is plain♪. Bit embarrassing though… This…”

While saying so, with a smirk on her face, Siesta bent over. Certainly, the black dress emphasized the wonderful chest of Siesta that threatened to burst out at any moment, and with each movement it sunk lower.

The white valley between her breasts, stretching the opening further, seemed to empathize her words.

Siesta displayed her arsenal to Louise.

“How about it? Do you get a mature atmosphere from this?”

“It is different. He likes tiny girls like me. Therefore, the Princess and you should not have false hopes.”

“Tsk, but he sure watches cleavage with a great interest.”

“Only because they are unnaturally big. Surely it’s just a biological curiosity. Alright? I do not need clothes to make a mature atmosphere. I, myself, am a small lady who has a mature atmosphere around her. Moreover, that’s why I am generously not getting angry. Yeah, because I am unrivaled.”

“Is that so?”

“It is so.”

Louise hit another pose while humming. Siesta, on the other hand, did not look convinced by Louise’s performance…and when she glanced over the window, she shouted,

“Saito!”

“Saito? The door is still closed.”

“Not there, outside the window!”

“Yes?”

Louise pushed her head out of the window.

“W-What’s the meaning of this!?”

It was Saito and Tabitha, who was leading him by the hand, walking together up the moonlit stairs to Tabitha’s room. In an instant, Louise dashed out of the room, stormed up the stairs, jumping two steps at once, and, with a loud ''Bam!'', tore Tabitha’s room’s door open.
　
The small, dark figure of Tabitha sat at her desk and Saito stood beside her. They both turned around at the same time.

“What, Louise? What’s the matter?”

Saito asked with a blank look on his face.

Louise was boiling with anger. However, she firmly held that anger down.

''Control yourself, control yourself.''

''A mature woman would not be getting angry. ''

''Besides, it's still not clear if he had an affair to begin with…''

Looking around the room, Louise started curling her hair.

“Um, you. What are you doing in here?”

“Well, learning the words.”

“Words?”

“Yep. Wouldn’t it be convenient to read the words of this world?”

It seemed like Saito was learning the words from Tabitha.

Louise’s cheek twitched. ''Why you couldn’t you tell me? Why didn’t you ask me if you wanted to learn how to read?''

However, Louise swallowed the pain.

''Today I am an adult. Today I am a lady. '

Louise touched the place of her palm where she had written "lady."

In her mind, the mature Louise calmed down the raging child Louise.

''Alright? Child Louise. You are a mature woman, right, so do not forget that attitude.''

Pretending to be all cool and calm, Louise asked Saito,

“You didn’t consider asking someone else to teach you?”

“Because Tabitha offered to teach me.”

This reticent girl started a conversation by herself?

Louise stole a glance at Tabitha. However, Tabitha seemed to be expressionless as usual. No feelings could be read from her eyes. But...her holding a romantic interest in Saito still seemed impossible.

''Maybe she just expressed her gratitude for the help.''

Feeling relieved, confidence boiled up again.

''At any rate, the current me emits a lot of charm…''

“Eh?”

Louise saw Saito averting his eyes in embarrassment.

Augh. Not good.

''I just burst in here wearing nothing but underwear!''

''Dressed in this, I dashed wildly through the corridor and intruded into someone's room.'' Though she was ready to die from shame, Louise tried to endure it. And she was so close to dying.

For something trivial like learning words…

''I have to appear like the mature me again.''

Coming to see the room like this would have a big impact, wouldn’t it?

Hmm, her mind started to work furiously.

''Whatever, I’ll just use this mature attraction to completely turn him into my slave forever — Louise finally decided triumphantly.''

''Fuun'', Louise nonchalantly placed her hand against the wall and thrust her hips to the side.

To fascinate Saito, in an act that she herself thought to be sexually charming, she started to lightly suck on her finger.

“W-Wait. W-What’s this. This look…”

''Get it. Not get it. Stupid dog.''

''Do you finally notice the attractiveness of the mature me?''

Caught in the moment, Louise placed her right hand behind her neck, turned her hips, and threw a tempting glance to Saito through the corner of her eyes. Louise’s slender limbs created a tense atmosphere.

Saito's face reddened more and more. The expressionless face of Tabitha, sitting by his side, was not fazed at all.

“It’s ridiculous. That…”

''Ridiculous?''

''This is my power.''

''Hey, dog.''

''Do you notice, dog?''

''Have you noticed your mistress’s unexpected charming side?''

''Now then, why don’t you swear your eternal servitude to me?''

Louise pulled out her final trump.

Guiding her right hand from her hair onto her breasts, she let her left hand slip down and slightly lift her babydoll’s hem up.

“Hey, stop doing this embarrassing stuff in front of me!”

Saito finally erupted. To Louise, it sounded like a loud hymn of her triumph.

“Not picchibichi!”

Eh? Picchibichi?

“Siesta, is that Louise’s dress? Do not wear it! It's not your size! I can see all your parts, all your body lines clearly, so I do not know where to place my eyes anymore! What if someone else sees that!”

''I see.''

Louise’s triumphant song broke with a loud ugly noise.

Siesta, who stood next to Louise, tried to cover herself.

“Don’t stare at me this much, it's embarrassing!”

“You are the one who is embarrassing! Hey!”

Saito blushed and turned his eyes away.

Louise asked Saito in a tiny voice.

“W-What about your mistress?”

“Ah? No, Louise, you look kind of awkward wearing this. Is this a curtain?”

Curtain?

Louise's shoulders began to tremble.

Tabitha politely coughed.

“Doesn’t suit.”

At the same time, Saito burst out laughing.

“Uwaa, Louise! What’s this! Could it be a babydoll dress?! No, it hung so loosely on you that I thought it was a curtain!”

Then, Louise silently drove both of her feet into Saito’s plexus with a skillful flying kick.

Once Saito hit the wall and fainted in agony, Louise aimed her wand.

“Die you, then resurrect, and then die again — you need to die at least twice for this!”

But Tabitha, with her staff readied, blocked her.

“What?! You?!”

“I won’t allow you to lay your hand on this person anymore.”

Though her words were purely defensive, Louise took them in a different meaning.

“So, you already laid your hands on her? No, it wasn’t just hands.”

“That…”

“A c-child who is smaller than I, s-s-smaller than I! Smaller than I!”

Thinking that her only advantage was denied, trembling, Louise aimed and lowered the wand.

“Uwaa!”

Saito covered himself.

However...nothing happened.

The sound of the explosion that he feared did not come.

“Huh?”

Louise’s surprised voice rang instead.

“What? What’s wrong?”

“It doesn't work. The ‘Explosion’ spell doesn’t work!”

“Narrow escape from death.”

Saito sighed in relief, while Louise was already half-frantic.

“Eeeeeh!? How!? Why doesn't it work!?”

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| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
|-
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</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume5 Story1

2012-04-14T04:39:33Z

Zeth: /* Part 2 */

===Chapter One: The "Charming Fairies" Inn===

==== Part 1 ====

"Alright, starting tomorrow is summer break."

Louise said, while looking down at the familiar.

"Yeah, it is."

Saito tumbled on the ground, facing his master.

"How about we have one week of leisure?"

They were at the Austri Plaza. As always, Saito was being stepped on by Louise, and he, once again had to explain his reason for why he was being stepped on by Louise.

"Well, Siesta said that she would go on a trip to Tarbes village. Wouldn't it be okay if I just stayed a little bit and then went back to your territory? Sometimes it's not bad with just your family and no one else around, right?"

But, judging from the look on Louise's face, it seemed that the suggestion was rejected again.

The front gate which was filled with students going home could be seen from the plaza. The students, who have waited days to go home, will ride by carriage. They will go back to their hometown, being encouraged by their parents to return to the capital of Tristania. Tristain Academy of Magic would be on a long summer vacation starting from tomorrow. It would be a two and a half month long holiday.

"You-you know, Miss Vallière. I think Saito-san needs a break as well."

A flustered Siesta said to Louise, who was bullying Saito. As preparations for returning home, Siesta was not wearing her usual maid uniform, but her casual clothes of a dark green shirt and brown skirt.

Louise threw a glare at her. But... Siesta was also not the same. With the competitive spirit of a girl in love, she glared at Louise in return.

"A-a break is also necessary, right? You-you always work him as you please..., that's horrible."

"This guy is fine. That's because he's my familiar."

Siesta seemed to have sensed something in that attitude.

"Familiar? Heh, I wonder if that's the only reason...?"

Siesta muttered. Her eyes glittered, as if she was setting up a trap to catch a rabbit. Girls in love are sensitive to rivals.

"Eh? What does that mean?"

"No-nothing?"

Siesta muttered while playing dumb.

"Say it."

"It's just that recently, the way you look at Saito-san has been a bit suspicious. That's what I thought."

Siesta said, finishing by looking to the side. Louise glared at her intensely.

''Even a maid is making fun of me. It's Saito's fault. Even though he's a commoner, he does all sorts of strange things. Even the academy's commoners are starting to get overconfident.'' Louise had heard such rumors before, but this is what it was. The kingdom's authority. The nobles' authority. ''Well, that doesn't really matter but my authority!''

Louise trembled while twitching.

Siesta, who squinted her eyes because of the brilliant shine of the sunlight sighed "fuuh", exposed her breasts, and wiped her sweat with a handkerchief.

"Really... Summer is so hot."

Like a flower blooming in the wild, lots of charm poured out from there.
Amazing when undressed, the chasm of the two hills flew into her eyes. Louise gave a "Ha-!" and looked at Saito's face. Underneath her foot, the familiar was desperately leering at the gap of Siesta's exposed shirt. Louise was about to snap but endured it.

''Like I'll lose! That's right, I'm a noble. Even if I remain silent, nobility will pour out from the gaps of my shirt.''

Louise followed suit. She murmurs "Fuuh, it's hot." and loosened her shirt's buttons. And then she wiped her sweat with a handkerchief. But... what was there was not a chasm, but a refreshing plain that spread out everywhere.

Saito seemed to prefer the terrain with highs and lows and did not move his glance.

Seeing the result of the battle, Siesta let out a stifled laugh, making Louise snap.

"Wh-what! You just laughed right now!"

"What? There's no way I would laugh. No way, right? For me to look at a noble and laugh..."

Siesta said, pacifying Louise with a sparkling face. Then she turned her face away and muttered

"...With such a childish body, a noble? ...Heeh."

"Kaha," leaked out of Louise mouth as exhalation.

"What did you just say?! Hey!"

"...Who knows, ...nothing. Either way, it's so hot. Hot, hot. Aah, it's hot."

Louise trembled all over. Saito whispered,

"Hey, master."

"What?"

"Is it okay if I go to Tarbes?"

"Kauha," Louise sighed miserably, and began to hurt Saito with all her might, thinking ''How many times are you going to ask?''

Siesta said, "Calm down! Miss Vallière! Please calm down!" and grabbed her back. While the usual mess was about to begin...

'' ''*flap**flap* as one owl appeared.

"Nn?"

The owl stopped on Louise's shoulder and hit Louise's head with it's wings.

"What is with this owl?"

The owl was biting on a letter. Louise took that from it. Recognizing the stamp pressed on it, Louise returned to a serious expression.

"What is this owl?"

Siesta peeked at it.

When Louise became serious, Saito inquired,

"What is it?"

Checking it contents, Louise scanned over the single piece of paper. Then Louise said,
"Going back home is halted."

"What do you mean halted? Siesta even invited me... I'm really disappointed, you know."

Saito said, seeing Louise go back to her own room and check her luggage that she had packed up for going back home.

Louise showed Saito the letter the owl had brought just now.

"No, I can't read the letters from here."

Louise sat straight on her bed and began to talk.

"After the previous incident... you know that Princess-sama was depressed, right?"

Saito nodded. It was a tragic event. Her own dead lover... was revived by her enemy and tried to kidnap her. It was obvious she would be depressed.

"I feel sorry for her... but it seems she can't stay sunk in the abyss of sadness forever."

"What do you mean?"

Louise explained what was written in the letter.

Albion had given up on a proper invasion until their fleet was rebuilt, so they were trying to fight in an irregular way- Is what the cabinet had predicted, with Mazarin on the top of them. They couldn't have them cowardly attack Tristain from the inside by inciting revolt and rebellion throughout the town. Because Henrietta and her men feared such conspiracies, she was strengthening the maintenance of public order...

"It's fine to strengthen the public order, but what does she want you to do?"

"An intelligence gathering mission involving hiding myself. Is there any improper actions going on? What kind of rumors are being spread around by commoners?"

"Uwah, a spy!"

"Spy?"

"In my world, those type of information gathering jobs are called that."

"Huunn... Anyways, it's basically spying, right..."

For some reason, Louise looked unsatisfied.

"What's wrong?"

"Well... because isn't this plain?"

"No, isn't information important? My grandfather said that the old Japan lost a war because they kept on ignoring information."

"What?"

"Nothing. It doesn't really matter..."

In Henrietta's letter, there were directions to settle down at an inn in Tristania, hide her identity and do something like flower-selling, and collect all kinds of information being passed around by commoners. A note to pay back the expenses for the mission was enclosed.

"I see."

"That's why I'm rearranging my luggage. I can't bring so many clothes."

Louise pointed to her luggage that had gotten lighter by a bagful.

"So I have to work even though it's summer vacation..."

Saito muttered sadly.

"Stop loafing around. Come on, we're leaving now!"

After all of this happened, the two left for Tristania. In order to hide their social status, they could not use a coach. The horses at the academy were the academy's, so they could not use those. In the end, they walked.

Louise and Saito walked on the road under the scorching sun, heading towards Tristania. It takes two days to get there.

Looking reproachfully at the sun, Saito whispered,

"Damn... even though I should be at Siesta's house drinking cold water right now..."

"Don't complain! Come on! Walk!"

Louise, who had her familiar carry all of the luggage, shouted angrily.

After arriving at the city, the two first visited the financial affairs office to exchange the note for gold coins. Six-hundred in new gold coins. Four-hundred écus.

Saito remembered the money from Henrietta in the pouch attached to his belt. About four hundred new gold coins remained. So around two-hundred seventy écus.

Saito first found a tailor and bought plain clothes for Louise. Louise didn't like it, but wearing a mantle with a pentagram would completely expose her as a noble. It would be impossible to blend in with commoners and gather information. There would be no meaning walking here.

But Louise, forced to wear plain clothes, looked unsatisfied.

"What's wrong?"

"It's not enough."

"What is?"

"The money we got for this mission. With only four-hundred écus, we would be broke after buying a horse."

"We don't need a horse. It was written for you to hide your social status, right? In other words, you're supposed to act like a commoner. Walk. You have legs."

"I'll act like a commoner, but I can't get satisfying services without a horse."

"A cheap horse is fine, right? Compromise here."

"Those horses are useless when we really need them! We also need a harness. And also... we won't be able to stay at a strange inn. With this amount of money, it'll be gone after staying for just two and a half months!"

What kind of Inn could cost up to six-hundred gold coins?

"A cheap inn is fine, right?"

"No way! I can't sleep well in a cheap room!"

As expected of a noble's daughter. Even though she has a mission to blend in with commoners and gather information, she plans to stay at a high class inn. Saito wondered, ''What is she thinking?''

"I have some too. I'll share some with you."

"...That's still not enough. Services cost money."

"Then what should we do?"

"Isn't there a way to earn more money?"

And like that, while disputing about earning more money and finding a cheap place, they entered a bar where Saito found a gambling area set up in a corner of the store. Over there, drunk men and suspicious women were taking chips and having their chips taken.

Without caring about Louise narrowing her eyebrows at them, Saito gazed at the gambling.

"What are you looking at?"

"Well, I was just thinking about earning money with this. How about it?"

"Isn't that gambling? What a thing!"

"Now, just watch me. I've done it a lot of times before in games."

Saito exchanged chips for thirty new gold coins... twenty écus and headed towards the table with the spinning disk. The disk's circumference was split into thirty-seven parts, each having their own number and colored red or black.

An iron ball spun around inside the disk. And near the disk, there were men and women with changed eye colors staring at this intently.

It was roulette.

Saito looked at the placing guests. ''First, I'll test my luck''. Copying the winning guests, Saito placed a chip worth about ten écus on red.

The ball entered a red pocket.

"See, look. I earned some! I'm amazing!"

Saito was somewhat stingy, so he placed cautiously and earned about thirty écus worth of chips.

"See, look! The money we have for completing the mission increased! Geez, it's a big difference compared to a certain someone who only complains!"

Saito said while turning his chest away. Louise's eyes flashed.

"Lend some to me."

"You shouldn't. It's impossible for you."

"What are you saying? If the familiar is winning, then the master will win ten times over if she tries."

Louise immediately placed what Saito had won on black. But... she was off. What Saito had won was lost in a moment.

"What are you doing?! Even though I finally earned some!"

"Sh-shut up."

"Geez... Even though you always act proud, you can't properly earn money at all. Learn from Siesta a bit. Learn to cook something. Then go work as a cook at some restaurant. That's what laboring is."

Something lit up in Louise at the words "Learn from Siesta".

"J-j-just watch me. Who the hell will lose?"

"Louise?"

Saito trembled at her.

Thirty minutes later...

Louise was drooping her shoulders and looking hatefully at the board. The chips she had
placed a moment ago quietly disappeared by the banker's hand. The pretty blond girl's shoulders remained drooping for a while, but then raising her head proudly, she tried to place all of her chips onto one point. Saito, who had been looking from behind her, grabbed her shoulders.

"Louise..."

"What?"

Louise muttered in a clearly grumpy voice. Saito bluntly said,

"Let's stop already."

"I'll win next time. I'll definitely win."

"How many times do you think you've said that?!"

Saito's scream resounded. The guests placing chips turned around and put on bitter smiles.

It was a scene that occurred every day.

"You haven't even won once."

Saito stuck his finger in front of Louise's nose. This was the first time Saito saw a human who was so bad at gambling. Louise had already lost four-hundred écus... most of the money required for the mission. If they turned Louise's remaining chips into money, they wouldn't get more than thirty écus. If they lost this, they would be broke.

"It's okay. I'll unleash my certain winning method next."

"Tell me about it."

"Until now, I've been betting on red or black, right?"

"Yeah. To miss fifteen times betting on red or black... you'd be better off dead."

"Shut up. Listen? In that case, if I won, I only get a few times more. Why?"

"That's normal."

"And then I realized it. Even if I get red or black right, I only win double. But..."

"But, what?"

Saito was shaking. Louise was speaking as if possessed by something.

"If I win by numbers, I get thirty-five times my bet. I'll be able to get back what we
lost plus more. I should have done this in the first place!"

"That's your certain winning method?"

Louise gave a big nod.

Saito silently grabbed Louise's arm and pulled.

"What are you doing?"

"The probability of you winning is one in thirty-seven!"

"So what?! I've already lost fifteen times. No matter how you think about it, I'll win next time. It'd be weird if I didn't. If I'm going to win, I might as well win big!"

Louise's reddish-brown eyes were glittering. It reminded him of the eyes of his uncle, who had failed at stock and ran away at night. He had these eyes the last time Saito saw him.

On that day, the stock he said would rise greatly crashed downwards instead.

"Calm down. Let's exchange your chips for money and use it to find a place to stay. Okay?"

"No. If I left while losing, the name of La Vallière would weep."

"Let something like that weep!"

The moment he yelled that, he was kicked precisely between the legs and rolled onto the floor.

"Hoaaaaaa... do you have some grudge against my miserable area?"

After eliminating her bothersome familiar, Louise turned back toward the roulette disk.

The shooter was about the throw the ball onto the wheel. She could still make the bet.

Louise placed all of her remaining chips onto the number that she had in her head a moment ago.

Then she stared at the wheel and ball with eyes that couldn't be more serious.

Making a clip-clop sound, the ball of fate entered a pocket. Louise's expression glittered with hope for a moment, but it changed into despair right away. The pocket was the one beside the number Louise had bet on.

While rubbing his nether regions, Saito got up and pulled on Louise.

"Let's go."

"What are you saying?"

"Heh?"

"My neighbor's pocket. Next, it's going to visit my house."

"We don't have any money left to bet, right?!"

"The money in your pocket will help."

"Idiot! This is my money!"

Saito covered his pouch. He couldn't have this be gambled. If he did, even he would be broke.

"You know? The familiar's things are the master's things. That's obvious."

"Don't joke around!"

But compared to Siesta, it didn't reach the ears of Louise, whose brain had been burnt by her fervor for gambling. She tried to kick Saito's nether regions at lightning speed.
But Saito was different from usual. He quickly closed his two legs and guarded. Then he grabbed Louise's raised ankle.

"Like I'll let you kick me again!"

Louise muttered in a cold voice

"Vasra."

The magic restriction tool enveloped Saito's body and let off a electric current.

Convulsing violently, Saito tumbled back onto the floor.

"...I see, I didn't watch out for that."

Saito said weakly while cursing his curiosity. ''Aah, if I didn't have interest in this gambling area, something like this wouldn't have...''

Louise searched Saito's pouch, took all of the remaining gold coins, and quickly exchanged
them for chips. Saito was slightly relieved. Even if it's someone like Louise who has zero talent for gambling, she wouldn't lose all of those chips before his body recovered from the numbness. After the numbness were gone, he'll cover Louise's mouth and leave the place without letting her say anything. That is what Saito decided.

"Betting on one place won't work, it seems. I'll return to the basics."

"That's right... Red and black. Only a small amount on red and black. At least do that..."

"To show my respect for my loyal familiar, I'll bet on that hair and eye color."

"Black?"

"That's right." Nodding, Louise placed coins on black.

All of it... Two-hundred and seventy écus worth of chips, all of it.

Saito almost leaked.

"S! T! O! P!"

Louise smiled brightly at Saito.

"Silly. Even if the payoff is double, money is money. If I win, we'll get back all that we've lost plus more. What's more, just once. We only have to win one time."

"P! L! E! A! S! E!"

"I should have done this in the first place."

The shooter spun the roulette. The small ball began to spin, holding the master and familiar's huge fate on it.

Making a dry sound, the ball spun on top of the wheel. The rotation slowly lost speed and, as if to divide fate, aimed for the right pocket. Louise had bet a large sum of money on black, so the other guests had bet on red. The only one betting on black was Louise. It entered red, left it, then it entered black, left it... Louise spoke as if she had caught a fever.

"I'm a legend. I'll never lose, right, at a place like this."

And then the ball entered a pocket... and stopped.

Louise closed her eyes without thinking.

Around her, sighs of sadness leaked out.

"...Eh?"

Everyone besides Louise had placed on red. The sighs came from them. In other words, the ones that placed on red lost. Which means...

"I really am the user of 'Zero' after all!"

Shouting that, Louise opened her eyes. Right afterwards, her mouth gaped open.

The ball... did not enter black or red, but the single existing green pocket. On the center of the pocket..., as if to give blessing to Louise, the number "0" was glittering there.

Saito and Louise were sitting in a daze at the corner of the sunsetting city's central plaza.

The bell at the church of Saint Rémy rang six at evening.

They were tired and hungry but had no place to go.

Louise was wearing the plain, brown one-piece Saito had bought earlier. On her feet were crude wooden shoes. Her mantle and wand were placed inside the bag Saito was carrying.
Just from her clothes, she looked like some country girl, but thanks to her high-class face and her pink-blonde hair, she gave off a mismatched feeling similar to that of a destitute girl in the middle of a play.

Saito was wearing his usual clothes, but because he could not walk around the city with a drawn sword, he wrapped Derflinger in some cloth and carried him on the back.
Louise muttered quietly in a way showing that she had realized just how troublesome of a deed she had done.

"Wh-what should we do?"

Saito glared at Louise

"I'll never let you carry money around again."

"Uuu..."

Louise moaned sadly, hugging her knees.

"Well, what should we do. Money. If we can't find an inn to stay at, we won't be able to eat food. What about the mission? O' mighty, mighty court lady of Her Majesty, please teach this humble familiar. Please?"

Saito said with plenty of spite. Even his money was used. He'll have her pay him back properly someday, but right now was the immediate problem of an inn and food to eat.

"I'm thinking about it right now."

Louise said with a sullen face.

"Let's obediently lower our heads to Princess-sama and get some more money."

"That's impossible. Princess-sama gave me this secret mission at her own discretion. The cabinet probably would not let the money pass. She probably can't use more than she freely has. Probably, that was already the best she could do."

"You threw away that money in thirty minutes. What were you thinking?"

"That's because I can't get satisfying services with just four-hundred!"

"That's because you always want luxuries!"

"They're necessary!"

"Then, how about that? Contact your home. Yeah, hey, Duke-sama."

"Not possible. It's a secret mission. I can't tell my family either."

While hugging her knees, Louise rested her chin on it.

She really is a young mistress ignorant of the world's ways... She can't even properly shop for something. Even Saito, who came from another world, could haggle better. Nothing will get done letting her do things.

But he couldn't think of a good idea. He gazed at the plaza's fountain dazedly, but...

"Nn?"

He realized the passing people were gazing impressed at Louise.

Even if she didn't want to, Louise's loveliness and nobleness attracted attention. Especially if she was hugging her knees looking like a village girl. The people stole glances at Louise with a look that said "She probably ran away from some playhouse."
Saito got up in a flash.

Louise was surprised.

"What's wrong?"

Ignoring Louise's words, Saito faced the people in the street and started stating

"Eeh- Ladies and Gentlemen!"

The passing people stopped, wondering what was going on.

"Eeh- This girl here is a wolf-girl that escaped from the circus."

"What?"

What is this guy saying?

"Being raised by wolves, she howls and barks! It's really troublesome! But the most amazing thing is that she can scratch her neck with her feet! Now stand by! She will scratch her neck with her foot right now!"

Saito whispered to Louise quietly

"Well, scratch your neck with your foot. Come on."

Saito taunted her with his chin. Louise stomped on that face with the sole of her foot. Saito tumbled onto the ground.

"What are you thinking?! Y-y-you want me to act like a beast?!"

Saito also got up, pulled on Louise's arm, and shouted

"We have no choice but to perform, right?! Is there any other way to earn money?! Aah?!"

Violently swinging her hair, Louise began arguing with Saito. "She really is a wolf-girl."

The audience was oddly satisfied.

But soon realizing it was just a quarrel, the audience quickly got bored and left. They didn't get anything. His strength left him and Saito laid down on the ground. Louise was also tired and quickly lost her physical strength, so she sat on his back.

"I'm hungry..."

"Me too..."

To these two sitting like this, someone tossed a copper coin. Saito jumped up and picked it up. Louise stood up with an enraged voice.

"Who is it?! Come out now!"

After saying that, a strange man came out of the crowd.

"Oh my... I thought you were beggars..."

Oddly, he talked in a feminine way.

"Haah? State yourself! You know, I, amazingly enough, am from a Duke's family..."

When she tried to say that, Saito stood up and covered Louise's mouth.

"Duke's family?"

"It-it's nothing! Yes! Her brain's just a bit like that. Yes."

Muffled, Louise thrashed around, but Saito ignored that and continued to cover her mouth.
If they stood out anymore, it wouldn't be a secret mission anymore.

The man looked very interestedly at Saito and Louise. He was wearing rather showy clothes. Guiche's clothes were showy too, but the vector was strangely different. Black hair covered in oil, a sparkling, violet satin-earth shirt opened up at the chest with disheveled chest hair poking out, under his nose was a magnificent split chin and had a stylish mustache. A strong scent of perfume reached Saito's nose.

"Then why are you sleeping on the ground?"

"Well, we don't have a place to sleep or eat..."

"But we're not beggars."

Louise said bluntly. The man looked deeply at Louise's face.

"I see. Well then, come to my place. My name is Scarron. I run an inn. I'll prepare a room."

The man said that smiling. The way he talked and dressed was gross, but he seemed like a generous person. Saito's face glittered.

"Really?!"

"Yep, but there's one condition."

"I'll do anything."

"I'm managing a store on the first floor. This girl will help. That is the condition. Okay?"

Louise looked reluctant, but she obediently nodded when Saito stared at her.

"Très bien."

Scarron grouped his hands together and rest them on his cheek, and narrowing his lips, smiled. He acted like a gay. Actually, he couldn't be anything but a gay. Gross. There are gays in other worlds too... And there's that "très bien"... Saito became strangely depressed.

"Then it's decided. Follow me."

The man started walking, swinging his hips as if to a rhythm. Saito reluctantly took Louise's hand and followed.

"I kind of don't want to. He's weird."

Saito looked at Louise with blazing anger in his eyes.

"Do you think you're in a position to choose?"

==== Part 2 ====

"Good words! Fairies!"

Scarron said as he moved his hips while looking around the store.

"Yes! Mr. Scarron!"

Cheered the girls wrapped in flashy clothes.

"Wrooooongg!"

Scarron shouted while exaggeratedly moving his hips around, upon hearing the girls' cheers.

"Not Mister, but call me as Mi Mademoiselle, alright?"

"Yes! Mi mademoiselle!"

"Très bien."

Scarron trembled pleasantly while moving his hips. Looking at the middle-aged man that took him here, Saito felt sick.

But the girls in the store, who were used to this habit, didn't even show a change in their faces.

"All right, we'll start with a saddening notice from Mi Mademoiselle. Recently, the 'Charming Faeries' Inn's sales have been dropping. A shop called a 'cafe' has been bringing out 'tea' that has been recently imported from the East and are stealing our customers... Sniff..."

"Don't cry! Mi mademoiselle!"

"You're right. If we lost to this 'tea', the words 'Charming Faeries' would cry."

"Yes! Mi mademoiselle!"

Scarron jumped onto the table and posed intensely.

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Un~~"

"Serve with a cheerful smile!"

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Deux~~"

"A clean, sparkling store interior!"

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Trois~~"

"Receive lots of tips!"

"Très bien."

Scarron smiled in a satisfied way. Then he bent his hips and made a pose. Gastric juice
went up his throat, but Saito desperately swallowed it back down.

"Well then, I have a wonderful announcement for you faeries. We get to make a new comrade today."

The girls applauded.

"Then, let me introduce her! Louise-chan! Come in here!"

Surrounded by applause, Louise appeared, completely red in the face from shyness and anger.

Saito swallowed his breath. The store's hairdresser had put up Louise's pink-blonde hair and made the hair on her left and right into small braided cords. She was also wearing a suggestively short camisole, sticking to her like a corset and making her body's lines more pronounced. It was open at the back, letting off an obvious charm. That appearance was very much like a lovely fairy.

"Louise-chan was about to be sold off to the circus, but just in time managed to escape with her brother. She's very cute but poor girl."

Sighs of sympathy came from the girls. That was a lie that Saito had come up with along their way to the store. In desperation, he had decided to be Louise's older brother. They didn't look like siblings no matter how one looked, but Scarron didn't get too caught up in that part. It seems it didn't really matter.

"Well then, Louise-chan. Greet the faeries that are going to become your co-workers."
Louise was shaking all over. It seemed she was angry. Intensely. Strongly. A prideful noble like Louise was being told to bow her head to commoners in that clothing. Saito was afraid she'd go berserk and let off continuous "Explosion"s.

But... The sense of responsibility telling her to fulfill the mission suppressed Louise's anger.

Come to think about it, rumors tend to collect at bars. It was perfect for information gathering. Plus, they were broke. Telling herself this was a mission, Louise bowed with a forced smile.

"I-I-I-I'm Louise. Ni-ni-ni-nice to meet you."

"Okay, applause!"

Scarron demanded. A great applause echoed through the store. Scarron looked at the clock set on the wall. It was finally time for the store to open.

He snapped his fingers. Reacting to it, the magic-made dolls at the corner of the store began to play gaudy music. It was the rhythm to a march. Scarron talked in an excited voice.

"Now! Time to open!"

The feather doors opened with a "bam" as the waiting customers crowded into the store.

The "Charming Faeries" Inn that Saito and Louise arrived at looked like just a bar, but it was actually a popular store where cute girls in suggestive clothing brought customers their drinks. Scarron had noticed Louise's beauty and loveliness and brought her here to work as a waitress.

Given an apron with the store's embroidery on it, Saito was given the job of washing dishes. As long as he was living at the inn, he had to do some work.

The store was thriving, so mountains of tableware were delivered to him.

It seemed that no matter where someone was, even in another world, dish washing was a job for newcomers. Saito did not want to wash dishes from that gay man's store, but he endured it.

It was for the sake of Louise's mission. She was lacking, selfish, strong-willed, and an arrogant little girl that never listened to what he said, but it couldn't be helped since he had fallen for her. Despite all of her complaining, it seemed like she was trying hard this time to succeed in information gathering. And also, Henrietta's sad face he saw on Ragdorian Lake's shores... He wanted to do something for that pitiful princess. If he could help the people he liked by doing what he could, he wouldn't mind searching for a way back to his world later. Though a bundle of troublesomeness, his simplicity had himself think that way.

Saito grappled with the dishes. But everything has a "limit". After a while, he could no longer move his tired hands. But even if he became exhausted, the amount of plates he had to wash wouldn't disappear and started to pile up.

A showy-looking girl appeared near Saito, who was just blankly looking at the mountain of plates while tired senseless in front of the sink. The cute girl had long, straight black hair. Her thick eyebrows let off a lively aura. It seemed that she was close to Saito in age. Saito quickly snapped out of it when his eyes fell upon the cleavage of her breasts which appeared from her green one-piece that opened up at the chest.

"Hey! We don't have any plates left!"

She shouted, resting her arms on her waist.

"I-I'm sorry! Right away!"
[[Image:ZnT05-041.jpg|thumb]]

Being used to getting ordered around by cute girls, Saito jumped right up and reflexively started to wash the dishes. Seeing the inexperienced way he moved his hands, the black-haired girl tilted her head.

"Let me see them."

Saying that, she took the cloth used for dish washing out of Saito's hands and began scrubbing in an experienced manner. With smooth movements that did not have any wastefulness in them, the plates were gradually cleaned up. Saito realized there was a secret to dish washing.

"It takes time to polish one side at a time, right? You can put both sides in-between with the cloth like this and then scrub really hard."

"Amazing," Saito said. Seeing that he really was impressed, the girl smiled.

"I'm Jessica. You're that new girl's brother, right? Your name?"

"Saito. Hiraga Saito."

"That's a strange name."

"Leave it alone."

Saito began washing dishes with Jessica. After looking around her surroundings, she whispered to Saito in a small voice.

"Hey, that thing about you being siblings with Louise was a lie, right?"

"Nope. 100% genuine older brother and younger sister."

Saito said stiffly.

"You two's hair color, eye color, and face shape are completely different. There isn't anybody who would believe you."

Saito was speechless.

"Though it doesn't matter. The girls here are all fine with any reason. There isn't a person here who would pry into someone's past. Relax."

"I-I see..."

Jessica stared into Saito's eyes. For a moment, he was startled.

"But can you secretly just tell me? Just what is the relationship between you two? Did you run away from somewhere?"

It seemed Jessica tended to be just as curious as Saito sometimes was. She looked at Saito excitedly. But there was no way he could tell the truth.

Saito glanced at Jessica's showy outfit. She was probably one of the "fairy" waitresses. Unneeded prying was bothersome, so Saito waved his hands to make her go away.

"Is it okay for you to be slacking here? You have your own work to do. Go and carry some wine or ale. Manager Scarron will get mad at you."

"It's okay for me."

"Why?"

"Because I'm Scarron's daughter."

Saito dropped a plate. Making a shattering sound, the plate was scattered into pieces.

"Ah! What are you breaking?! You're going to pay from your wages!"

"Daughter?"

"That's right."

For such a cute daughter to be born from that gay store manager... Saito wondered what genes thought they were doing.

"Come on! Don't just talk and start moving your hands! The store's going to get busier
from now on!"

Saito had some hardships, but Louise was suffering much worse.

"...H-here is your order."

Desperately trying to smile... she left a bottle of wine and a ceramic glass on the table. In front of her, a man was looking at Louise while smiling vulgarly.

"Little girl, pour me some."

''Me pour alcohol for a commoner, a commoner, a commoner? A noble like me? A noble like me? A noble like me?''

Such humiliating thoughts spun around in her head.

"Anh? What's wrong? Didn't I tell you to hurry and pour me some?"

Louise exhaled and tried to calm herself down.
[[Image:ZnT05-005.jpg|thumb]]
''This is a mission. This is a mission. Information gathering while disguised as commoners. Information gathering...''

Muttering that like a spell, she somehow managed to smile.

"We-well then, I'll pour some for you."

"Huun..."

Louise picked up the bottle and started to slowly pour the wine into the man's glass.

But... Because she was shaking from anger, she missed and spilled the wine on the man's shirt.

"Uwah! You spilled it!"

"I-I'm sor.....ry."

"Like an apology is going to help!"

Then the man began to stare at Louise.

"You... don't have any breasts, but you're considerably pretty."

The feeling of blood left Louise's face.

"I've taken a liking to you. Maybe I'll have you feed me mouth-to-mouth. Then I'll forgive you! Gahaha!"

Louise picked up the bottle, drank the wine into her mouth, and spat it back out onto the man's face.

"What are you doing, you brat?!"

"Bam!"

Placing one leg on the table, Louise looked down at the seated man.

For a moment, the man winced at the intensity released from this little girl.

"L-l-l-lowlife. Wh-wh-wh-who do you think I am?"

"Wh-what?"

"F-f-f-for your information, d-d-d.....duk..."

At the moment she was about to say "duke family", Louise was sent flying from behind.

"I'm~~ sorry~~!"

It was Scarron. Sitting down beside the man, he started to wipe the man's shirt with the dish cloth in his hand.

"Wh-what's with you, you gay bastard... I don't need you..."

"This won't do! It's soaked in wine! Hey, Louise-chan! Bring along some new wine! While she's fetching it, mi mademoiselle will keep you company!"

Scarron leaned closely to the man. The man looked like he wanted to cry, but Scarron held him back with superhuman strength and couldn't move.

"Ye-yes!" Louise said, finally snapping back to reality, and ran into the kitchen.

"Eh-, well then, thanks for the hard work!"

When the store closed, the sky had started to whiten. Saito and Louise were standing there unsteadily. They were so tired, they felt like they were going to die. They were completely exhausted doing a job that they were not accustomed to.

"You all worked your best, it seems. We're in the green this month."

Scarron started handing out the wages to the girls that worked in his store and the cooks
in the kitchen, who were all letting out shouts of joy.

It seemed today was payday.

"Here, Louise-chan, Saito-kun."

Thinking "We're getting some too?", Saito and Louise's faces lit up for a moment, but... the only thing in it was one thin scrap of paper.

"What is this?"

Saito asked. The smile from Scarron's face disappeared.

"A bill. Saito-kun, how many plates did you break? Louise-chan, how many customers did you anger?"

Louise and Saito looked at each other and sighed.

"It's okay. Everyone makes mistakes at the beginning. Just try your best from now on and pay back the bill."

And... the sighing didn't stop after that.

The room given to Louise and Saito was reached by following a corridor lined up with the guest room door... and using a ladder to climb up and reach the attic.

No matter how you saw it, it wasn't a room that was made for people to live in. Being dusty and dim, it seemed to have been used as a storage room. Broken cabinets and chairs, wooden cases holding wine bottles, and barrels... All kinds of objects were piled up. A rough, wooden bed had been placed there. When Louise sat, her legs gave in which caused her to flop right down.

"What is this?!"

"A bed, right?"

While wiping away a spider's nest, Saito opened the small window. Doing so, the bats that seemed to live in the antic flew in screeching and hung onto a beam.

"What's that?!"

"Probably our roommates."

Saito said with a calm voice.

"You want a noble like me to sleep here?!" Louise screamed angrily.

Saito silently picked up the blanket on top of the bed and cleared away the dust. Then he laid down and put the blanket on himself.

"Come on, let's sleep. Scarron-san already said it. I wake up at noon and prepare the store. You're going to clean the store."

"Why are you fine with this?!"

"It's not much different from the way a certain someone usually treats me."

Saying that, Saito, probably because he was tired, quickly fell asleep.

Louise moaned "uu~" and "mu~", but she gave up after a while and snuggled in with
Saito. Worming around, she placed her head on Saito's arm.

It was definitely a horrible place... but there was one thing to be happy about.

That maid wasn't here.

''Geez, I don't know, what's so good, about this, familiar! That maid that likes Saito isn't here. That is honestly very wonderful. I-, don't really, like-, this but...'' Louise muttered in a slightly happy mood, moving her cheek near Saito and closing her eyes.

Blushing, she whispered, "I'll have you treat me kindly during this summer holiday."

''And also... pick up the rumors in the city and give detailed reports to Princess-sama''. Thinking that it was going to get busy soon, Louise fell asleep.

But.

Louise's little bit of happiness was splendidly crushed. The cause was the night of the next day. The "Charming Faeries" Inn was thriving that day too. Louise was wearily carrying food or drinks out just like the previous day.

The drunken men had two types of reactions when they saw Louise.

First were the people that looked at Louise, who was small at various parts of her body, and said "This store is using kids?" angrily. To these customers, Louise served them plenty of wine. She had them drink the bottle too.

On the other side, there were the customers that had special interests.

Only Louise's outer appearance was idiotically cute, so in reverse, it was a wonderful thing to people with this line of thought. These people underestimated Louise because she looked obedient when she was quiet and reached their hands out towards her small butt or thighs. To those people, Louise decided to serve them her palm.

She served that on both cheeks, and at times, even on the nose.

Unable to act with courtesy at all, just like that, Louise didn't end up receiving any tips and was told "Stay here and observe what the other girls do" by Scarron and forced to stand in a corner.

Yes, the other girls were skilled. They smiled brightly and didn't get mad no matter what someone said or did. They smoothly conversed and complimented the men... And when the men tried to touch them, they would kindly grab that hand and prevent them from touching. Doing so, the men would try to win the girl's favor and splurged out on tip. ''There's no way I could do that.'' Louise frowned.

''The family I was born to in this world is the Vallière family, who are nobles and mages. And what's more is that they are a duke family! If I go back to my territory, I'm a princess!'' Louise thought. ''Even if you told me the world will end tomorrow, I couldn't act that courtly towards them. What's more, in this embarrassing outfit......''

Outfit?

Louise realized at that moment. She was in the same camisole outfit as yesterday. Even she thought that interiorly, she's not cute, but she was quite something on the outside. She scanned and found a mirror in the store. Then she made numerous poses in front of the mirror. She tried holding her thumb in her mouth and fidgeting.

''Yep. These clothes are embarrassing, but I'm cute. A noble even if I rot. None of the girls here can match the nobility I let off. Right. Surely. Probably.''

''Maybe Saito is enchanted by my appearance,'' she thought and became happy. ''What, idiot? You're late to realize my charm. Surely he'll be like "aah, Louise is cute, amazing, aah, such a cute girl was beside me... I didn't realize it... Yet I was so engrossed with a maid... Having her wear a sailor outfit and twirling around... I regret it... This stupid dog is regretting it."''

''Hmph. Are you an idiot? Sure took you a long time to realize your master's charms. But you're just a familiar, so don't look at your master in that rude way. Go and polish my shoes or something! What? You can't. You can't touch your master. For a dog, where are you touching? But if you promise to serve me for the rest of your life, I'll let you do it for a little bit. But in return, kneel down on the ground. Kneel down on the ground and apologize for all of the times you slighted me. Got it?''

Fantasizing that far, Louise covered her mouth to restrain her chuckling. Then looking sideways... she stole a glance at the kitchen thinking that he was entranced by her by now.

''There! That stupid dog is washing dishes with that stupid look!''

Eh?

Indeed, Saito was intently observing the area that Louise was at while absent-mindedly washing the dishes. But... He was not looking at Louise. Louise followed his glance. What was there was a girl with long black hair that was rolling with laughter with a customer. It was Jessica.

Louise's pink-blond hair started surging.

''Again, you and that. That black hair.''

Observing Jessica even more, she followed his glance by milli-units. Jessica was wearing a tidy one-piece that opened at her big breasts. Saito's eyesight was homing into the cleavage that poked out of her one-piece.

''Her breasts. Do you really love those apple-like things so much?''

''Why do dogs like breasts like those? Huh?!''

"Hou~" Saito let out a sad sigh. Then with a spellbound face, he drew circles with his two hands as if measuring the circumference of Jessica's breasts. Something snapped inside Louise's mind, so for now, she decided to throw a nearby glass with all her might.

Directly hitting around his temple, Saito fell down in front of the sink.

"What are you doing?!"

The man whose own glass was thrown stood up and tried to grab Louise's shoulder. Louise raised her body by grabbing onto a table and serviced the man's face with the bottom of both of her shoes. It was a special, double-the-content service.

Looking back at Scarron who had went "Louise-chan" and rushed over, Louise firmly gripped her fists while trembling all over.

"That familiar... Just you watch. I'll give you some proper service!"

When Saito woke up... what was there were Jessica's big breasts. Thinking "What's this!", his mouth gaped open.

"Wah, you're finally conscious?"

Looking around, he realized he was lying on a bed.

"Where is this?"

"My room."

Sitting on the chair in a way as to hug the chair's back, Jessica smiled.

"Why?"

"You fainted when a glass flew into your head."

"I see... What was that glass...?"

But it seemed Jessica had no interest in the glass.

"Hey, hey, I got it now."

"What?"

"Louise. She's a noble, right?"

Saito started coughing violently.

"You don't have to play dumb. Papa has entrusted me with the management of the store's girls. My ability to discern girls is quite good. Geez, that Louise didn't even know how to carry dishes. Not only that, but her pride was oddly high. And that demeanor... probably a noble."

Saito embraced his head. ''I even had her wear a plain one-piece... It was completely obvious, wasn't it? What "hide your social status"? There was no hiding at all.''

"Hanh! Her a noble? No way! She's so violent, rude, and has no gracefulness at all..."

"It's okay. I won't tell anyone. You have some kind of circumstance, right?"

Seeing Saito remain silent, Jessica smiled. This person really tended to be a mass of curiousity... She wanted to ask him, so she purposely brought him all the way over here.

"It's better if you don't stick your head in on this."

Saito said in a low voice. He wanted to scare her and make her not question him any further. But it didn't work on Jessica.

"Eh-! What's that? Something bad involved? Isn't that interesting?"

Leaning her body even further, she brought her face... breasts nearer. Why is her cleavage so emphasized, is the reason her clothes are bold compared to Siesta's because she's a town girl, and Saito's face started reddening, at which then Jessica put on a meaningful smile.

"Hey."

"What is it?"

"You've never gone out with a girl before, have you?"

"Wh-What? That's, you can't underestimate me or..."

It was a bulls-eye. She's pretty sharp about things... Then cold sweat started flowing.

"I understand it. I'm quite a sharp town girl, after all. It's really easy to figure out what's going on in country peoples' heads."

Being called a country person, Saito snapped a little. ''You know, in Tokyo, regardless about this Tristania, it isn't just some puny structure. You'd cry if you saw Tokyo Tower.'' Thinking that, he said back

"Who's a country person? I don't want to be told by some gay's daughter."

"That's mean. Even if he's like that, he's a kind papa. When my mother died, he said 'Well then, papa will also work in mama's place too...' "

"That très bien?"

Jessica nodded.

"Well, we can put stuff about papa aside. Hey, what are you planning with that noble girl? You're not a noble, right? Her attendant?"

"I'm not her attendant."

Because Saito said rather sullenly, Jessica laughed complacently and grabbed Saito's hands.

"Wh-what?"

"Do you want me to teach you about girls?"

"What?"

Stiffening instantly, Saito looked at Jessica restlessly. This bar girl who knew quite well how to use her charms didn't miss Saito's instantaneous change.

"But, in return, tell me properly, okay? About just what you two are planning..."

Jessica took the hand of Saito's she had grabbed and brought it over to her cleavage.
Saito was stupefied. Getting along with a girl from a bar. Isn't this an excellent way to gather information too? All kinds of customers visit bars. Rumors also gather here. People that are planning something might let their guard down to the girls and tell their secrets.

Making Jessica an ally here would probably be a plus to activities from now on.

Thinking that way, the moment when the feeling of warm skin got to his finger...

The door of Jessica's room was sent flying.

Saito sprung up. Louise, trembling while wearing her pure white camisole, stood there.

"What are you doing?"

Saito looked at his hand and drew it back in panic.

"In-information gathering."

"Who's and what place's information are you gathering?"

While he panicked, Louise walked briskly into the room and kicked Saito's nether region from the front. Saito tumbled. Grabbed by the ankle, when he was about to be dragged off...

Jessica called and stopped Louise.

"Wait a moment, Louise."

"What?"

"What happened to serving customers? Aren't you in the middle of work?"

Being called in such a casual way by a simple town girl, Louise started shaking, but it couldn't be helped right now.

"Just shut up! After I discipline th-this... stupid brother, I'll be right back!"

Saito had become Louise's brother here.

"Do you have that much free time? Even though you can't even get a single tip very well..."

"Th-that's not related."

"It does by a lot. That's because I was left with the management of the girls. Girls like
you are a bother. You anger the regular customers, don't receive orders, throw glasses around, and pick fights."

Louise started to look displeased.

"Well, I guess it can't be helped. Brats like you can't work as a bar's fairy." Jessica said boringly.

"I'm not a brat. I'm sixteen."

"Eh? You were the same age as me?"

Jessica looked genuinely surprised at Louise.

Then she looked at Louise's breasts and then her own. Then she covered her mouth after making a quick laughing sound.

"Good luck then. Though I won't be expecting anything. But if you mess up any further, you're fired, got it?"

Louise snapped at Jessica's behavior.

"Wha-what... Stupid woman and their big breasts... Calling people a brat, or a child, or a weakling..."

Saito, still on the floor, inserted

"No, no one said weakling..."

Louise trampled that face flat. Saito moaned and fell quiet.

"I'll collect enough tips to build a castle."

"Eh~, really? I'm so happy!"

"Because when I try my best, I'm amazing. Those men will all turn around towards me."

"You said it, huh?"

"I said it. Who would lose to someone like you?"

Louise said while staring hatefully at Jessica's breasts. ''The stupid dog looked at those.
The stupid dog thrust his hand there!''

"Perfect timing. There's a tip race next week."

"Tip race?"

"That's right. It's a competition where the store's girls compete to see how many tips they can get. There's also a prize prepared for the winner."

"Doesn't that sound interesting?"

"Try your best. If you beat me in the tip race, I won't ever call you a brat again."

==== Part 3 ====

"Faeries! Finally, the awaited week has come!"

"Yes, Mi Mademoiselle!"

"Let's start the tip race with enthusiasm!"

Applause and cheering resounded through the store.

"Now then, as everyone knows... The establishment of this 'Charming Faeries' Inn dates back four-hundred years, during the reign of His Majesty, Henry III, also called Tristain Attraction King. His Majesty Henry III, known to be a peerlessly handsome man, was said to be the reincarnation of a fairy."

Scarron began to speak in an absorbed manner.

"One day, that king visited the city in secret. And then, amazingly, he set his foot in this unopened bar. At that time, the store's name was 'Eel's Bed' Inn, which didn't have a bit of appeal or anything at all. There, the king, how about it! Fell in love with a waitress girl he met there!"

Then Scarron shook his head sadly.

"But... a king should not fall in love with a girl from a bar... In the end, the king gave up on this love. Then... the king prepared a bustier and sent it to the girl as a memento of their love. My ancestors were greatly impressed by that love and changed the store's name, basing it on the bustier. What a beautiful story..."

"What a beautiful story! Mi mademoiselle!"

"That is this 'Charming Faeries' Bustier'!"

Emphatically, Scarron stripped off his outer garments and trousers. This time, Saito, who had been watching distantly, went "Ouue" and vomited. That was because Scarron was wearing a short and sexy, black bustier that fit Scarron's body perfectly.

"This 'Charming Faeries' Bustier' that the king sent to the girl he loved four-hundred years ago is my family's heirloom! This bustier has a magic that allows it to change its size depending on its wearer's constitution as well as the magic "Attraction" cast on it."

"It's wonderful! Mi mademoiselle!"

"Nnnn~! Très bien!"

Scarron posed with an ecstatic voice.

At that time... Surprisingly, the feeling "It's not too bad" rose up inside Saito. Good will towards Scarron... that type of feeling. Even though his appearance was that disgusting, wasn't it okay in its own way? Saito started feeling.

Saito then realized it. This was the identity of the "Attraction" magic! But Scarron's appearance in it was so much of a minus, the effect could only get to "It fits so-so".

''I see. Because the wearer is Scarron, I only thought to that level. If a normal girl wore it... I might see her as a peerless beauty. Magic really is scary,'' Saito nodded.

Still posing, Scarron continued his speech.

"The fairy that wins the tip race that starts this week will be given the rights to
wear this 'Charming Faeries' Bustier' for a da-y! Geez! I wonder how much tips one would get on the day she wears it! I get excited just thinking about it! And that's why everyone should try her best!"

"Yes! Mi mademoiselle!"

"Very good! Well then, everyone! Hold your glass!"

The girls held up their glasses all at once.

"To the tip race's success and business, prosperity and..."

There, Scarron cut off his words and stood up straight with a serious look after clearing his throat. And then, not in his usual feminine language, but in a proper middle-aged man's voice, he said, "a prayer to Her Majesty the Queen's health. Cheers."

And raised his wine cup.

Now then, the tip race started like this, but...

Because she thought that at this rate, she wouldn't get any tips, Louise decided to stop talking. Louise realized that she would anger the customer whenever she opened her mouth. That's why she decided to be as silent as she could. Deciding that, she was pouring wine for a certain customer when he talked to her. Success. It's a chance to get a tip.

"Hey, you, just for a bit. Show me your hand."

Louise put out her hand.

"I practice divination, so I'll divine for you."

The customer looked at Louise's palm and said this

"According to my divination, you... were born as a flour grinder. Am I right?"

''How dare you compare the likes of a flour grinder to a noble like me? What a thing.''

The man divined further.

"Oh! You're like that right? Got a guy you like?"

She thought of her familiar's face. She couldn't forgive herself for thinking that. ''I don't have one.'' Louise shook her head.

"No? You do, don't you?! Then I'll divine your compatibility with him... Wah! I'm surprised!"

The man tragically shook his head.

"Worst."

''I know that even if you don't tell me. I know it too well. Besides, I don't like him in the first place.''

Offended, Louise gave her thanks for the divination with her foot. To Louise, the person closest to her of the opposite sex was Saito. Her habit of treating Saito accidentally came out. Habits are scary.

"Wh-what's with you?! You brat!"

I'm not a brat. I'm sixteen. She wanted to respond, but firmly stayed quiet. ''I decided to stay quiet just a moment again, didn't I?''

"Say something! You pipsqueak!"

''I'm just slow to grow. What a mean thing to say.''

Thinking to properly tell the customer her age, Louise kicked the customer's face up sixteen times. The guest was flattened.

Well, it was this way the whole time, so Louise didn't get any tips that day.

Louise shuddered that as a result of trying to remain silent, the number of times the sole of her foot would fly increases in place of her abusive language. It seems the feelings she could not express out loud were said by her foot's sole instead.

On the next morning, Louise consulted with Saito on what to do. Saito proposed that to prevent her foot's sole from flying, Louise should take off her panties and do work, and was hit.

The second day.

Louise was careful to not let her foot fly.

To keep herself smiling no matter what someone said, she placed wire in her mouth and fixated her face into a smile. The fully prepared waitress Louise never stopped smiling. But... She didn't receive any tips. She held back and kept the bottom of her feet from flying, and she fixated her smile. But even then.

Wow, the problem came from her hand.

A customer took interest in the waitering Louise. It seems he liked her face.

"Oh, you're... a bit cute, aren't ya? Pour for me."

The man was satisfied with Louise's face, but soon realized a certain fault. Her chest. What's this. Completely flat. Unintentionally, teasing words came spilling out.

"What's with you? Don't tell me you're a boy? Well, your face is so-so though... Listen, let me teach you a trick. At least round up some cloths and stuff it in there. If you do that, you'll become number one here! Gahaha! Now pour some for me."
By that man's words, her face's muscles started twitching, but her smile was safely fixated by the wire. At this rate, it was supposed to go well thanks to the wire.

But it wasn't so.

Louise had poured the wine onto the man's head.

"What are you doin'?!"

The man stood up. Louise, sensing danger to her body, slammed the wine bottle into his head.

The man crumbled to the floor so she did not have to pour for him anymore, but she didn't get any tips.

Like this, Louise was shocked that every time someone made fun of her breasts' size, her hand would move on its own and have the customer's head drink the wine.

On the next morning, Louise consulted with Saito. Saito proposed that to keep herself from letting the customers' head drink the wine, she should place the wine bottle in-between her breasts and pour.

The wine bottle will not physically reach the customer's head if her hands are positioned at her breasts. Plus, the pose is very enjoyable to the customer.

But Louise, thinking that he was saying something bad about her breasts' size, hit Saito.

The third day.

Louise was careful to keep her hands from moving. After she placed the wine on top of the table, she grouped her hands together behind her and smiled brightly. Even if she was told to pour something, all she did was smile.

"Pour me some."

She smiled brightly.

"I said pour me some."

She smiled brightly.

"I'm telling you to pour me some!"

She smiled brightly.

"What is up with you?!"

There was no way she would get a tip. When she consulted with Saito, he told her to hold it in her mouth while she poured it. Louise's mouth was small. A wine bottle couldn't fit in there. Looking carefully, Saito looked like he was sleepy. Just because you're sleepy doesn't mean you should say random things. And Louise hit Saito.

The fourth day.

The competition was half-way done. The number of tips so far was zero. As expected, Louise had gotten desperate. Louise waitered while taking caution of the sole of her foot, the position that she poured wine in, and her words.

"You seem unskilled, but your manners are oddly refined. You can have this."

Possibly because of her efforts, Louise got a gold coin for a tip from what seemed to be the first noble customer she had served.

"Re-really? Can I have this?"

"Aah. Take it."

"Waai!"

Jumping up from happiness, she turned over a plate and spilt the food onto the customer's shirt.

"I-I'm sorry..."

Louise apologized, but the noble customer did not forgive her.

"You... This shirt was a gem made from silk that your wages could never pay for. What are you going to do about it?"

"I'm really sorry... Auu..."

"Well then, just what will you do about this?"

"I-I'll pay for it..."

"Hmph, then let's do this. I'll have you compensate for this with something you can do."

"What should I do?"

"Not much, just come to my room in the middle of the night."

"And then?"

"You understand what happens after that, right? You're not a child, right? A child."

"Wh-what does that mean?"

"I mean that you'll compensate quite a lot with your body. That's what I mean. Muhoho!"

Blood flew to Louise's head.

''E, e-e, even though you're a noble, what a thing to do!'' The third daughter of a duke family became enraged. ''Don't even place the nobles near that lewdness. As Her Majesty's representative, I have to conclude and punish this disgrace of a noble.''

"You disgrace! It's because people like you exist! The kingdom's authority! Authority! And my authority as well!"

"Wh-what are you doing? Uwah! Stop! Stop, I say!"

Her foot, words, and the wine flew out all at once.

"I'm returning this to you!"

She slapped the tip she finally got on his face.

Louise was called out by Scarron and was told to wash dishes all day tomorrow as punishment. Louise was very irritated and decided to hit Saito.

The fifth day... While Louise was washing dishes with Saito, Jessica came up to them.

"How are you doing? Ojou-sama, I've collected one-hundred and twenty écus so far."

"Isn't that amazing?"

Louise replied sullenly.

"You won't get any tips while washing dishes."

"I know that."

Louise said while washing the dishes amateurishly.

"Sheesh. You can't even wash a dish properly?"

Jessica complained while looking at the dish Louise had washed.

"...I am properly washing the dishes, you know."

"See, there is still oil remaining. You don't call this washed."

Jessica took the plate from Louise and cleaned it up with quick hand movements.
Louise watched her in an offended way.

"Hey."

Jessica glared at Louise.

"What?"

"Someone's teaching you. What's with that attitude?"

"......Uu..."

Saito watched over the two's exchange with a surprised look.

"When someone's teaching you something, it's 'thank you' right? It's the basics, the basics."

"...Th-thank you."

"Geez, it's because you make that face that you don't get any tips. Tomorrow's the last day, got it? Get it together, Ojou-sama."

Leaving that said, Jessica disappeared back to the bar. Louise hung her head dejectedly.

As the day headed toward morning...

Louise, after washing dishes through the night, looked at her own hands and sighed. Louise's fingers that had never washed anything before had become bright red due to unaccustomed kitchen work and were hurting thanks to the cold water and soap.

''Why do I have to do something like this?'' She thought. Even though she herself is a noble, she has to wash dishes... Having to serve all of those commoners...

Plus, a bar girl talked so impertinently to me......

"No more." Louise muttered. ''Whether it's information gathering or whatever, this isn't my job. I'm a legend. I'm the user of Void, you know. Yet why, do I have to be a waitress at a bar? Shouldn't, like, a more showy mission be waiting for me?''

Thinking like that, tears felt like pouring out from the sadness. Opening a board of the floor, Saito poked his head out from downstairs so Louise crawled into the bed. She didn't want him to see her crying.

"Here, some food."

Saito called out to Louise, placing a plate filled with stew on the table. But Louise just answered tiredly from inside the bed.

"I don't need it."

"There's no way you don't need it. You won't hold up if you don't eat."

"It's not tasty."

"Even if you say it's not tasty, there is nothing else to eat so there's no helping it."

Even then, Louise wrapped herself in the blanket and didn't come out of the bed.
Saito approached the bed and pulled off the blanket. Louise was crouching inside the futon in her pajamas.

"Eat. Your body will break down."

"My hands hurt. I can't hold up a spoon."

Louise whined like a child. Seeing that it was no use, Saito scooped up the stew with the spoon and carried it to Louise's mouth.

"Then, here, I'll feed you. Eat. Okay?"

Louise finally took a sip. Tears poured out from her eyes.

"I don't want this anymore. I'm going back to the academy."

"What about the mission?"

"Don't care. This isn't my mission."

Saito withdrew the spoon and looked at Louise.

"You know."

"What."

"Do you have any motivation at all?"

"I do."

"Princess-sama entrusted you with this job because she trusted you, right? Blend in with commoners and gather information. Because if she used someone from the royal court, she'd be denied... She couldn't depend on anyone so she depended on you, right?"

"That's right."

"Yet what's with you. You lost all of our money in the gambling area because you got pissed off, and you drag along your noble's pride here and can't get a single tip. You also anger the customers. Not even close to information gathering."

"Just shut up. But what does that mission have to do with stupid dish washing and serving? I want to do bigger jobs. No more of this. Why does a noble like me..."

Saito grabbed Louise's shoulders and turned her to face him.

"What?!"

"Guess what, Ojou-sama? Everyone's working. They're trying their best at this job you call stupid and eating this meal. Only you nobles play around and have people feed you."

Saito said in a serious voice. Louise, fearing the cold anger in his eyes, looked downwards without thinking.
[[Image:ZnT05-073.jpg|thumb]]

"I can't say too many cocky things because I was raised similar to you, but after coming here, I've suffered in many ways and understand. That it is pretty troublesome just to live."

Somehow not being able to say anything back, Louise remained silent. Saito continued his words.

"I don't understand too well, but perhaps people that concern themselves about their stupid pride so much can't do big jobs? I think so anyways. Well, if you tell me to quit, I'll quit. I don't really care either way. Because it's not my job after all."
Louise closed her mouth quietly.

"You don't want it anymore?"

Saito asked, sticking out the spoon. Louise jumped out of bed, took the spoon from Saito, and started devouring the stew.

Saito spread out his hands, turned his head, and took out something. It was a small ceramics case.

"....What is that?"

"Cream that works on water-chapped skin. Jessica gave it to me."

Then Saito told Louise to extend her hand. Louise did so obediently.

Louise looked guiltily at Saito's face while he smeared the cream, but... soon muttered in a small voice.

"Hey..."

"What?"

"I'll serve. I'll wash the dishes. Is this fine?"

"Yeah, that's fine." Saito said in a relieved voice.

"But, are you okay?"

"What is?"

"Is this okay?"

Louise blushed and said in a displeased voice.

"Serving is fine. I'll even say a word of courtesy. But..."

"But what?"

"I-is it fine if customers touch your master all over?"

Saito firmly fell silent.

"Hey. What about it? Don't say such selfish things and properly answer if it is okay or bad."

Saito began to eat the stew quietly.

"I said hey. Which one is it? Say it."

Louise asked while pulling on Saito's ear. Looking heavily at the stew, Saito murmured

"...I-if you allowed that kind of touching, I'd slap 'em."

"Who would you slap?"

"...You."

Louise looked sharply into Saito's eyes.

"Why? The master is going to be slapped by the familiar, so explain the reason."

Silence fell.

Looking to the side, Saito said dully

"I-I'll forgive holding hands though."

"What's with that?"

Louise sent Saito flying.

"What's with 'I'll forgive hands'?! I'm asking you for the reason for slapping me! Idiot!"

"Be-because......"

"Besides, what do you mean by 'forgive'? Acting so proudly. Whether I hold hands or do whatever isn't decided by you. It's me, me! Hmph!"

Louise combed up her pink-blond hair and put on a composed expression. She grouped her arms together.

"Fine. Was it that 'Charming Faeries' Bustier'? I'll wear that and charm all of the customers. Yeah, for the sake of tips. I'll forgive. Not just my hand..."

Saito jumped up and shouted at Louise.

"Don't joke around!"

Louise turned her head around and crawled back into the bed. Right then, Saito managed to get himself back under control and shook his head.

"Well, the 'Charming Faeries' Bustier' is impossible. It's the victory prize. Right now, you're probably the last place on tips."

Louise did not reply.

Becoming worried, Saito asked.

"...Would you really forgive them? Putting the tip race victory aside, are you that determined? Isn't that a bit extreme? Come on."

Louise did not answer back.

"Hey, are you really going to?"

In an almost crying voice, Saito persistently asked Louise. But, "Shut up! I'm going to sleep!" Louise shouted... and Saito down-heartedly crawled into bed.

==== Part 4 ====

The final day of the tip race had come. On the evening of that day, Scarron announced the progress so far.

"Now I will now announce the current top three! First is third place! Marlene-chan! Eighty-four écus, fifty-two sous, and six deniers!"

Applause resounded. The blond girl called Marlene gave an elegant bow.

"Second place! Jeanne-chan! Ninety-eight écus, sixty-five sous, and three deniers!"

Applause once again. The chestnut-haired girl called Jeanne smiled and nodded.

"And then... First place!"

Scarron slowly scanned over the girls and nodded repeatedly.

"Without match, my daughter! Jessica! One-hundred-sixty écus, seventy sous, and eight deniers!"

"Wahhhhhh!" As cheers of joy rang out. Jessica, wearing a suggestive dress with a profound slit that was prepared for this day, bowed.

"Now! Whether you cry or laugh, today is the last day! But today is the day of daeg in the week of teuz! Because it is the end of the month, lots of customers will come! If you try hard, you might get lots of tips. The top places are still in range!"

"Yes! Mi mademoiselleー"

Saito poked the serious-looking Louise. Louise had the type of face that said she had resolved to something.

"How much do you have?"

Without answering, Louise opened her tightly gripped fist. What was there... were several glittering copper coins.

Saito stroked his chest down. With that, victory was impossible even if Louise tried her very best.

Louise's words "If I obtain the Charming Faeries' Bustier, I'd charm the customers and forgive everything" were still bothering him even now.

''What is "forgive everything"?! What do you mean?! Even though, I... I haven't even done anything! Though it's not like I have the right to do so. Not at all though.''

''After all, I'm just a familiar......''

'I want her to try her best, but not to that level' was the type of convenient emotion that ran through Saito.

Scarron shouted in a loud voice.

"Then let's do this with enthusiasm!"

Cheering filled with all kinds of feelings resounded through the store.

Now then... Louise was a bit different this day. She took out the wire that fixed her smile and revealed a natural smile.

She would smile brightly and then fidget embarrassedly. Doing so, the customer would ask.

"Is there something wrong?"

Louise would nibble her thumb and continue fidgeting. And then as if saying something really difficult to say,

"Well, Mr. customer, because you're so wonderful..." She would try hard and mutter.

But the customer himself seemed to be used to that level of flattery. Without moving, he held out his wine cup. Here, Louise would unleash her finishing move.

Pinching the hem of her camisole, she bowed gracefully. As expected of a duke family as she did it. The bow, which was done as if in front of a king, was filled with the spirit of a noble. None of the girls there could imitate such a manner.

Doing so, the customer would become interested in Louise's background. I see. When I get a better look, her features are quite similar to a noble's.

"You were born in the upper class, right?"

Even then, Louise would not cease showing embarrassment. Then sorrowfully and with melancholy, she looked outside. The man becomes more and more enchanted at Louise's refined behavior. Bending himself forward, he spoke his expectations.

"Did you serve at some noble's house? They taught you good etiquette there, right?" Louise continued to smile brightly. The delusions inside the customer started to become as overexaggerated as he pleased.

"If a cute and quiet girl like you served them, it probably didn't end there. Not just etiquette, but those type of things and these type of things... were forcibly trained into you, perhaps?"

Louise gave a graceful bow. Louise's only weapons were that smile and the bow.

"Kuh! What a cruel story! A cute girl like you... But how did a servant like you come to work at this store... I see! I got it! You got tired of that forcible master who was trying to get you to do those type of things and these type of things and ran out of the mansion, right? But the debt left behind by your parents still remains. To return the money, you're desperately working. Something like that, right?!"

Louise smiled while looking at the customer. Being gazed at like that by Louise's jewel-like reddish-brown eyes, the customer, as if enchanted by some spell, wanted to loosen the string on his wallet.

"What a poor child. Hmm, then use this to help repay your debt. By the way, well, those type of things and these type of things... are what kind of things? Please tell me. Okay?"

The customer, who believed in his own delusions because of Louise's demeanor, would give Louise silver and gold coins. The moment she got it, she ran at full speed back into the kitchen, squatted, and let out a rough breath. Her forcing herself to be courteous and her act that caught people's sympathy felt like leprosy, so Louise decided to hit Saito, who was washing dishes, for now. Doing so, she felt a bit refreshed. Then she rushed back to the table.

Afterwards, it was time for her "job". It was the information gathering entrusted to her by Princess-sama. She didn't want to lose at the tip race, but this job was more important.

Sitting beside the customer, she asked

"Geez, they say it's a war. You'd get tired of this..."

"Pretty much so. They behold her as a "holy woman", but how about the government!"

"What does that mean?"

"I'm saying that that ignorant princess can't govern this country!"

He was insulting Henrietta, but she firmly endured it. She had to hear all kinds of stories from him.

"Like that battle in Tarbes... it was like we won by chance! I'm not so sure about next time!"

"Is that so..."

Just like that, Louise slowly collected the rumors in the town. The drunkards liked to discuss about the situations in the world. When Louise brought up the subject to interest them, they would start criticizing the government as if they were waiting for her to ask. The drunkards would talk about the government as if they had become a cabinet minister.

"Besides, it’d be better for the country if Albion governed us, right?"

If such an outrageous opinion was said,

"I'm saying we should hurry up and attack Albion!" such a brave opinion would jump out.

Someone,

"There's a rumor that the army will be strengthened! The taxes will increase again! They've got to be kidding us!"

said this and,

"Can the current armaments protect the country? I wish they'd hurry and organize the armada!" a completely opposite opinion comes up.

Anyways... putting it together, the popularity Henrietta received for defeating Albion at the battle of Terbes seemed to have started to darken.

'The war remains unfinished... Looks like the depression will continue. Henrietta is young. Can she guide this country well from now on?' Was the anxiety everyone was feeling.

''It's probably a painful story to Henrietta, but I have to properly report to her...'' Louise thought.

Like that, Louise started collecting tips and information but...

Jessica's tip collecting was simply unmatchable.

Anyway, Jessica was good at making customers think "She has fallen for me."

Louise started to observe how Jessica did things. If you do not know the enemy, you cannot win the fight.

Jessica would first act cold to the customer she chose.

She placed the food in front of the customer while looking angry. The customer was surprised at that attitude.

"Hey, what's this, Jessica? Aren't you in a bad mood?"

Jessica glared at the customer with cold eyes.

"Who were you talking to earlier?"

Whether you call it a skill or otherwise, that jealousy was godly. After all, it really looked like she was jealous. At that moment, the customer misunderstood and thought that she was in love with him and currently very jealous.

"Wh-what... Cheer up."

"It's nothing... You like that girl, right?"

"Stupid! The one I love the most is you! Come on..."

He said and tried to hand over a tip. But Jessica brushed away that money.

"It's not money! What I want are kind words! What you said before... was that a lie? I was really serious! What?! I don't care anymore!"

"There's no way that was a lie."

The man became desperate and tried to soothe Jessica.

"Please cheer up... You're the only one for me. Okay?"

"You say that to everyone. Just because you're a bit popular with girls..."

No matter how you looked, the man did not have a popular face. Usually, he would not believe such flattery. But condemning words were coming out of Jessica's mouth. In a way that seemed as if she did so unintentionally. The man was completely tricked.

"I'm not popular! Really!"

"You're right. The only one who would think to kiss your lips is me."

"That's right. Very much so!"

"Hau... But I'm tired."

"What's wrong?"

"You know, right now, we're doing this stupid race called a tip race. I don't really care about tips but... I'd get scolded if I only get a small amount."

"If it's tips, I'll give you some."

"It's okay! You give me kind words, so it's okay! In exchange, I'll get mad at you if you say the same thing to other girls, got it?"

Then she looked upwards at him. With this, the man was completely defeated.

"Hah... But it is really tiring to give flattery for the sake of tips... Because honestly revealing your feelings to the person you love and flattery are different..."

"I understand. I'll give you this, so don't go sucking up to other people. Okay?"

"I said it's fine! I don't need it!"

"It's my feelings. My feelings."

The man made the refusing Jessica take the tip. "Thank you" Jessica whispered embarrassedly and grasped the man's hand. The man then tried to get that Jessica into going on a date with him.

"Then, today, when the store's closed..."

"Ah! This isn't good! The food will burn!"

After she got what she wanted, there was no need for him anymore. Jessica stood up.

"Ah, hey..."

"Let's talk again later sometime! Don't look at other girls amorously!"

Turning her back on the man, Jessica stuck out her tongue. Everything was just acting.

After Jessica left, the customer turned to his friends and went, "Iyah, getting jealous like that..."

Louise was completely impressed. The truly fearsome techniques of a town girl that made Kirche look like a child.

Her coaxing ability, that would make people wonder how many ways she had for showing jealousy, allowed her to collect tips as if she swept them up with a broom.

Jessica wasn't really outstandingly beautiful. But... she was at the border of the line that made men think "At this level, maybe even I can do something." These type of girls tend to be more popular in the world compared to the people that were peerlessly beautiful.

Louise, who had been observing, met eyes with Jessica. Jessica grinned and showed Louise her placing the tip in between her cleavage.

Probably, even if she didn't gamble, Saito would have become penniless, Louise thought. If that town girl knew he had money, no one would know just what she would do. And that stupid familiar... would be rolled up and sun-dried in no time.

She thought of Siesta's face.

She thought of Jessica's face.

She thought of Saito's face as he looked at the two's cleavages.

''Like I'll lose''. Louise firmly squeezed her fist... puffed up her flat chest, and triumphantly rose up on her feet.

While the girls were competing for the number of tips like that...

The feather door opened, and a new group of customers appeared. At the head was a middle-aged man who was wearing a mantle that meant he was a noble. He seemed to be growing fat, and thinning hair was stuck on his smooth forehead. The ones with him seemed to be lower class nobles. They had rapier-like wands hung on their hips, and there were some nobles wearing military uniforms mixed in.

When the noble entered, everything in the store fell silent. Scarron quickly rushed over to the new guest while rubbing his hands together.

"If it isn't Chulenne-sama. Welcome to the 'Charming Faeries' Inn."

The noble called Chulenne twisted his catfish-like mustache and bent it backwards.

"Hmm. Cough. The store seems to be flourishing, huh, shop manager?"

"No, no. Not at all. It's just a coincidence today. Usually, the only thing that happens is the cuckoo sounding. I was soon going to consult with my daughter about visiting the temple tomorrow to get permission to save my neck. Yes."

"What, it isn't a job today. You don't have to make such excuses."

Sorrily, Scarron continued his words.

"It's just my words, Chulenne-sama, but as you can see, the store is fully occupied today..."

"I do not see such a thing though?"

When Chulenne exaggerated like that, the nobles that followed him pulled out their wands. The customers, afraid of the nobles' shining wands, woke from their drunkenness, stood up, and disappeared out of the entrance at full speed. The store became empty at once.

"It seems that speaking of a cuckoo was true after all."

His belly quivering, Chulenne's party reached the seat in the middle.

When Saito realized it, Jessica was beside him, looking frustratingly at Chulenne.

"Who is that guy?"

When Saito asked that, Jessica explained angrily.

"Chulenne, the tax collector around here. Just like that, he comes to the stores under his jurisdiction and swarms around us. A horrible person! He won't even pay a single copper coin."

"Is that how it is..."

"Swaggering like that just because he's a noble. If you displease him, he'll place an outrageous tax on you and bankrupt your store, so everyone is listening to what he says."

It seemed that in any world, there are people who abuse their power and extort off the common people. No one came to serve him, so Chulenne became irritated. In time, he started complaining.

"Oh! This store is seems to be making quite the profit! Isn't this wine a well-cured sake from Gronyu? The clothes that girl is wearing are tailored by Gallia! I guess I have to look over this year's tax rates."

The surrounding nobles went "That's right!" or nodded in agreement to Chulenne.

"Is there not a girl who will pour alcohol for Her Majesty the Queen's tax collector?! This store at least sells that, right?!"

Chulenne shouted. But, none of the store's girls approached him.

"Who would pour for you, when you won't hand over a single tip no matter how much you touch us?"

When Jessica muttered that detestably......

A small shadow wearing a white camisole approached him while carrying a tray with wine placed on it.

It was Louise.

She had many faults... one of them was "not being able to read the mood". Her head was so full of "working hard as a waitress" that she didn't bother to understand the atmosphere around the customers and the store.

"What? Who are you?"

Chulenne looked suspiciously at Louise. Smiling, Louise left the wine in front of Chulenne.

"Th-that idiot..." Saito murmured in shock while looking at her worriedly

"Mister... you're so dreamy."

Acting as if following a manual, Louise, unable to read the mood, complimented him. But, it seemed Chulenne didn't find Louise to his tastes.

"What's this?! The store is using children?!"

Without moving, Louise held her camisole and bowed. That was all she could do.

"Now, go away, go away. I have no need for children. Off with you."

Saito saw Louise's temple twitch. It seemed she was angry. Saito prayed. ''Louise, don't snap! That guy's too dangerous!''

"Oh, looking closer, you're not a kid... just a girl with small breasts."

Louise's face went pale. Her legs started to tremble slowly. Chulenne's face twisted with lust.

And then... extended his hands out towards Louise's small breasts.

"Now, how about this Chulenne-sama checks and see just how big they are."

At that moment...

The sole of a foot exploded onto Chulenne's face.

Toppling the chair, Chulenne rolled backwards.

"Wha, why you!"

The surrounding nobles pulled out their wands all at once.

In the front... was the silhouette of a boy who's shoulders were shaking with anger.

"Saito..."

Louise looked at the back of Saito, who had stood up to protect her. While looking at that back.... something hot filled her chest that had been shaking with anger.

As expected, Saito couldn't endure it anymore. ''Louise is trying her best, isn't she? My master doesn't have breasts, but she's cute, right? That Louise tried hard to compliment you, and what do you do? Just complain!''

''Well, complaining is fine. I say some at times too. It's Louise, so there's no helping that.''

''But... But...''

''There is one thing I can't forgive.''

"Hey, old man, cut it out already."

"Da-damn you... To a noble's face, you..."

"Whether they're a noble, a prince, or a god... I definitely won't allow them to do it. It's my own special privilege. Who cares about nobles?! The only one that can touch Louise is me!"

Saito shouted.

Without thinking, Louise blushed. ''Even though you're just a familiar, what kind of conceited things are you saying?! You don't have that right either!'' She tried to say, but... for some reason, those words did not come out. Her brain was growing blank, as if being boiled. Even with the situation around her like it was, Louise ended up spacing out.

"Seize those people! I'll have them hanged!"

Chulenne's subordinates surrounded Saito.

Saito slowly looked around him.

"Who's going to catch who? Unfortunately for you, I..."

"Unfortunately, what?"

"Fortunately or unfortunately, I received this thing called a legendary power..."

Muttering that, he turned his hand to his back. And... realized that Derflinger, who was supposed to be there, wasn't there.

"Eh?"

Troubled, Saito scratched his head.

"That's right... I left the legend in the attic... After all, it would be only a bother while washing dishes."

"Seize him and that washboard girl!"

The nobles brandished their wands.

"Ti-time out!"

But there was no time out. The enraged nobles chanted their spells. A small rope appeared like a tornado, and the moment it tried to wrap around Saito...

A pure white light flashed through the store and blew the armed nobles all the way to the entrance.

After the light slowly disappeared... Louise appeared, having raised herself to full height on top of a table. The attack was Louise's "Void" spell, 'Explosion'.

Her whole body shaking with anger, her favorite, inherited wand was glittering in her hand. Louise had tied it to her thigh and hidden it, just in case something happened.

Confused, the nobles fell into panic.

Louise muttered in a small voice.

"...Washboard wasn't necessary, was it?"

Her rarely attained happy mood was blown away with that single statement. She recalled a lot of her dark past with that single word "washboard". She thought of Jessica's and Siesta's cleavages in her mind.

''It's too much. For you to say something like that when someone finally goes to serve you.''

"Hii! Hiiiiiiii!"

The intensity of the legend... "Void's" intensity frightened the nobles.

"Why do you have to go so far and say those things? Isn't it too much for you to call me a washboard when I came to pour you some alcohol? You better prepare yourself!"

The nobles scrambled to escape.

Without moving, Louise waved her wand.

The ground in front of the entrance was annihilated, creating a large hole. The nobles all dropped into it nicely.

Those nobles piled onto each other and looked up. Louise slowly appeared, and the nobles started trembling even more.

"Wh-what are you? Who are you? From which renowned mage?!"

Chulenne, while trembling, asked Louise. He had never seen or heard of that light that blew people away.

Without answering, Louise took out the permit she got from Henrietta and thrust it in Chulenne's face.

"...H-H-Her Majesty's permit?"

"I am Her Majesty the Queen's court lady, and the third daughter of an esteemed family lineage that boasts of a righteous history. I have no name to tell some petty official like you."

"I-I-I'm very sorry!"

Chulenne bent his fattened body and forcibly bowed in the hole. The nobles that got pushed by him let out moans.

Louise stood up.

"Spare me! At least my life!"

Saying that, Chulenne rummaged through his body and threw his entire wallet to Louise. He urged the nobles around him, and had them do the same and present their wallets to Louise.

"With these! Ignore what has happened! I beg of you!"

Without even looking at the wallets, Louise declared.

"Forget everything you've seen and heard today. Otherwise, no matter how many lives you have, it won't be enough."

"Yes! I swear! I swear to Her Majesty and the Founder that I will not reveal what has happened today to anyone!"

While yelling that, he got out of the hole in a tumbling manner, and Chulenne and his men disappeared into the darkness of the night.

Louise gallantly returned back inside the store. Earsplitting applause assaulted Louise.

"That was amazing! Louise-chan!"

"Couldn't get enough of that look on Chulenne's face!"

"I feel refreshed! That was great!"

Scarron, Jessica, and the store's girls surrounded Louise all at once.

There, Louise returned to her senses, though "Now I've done it...", and hung her head in shame. She had lost it when she was called a washboard. Saito was about to get caught, so she chanted the spell without thinking.

Saito approached her and whispered to her

"...Idiot! You shouldn't use magic, right?!"

"Uu... But..."

"Sheesh... Hah, good grief...... Now we have to start back from zero..."

Scarron patted Louise's and Saito's shoulders.

"It's fine."

"Heh?"

"I knew Louise-chan was a noble beforehand."

Saito glared at Jessica. Panicking, Jessica waved her hands in front of her face to tell him "I didn't say anything."

"Ho-how?"

Louise asked while dumbfounded.

"Because, well, that is..."

The store's girls took over for Scarron.

"It was completely obvious from your attitude and behavior!"

''Uu, so that's it...'' Louise thought, feeling disheartened.

"Just how many years do you think we've been running this bar? My eye for discerning people is top class. But you have circumstances right? Relax. There isn't a girl here that would expose a co-worker's past's secrets."

The girls all nodded at once.

''I see.'' Saito thought. ''Jessica wasn't the only sharp one here.''

"The girls here all are pretty accepting. That's why you can relax... Continue earning tips from now on, okay?"

Louise nodded. Saito felt relieved.

Clapping his hands together, Scarron said in a cheerful voice

"Now! All of the customers have gone home now, so I will announce the results of the tip race."

Cheering voices erupted.

"Well, there is no need to count, right?"

Scarron said after looking at the wallets Chulenne and his men left on the ground.

Looking at the wallets, Louise realized what he meant. Inside... a large amount of money was stuffed there.

"Eh? This is..."

"Tip, right?"

Scarron said and winked an eye. Then he seized her hand and raised it up.

"Winner! Louise-chan!"

Applause resounded through the store.

The evening of the next day... Louise did not come out of her bed.

"Hey, let's go to work."

"I'm resting today."

"Heh?"

Saito looked blankly at her. Then he rethought. ''Well, it's been a while since she used magic, so she's probably tired. I guess it's fine if she rests today.''

"Got it. Tell me when you are feeling bad."

The winning prize, "Charming Faeries' Bustier", was hung on the wall. Even though it was a prize... she could only wear it today. Well, it was an heirloom after all.

Descending the stairs, Scarron came up to him.

"Oh? What happened to Louise-chan?"

"It seems she plans to rest for the day."

"My... No way, what a waste..."

"Why is that?"

"Because, she can only wear the 'Charming Faeries' Bustier' today. I'm going to have her return it tomorrow."

"Guess that's true."

"If you wear that, you can get as many tips as you want... What a waste, what a waste."

Murmuring that, Scarron disappeared into the store, which was starting to get tumultuous.

Saito went to his dish-washing, unable to make sense of what was going on.

After working hard and finishing his job, Saito returned to the attic. Looking up from the corridor... light was leaking through the room's floorboards. It seemed that Louise was still awake.

''What's with her... Even though she said she was tired and was going to rest, she isn't sleeping at all. She should have just wore the bustier and earned some money in this case.''

Pushing the attic's floorboard up, Saito poked his head up. Instantly, astonishment.

The room had been swept clean, and it seemed a dust cloth had been used since not a bit of dust fluttered about. The piled up junk had been placed in one spot, and the room had been adjusted so it actually looked like someone could possibly live there.

“What… happened?”

“I did it. It’s disgusting to live in a dirty place all of the time.”

Facing her voice, Saito became even more astonished.
[[Image:ZnT05-101.jpg|thumb]]

Food and wine had been lined up on top of the table... and a candle was illuminating it.

And that light... was also shining on Saito's beautifully dressed master.

Saito swallowed his saliva. The fatigue from the day's manual labor started to fly away.

Louise was sitting on a chair beside the table. Crossing her legs, her hair had been done with a barrette just like some time before. And... Her divine appearance also included the "Charming Faeries' Bustier". The black bustier made Louise's beauty even more prominent.

Gaping, Saito just stared at her.

"How long do you intend to put on that stupid expression? Come on, let us eat." Louise said in an awkward tone. A feast had been lined up on the table.

"What is this?!"

"I made those."

Saito stared at Louise, who seemed to be embarrassed.

"Seriously?"

"I had Jessica teach me."

Looking at Louise, who blushed and said that, Saito's heart throbbing intensified. The line of the center of her upper body became a mesh, allowing her white skin to peak through.  The black bustier fitted her perfectly, making her body's lines more pronounced. The considerably short-lengthed pannier was overturned around her waist at an apologetic level. It looked more erotic than her naked.

Saito unintentionally averted his eyes. He felt like he'd go crazy if he stared at her. Whether he felt he'd go crazy because he had already been in love with her, or if it was because of the "Attraction" magic that was cast on the bustier, Saito did not know, but... there was one certain thing.

It was charming.

But without being able to say that, Saito spoke in an angry voice.

"...Weren't you going to wear that and service the customers to your heart's content?"

"If I let them touch, you would slap me, right?"

Louise replied in a pouting manner.

"Well, let's eat."

Saito nodded, and began to eat the food Louise made. But... blood had rushed to his head and prevented him from figuring out the taste. This was probably bad. But, either way was fine. Louise made it. That was progress.

"How is the taste?"

Louise asked.

"I-isn't it delicious?"

Saito answered in a manner to avoid the main point.

"I cleaned up the room. How is it?"

"Whew, it's quite something."

"But, how about, me?"

Leaning on her elbow, Louise leaned and peered at Saito.

The light of morning plunged in through the skylight. The morning light covered the attic, invigorating it. He had firmly shut his mouth up until now, but Saito finally thought up some words.

"Très bien."

"...At least compliment me with a different word."

Louise sighed. ''Is an attraction magic really cast on this? What? Even though I was thinking of having him treat me kindly. His attitude is the same as ever. As if he is mad, as if he is troubled, that kind of attitude.''

''Boring. I thought he would court me like an idiot if I wore this. Then I would treat him as coldly as possible. It's too late to realize how charming your master is! What, you idiot? Don't touch me. But, yeah, when you said "The only one that can touch Louise is me!", I was a bit happy for some reason, so I'll allow a little bit. But, a little. Only a little, got it?''

Even though she imagined that, despite her spending the whole day to prepare, Saito only looked elsewhere.

''How boring'' Louise thought sourly.

In the end, Louise never realized it.

Saito had been madly in love with her since a long time ago... so, that "Attraction" magic was already meaningless.

----

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| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Chapter2|Forward to Chapter 2]]
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Zero no Tsukaima:Volume4 Chapter5 - MTL

2012-04-14T04:35:06Z

Zeth: /* Chapter Five: The Strength of a Love Potion */

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===Chapter Five: The Strength of a Love Potion===

When Saito woke up in the morning, Louise was sleeping by his side. The previous night, when Louise, whose eyes were swollen from tears, got tired, he brought her to the room and fell asleep at once. "Kuukuu," with an innocent face, she breathed out through sleep. ''What made her change this way yesterday? One moment she was ready to kill, the other - she was suddenly weeping "Why don't you look at me!" What? What?'' Saito wondered.

She started waking up. Abruptly, Louise got up and, noticing Saito, bit her lip. Then in a wrung out voice, she murmured "Good morning."

"G-good morning," Saito returned the greeting.

Then Louise blushed. Louise always blushed with an angry look on her face, but now it was different. Looking up at Saito, she softly curved her lips and said something hesitatingly.

"W-what?"

"Forgive me."

Louise opened her mouth and said in a lamenting voice.

"Forgivemeforgivemeforgiveme. Forgive me?"

Louise was definitely weird. She gazed at him with helpless puppy eyes, yet she had never looked at Saito this way before. Louise always looked down on him or scowled, he wasn't used to being looked at some other away.

"Seriously, what is wrong with you?"

Worried, he gripped her shoulder. Dressed only in negligee, Louise bent her head and rested her cheek on top of his hand. He felt an unexpected pang. Moreover, a pang on his left side. A quick one. Soon he was fully overtaken by a destructive power. His body shook violently and his pulse was beating hastily. ''Aah, Louise looking like this… She wouldn't be in love with me, would she?!''

"I saw."

"Eh?"

"..a dream, yesterday."

Dream?

"W-what dream?"

"A Dream about Saito."

"D-dream about what?"

"Saito was mean in the dream. Though I was talking very hard, he still spoke with other girls."

'Gab' Louise bit into Saito's hand.

However, it was not painful. Louise bit very gently. Then she glanced upwards at Saito's face.

"Even so, it was yesterday. Do not buy gifts for other girls, do not look at other girls - you have your master-sama, right?"

Saito gulped down saliva, while watching Louise. He never realized, that she was so in love with him...

''But what made Louise's attitude change so much. It's as if she is an entirely different person. Louise who despised me up till now, cannot become so sweet just like that.'' At first she was mad, and now she gently chewed on his palm while scowling.

She would not just bite like this. She would hit.

Louise would never sell herself for such flirt...

Though at first Saito thought that Louise may be in love, he drove the last ray of hope out of his mind.

"Listen to me."

"Y-yes."

"Tell me truthfully. W-whom do you love the most in the world?"

Louise buried her face in his chest and muttered in a tearful voice. Saito felt dizzy in his head and answered incoherently.

"M-master-sama. Yes."

"Lies."

It wasn't a lie. When near, only Louise could make his chest throb this much. However, Louise today...

"Really?"

"Yeah..."

Then Louise got up and, tototo, ran up to the other side of the bed.

After taking out something from the secret gap in the wall beside the bed, she ran up to Saito with it.

"N. N, nh"

And then she thrust it out to Saito.

"What's...?"

"Take it."

The thrust out complex object was made from knitting wool. In any case, it seemed to be unwearable. Saito received it and tilted his head, trying to figure out it's purpose. By any means, could it still be something "to wear"? No, never. He had no inkling of where it could fit on the body.

Louise kept on quietly watching Saito... with eyes that seemed to be moist from crying. Aah, can't help it when looked at with such eyes. They had an expecting look. Yet, he couldn't answer Louise's expectations as he didn't know what on earth it was for, however, he had to do something!

''What the heck is that''. Saito thought. ''Think! Yeaaah, looking at it, it seems similar to medusa stuffed toy. It also can be thought to be one of Burgess fauna's species that ruled the sea in the ancient earth. Though it looks like a mysterious animal, because Louise handed it over to me, it must have some use. Ah! Think!''

Saito fused, slowly losing his cool.

"Great! This! A fantastic thing! Medusa's outlook! The best!"

Louise's face fell.

"It's different... It's not that... It's a sweater."

As for the alien world sweater, it was different from what one would expect. It easily surpassed Saito’s imagination.

In panic, Saito tried to put it on. But how to wear it? Somehow he found an entrance and pushed his head in. However, his arm didn't go out and half of his face remained stuck inside. Being stuck in such an uncomfortable way, Saito stood still.

Then, Louise tightly embraced Saito and pushed him down onto the bed.

“L-Louise...”

Because his arm was imprisoned by the sweater, he could not move.

“Be still," Louise pleaded with Saito. ''What? I’m already still. But it is because I can’t get out my arms out of the sweater.''

“Can’t do that.”

He said quietly, being honest.

Louise held onto Saito firmly, like a girl embracing her favorite stuffed animal.

“Ugh, don’t you have to go to class?”

“It’s alright. I’ll just skip it anyway.”

''Muhaa!'' The more he thought about it, the more suspicious it sounded. Normally serious Louise never skipped class so lightly.

“For a whole day. Because, when you are let out, you flirt with other girls. I hate that.”

Seems like she wanted to bind Saito this way. Yet, for a very prideful Louise to say such things… Even if she would be feeling this way, she’d never utter it aloud.

“Say something.”

Louise muttered sweetly. ''Saito, what is the matter with Louise?'' He wondered, while worrying, what made Louise start talking so weakly and softly.

In the afternoon, Louise finally fell asleep. The young girl snored faintly in a deep slumber.

Then Saito quietly slipped out of the room and headed to the dining room to get some food. He was going to take Louise’s share too.

Siesta, who was preparing lunch in the kitchen already, sweetly smiled when he finished explaining the situation to her.

“You are popular.”

“No, it’s different. Louise isn’t herself. She’s acting funny. It can’t be helped, and now I have to get some of this food…”

Worried, Saito said, while Siesta trampled on Saito’s feet, without breaking her smile.

“That’s great.”

“S-Siesta?"

Seems like she was really mad. The composed smile only emphasized her cold anger.

“Heeeh. That a highly prideful noble Miss Vallière would suddenly become clingy over Saito-san. What would make her change her mind about Saito-san? I’m worried.”

Still smiling, Siesta put more strength into crushing Saito’s foot. Saito screamed.

“I-it’s true! She really suddenly started acting strange”

“Really?”

“Yeah… It is as if she turned into a different person.”

Hearing that, Siesta started to think with a serious expression.

“This reminds me, I heard that there are some magical potions that can change a person’s mind this way…”

“Magical potions?”

“Indeed. Yet because I am not a mage I might have not understood it well... But, Miss Vallière would not drink such a thing…”

Saito remembered the previous night. Louise's attitude changed dramatically after entering Montmorency’s room… while he was hiding under the bed futon.

At that moment Louise’s attitude changed suddenly… Did Louise do something then?

''Ah.

That reminds me, she said “Fuah! I’m thirsty from running around!” and in one breath drank up the red wine on the table!

That? Could it be that?'' Saito started to feel suspicious about the red wine in Montmorency’s room.

Saito waited for Montmorency to come out of the dining room and gripped her arm. Guiche, who was walking next to her, roared.

“Hey! What are you doing to my Montmorency!”

However, Montmorency’s face suddenly turned pale instead of complaining. What?! Even though he gripped a noble’s arm like that! Guess Montmorency, who was even more arrogant than Louise, did not want to make much noise. In a word, she felt indebted to Saito over something and that was surely related to Louise’s sudden change.

“Hey Monmon.”

Saito glared at Montmorency.

“W-what…?”

She awkwardly turned her eyes away. She was not angry at being called Monmon. It was becoming more and more suspicious.

“What did you make Louise drink?”

“Eh?” Guiche made a suspicious face.

“Montmorency gave Louise something?”

“Hey Guiche. You saw Louise’s change, right? One moment she was angry, the next placing her palms gently. Even someone as dimwitted as you should grow suspicious.”

Guiche thought while crossing his arms. It took some time, because he was slow as usual. Then Guiche, who with great effort recalled the previous night’s events, nodded.

“It is really as you say. It should not be possible for Louise to become so soft suddenly. Right?”

“Right! Monmon! Louise became strange after drinking the wine in your room!”

“That’s the wine I brought! There’s nothing suspicious about it!”

After saying so, Guiche noticed Montmorency’s unusual behavior. She was biting her lips strongly and tiny drops of cold sweat appeared on her forehead.

“Montmorency! That wine, really…”

“That child drank it without permission!”

Montmorency cried out, unable to take it anymore.

“That’s not the point! It’s your fault!” She said while pointing at Guiche, poking his nose with her finger. Now with the anger reversed, Guiche and Saito dumbfoundedly watched Montmorency.

“Because you are always fooling around!”

“You! What have you put in the wine?!”

Saito understood. Montmorency wanted Guiche to drink up something that was put in the wine. Yet Louise, who rushed into the room, drank it up instead.

For a moment, both, Guiche and Saito, stood hesitatingly embarrassed and resigned. Then Montmorency in a calm, bared voice said.

“…Love potion.”

“Love potion!”

Guiche and Saito cried out. Montmorency placed both hands over their mouths in panic.

“Idiots! Not so loud! …It is banned.”

Saito gripped Montmorency’s arm, removed her hand from his mouth and shouted.

“Then don’t start such a mess to begin with! Help Louise somehow!”

Montmorency, Saito and Guiche racked their brains in Montmorency's room. Montmorency explained to them both in an arrogant manner that she made a love potion to prevent Guiche from having an affair. She put it in Guiche's glass to have him drink it, but then Saito and Louise had flounced into the room. It wasn’t hard for Saito to imagine what happened after that. Unaware, Louise drank it all up. Saito screamed.

“What have you done?!”

“…However, otherwise she would not have fallen in love with me, right?”

Guiche, who kept silent till then, clasped a blushing Montmorency's hand.

“Montmorency, you cared so much for me…”

“Hah! You think that I did it for you? I would not waste my time on that. It was just merely unpleasant for you to have affairs behind my back!”

The blush on Montmerency’s cheeks was quickly replaced by an arrogant scowl. As expected, the pride of Tristainian noble women was really high. Very self-conceited and arrogant.

“Do not worry about me having an affair! I am your servant forever!”

Guiche embraced Montmorency closely. Then, holding her cheek, tried to kiss her. Startled Montmorency shut her eyes.

“Knock it off.”

Saito pulled them both apart.

“What are you doing, idiot?!”

“Doesn’t matter! Help Louise first!”

“She’ll recover sooner or later!”

“When is this ‘sooner or later’!”

Montmorency looked doubtful.

“Each person's physiology is different, it may take a month or maybe a year…”

“You planned to let me drink such a thing?”

Guiche turned pale.

“That will take too long. At once! One way or another! Do it!”

With a jerk Saito brought his face close to Montmorency’s.

“I understand! But it will take some time to prepare the antidote!”

“Hurry up then and do it! Now! Make it now!”

“However, to make an antidote a certain expensive drug is necessary, but I used it all up while making the love potion and it is very expensive. I can’t do it for the time being.”

"Yes, money will be hard to come by, I don't exaggerate."

"No money? You are nobles!"

When Saito shouted, Guiche and Montmorency looked at each other.

“Although we are nobles, we are students as well.”

“It is older members of the family that possess the territory and money.”

“Then ask your parents to send the money.”

Saito said to them both. Then Guiche raised his forefinger and started talking.

“Listen. This world has two kinds of nobles. One kind are nobles that do not have the good fortune of money, another kind – nobles that have the money. For instance, de Montmorency. Montmorency's family, fails in the land reclamation and the management of the territory is horrible.”

Montmorency cut in. 　

“Or like the de Gramont house, Guiche’s family, that for the sake of honour got involved in a war and wasted all of their money…”

“Anyway, there are moneyless nobles. Actually, and I am not exaggerating, half the nobles in the world have enough money only to maintain their residence and the territory around it at best. However, it is not for a commoner like you to understand the hardships of keeping the honour and pride of the nobility.”

''These guys…'' Saito reluctantly started to search for something in his parka and jeans pockets. Then he pulled out the golden coins that he received from Henrietta before. Half of the amount he left in Louise’s room and the other half he carried with himself.

"Will this suffice?"

He spilled them out on the table.

“Uwaa! Why do you have so much money? You!”

Seeing that amount of gold lying all over the table took Montmorency's breath away.

“Awesome, and some are even 500 écu coins.”

“Don’t ask where it comes from. Just buy that expensive medicine with this by the end of tomorrow."

Montmorency nodded reluctantly.

When he returned to his room with light pockets, the room itself looked weird. 　

Somehow the whole room was filled with cigarette-like smokes, yet the aroma was sweet. Louise was sitting in the center of the room with joss-sticks fuming around her.

“Hey, what? What’s up with all this?”

When Saito said so, Louise, who was watching him, answered in a teary voice.

“Where have you been...?”

Only then Saito noticed how tempting Louise looked. She wasn’t wearing her skirt.

“You left me all alone…”

She said in teary voice while sulkily looking up at Saito. It seemed like, while feeling lonely, she started burning all these incenses.

“So-sorry…”

''Why doesn't she put on a skirt?!'' He tried to turn his eyes away from her body when he noticed another unexpected fact. ''Well… Lo-Louise, Louise Françoise – that rascal, the skirt wasn’t the only thing that she missed… Her panties are gone as well.''

Her lower waist line was peeking up from the gap of her shirt. There were no signs of any underwear beneath.

Saito began to tremble.

"Y-you, p-put on some p-p-p-p-panties!"
[[Image:ZnT04-006.jpg|thumb]]
Trembling, he shouted while looking to the other side.

“I w-won’t!”

“Why not?!!”

“I am not sexy enough. I know this because night after night Saito sleeps by my side in bed, but doesn't do anything to me. I cannot take this anymore.”

Louise said in a weeping voice.

“T-that’s, you, me, are you saying you want me to p-push you down and then d-d-d-d-do those things to you?”

“I-is it bad…?”

“That’s right.”

“But, I'll shut my eyes and for an hour, I will pretend not to know.”

But by saying that she would pretend not to know… Louise made a huge commitment.

Louise pulled the hem of her shirt down to cover her private parts and stood up. Louise moved her bare, slender legs. Saito's heart pounded inside his chest, sounding like a constant ringing of a bell.

Louise jumped onto Saito’s chest. The sweet smell of her hair was even stronger than the aroma of the incense in the room. She never used perfumes, it was her natural body’s smell.

With her face buried in Saito’s parka, Louise trembled and twitched.

“I am lonely… Idiot…”

Both of Saito’s hands positioned themselves on Louise’s body.

They seemed to embrace her firmly on an instinct.

Saito bit his lip. He put some pressure in his bite seeking to regain part of his calmness through pain.

Louise of today… is not the Louise whom I know. It is a love potion that’s making me lose myself. My Louise is the one I protect and like… For this reason, I cannot embrace her this way now. What if his brakes would fail him? He surely would covet Louise like a beast.

Because of love, this cannot be allowed.

Saito with trembling hands gripped Louise’s shoulders. Then he looked straight into her eyes and squeezed out as gentle a voice as possible.

“Louise…”

“Saito…”

“W-well… You are acting this strange today because of a medicine.”

“Medicine…?”

Louise looked up at Saito with moistened eyes.

“That’s right. The present you is not the real you. But don’t worry, I will find the cure somehow. Okay?”

“It is not because of medicine!”

Louise looked straight at Saito.

“These feelings are not because of medicine. Because whenever I look at Saito my heart starts beating wildly. Not only that…I cannot breathe and feel helpless. I know, this feeling is…”

“I-it’s different. I would like it if they were your real feelings, but it isn't, it is different. This is because of the drug. The antidote will be ready by tomorrow night, so wait till then. Anyway, go to sleep now, okay?”

Louise shook her head.

“I don’t understand. It doesn’t matter. Anyway, you must hug me tightly or else I won’t go to sleep.”

“If I do, you’ll go to bed?”

Louise nodded. Saito carried her to the bed. Then laid down, snuggling next to her. As usual, Louise clung firmly to him.

“Don’t go anywhere. Look only at me, no other girls, only me.”

She repeated, as if some kind of spell.

Saito nodded.

“I won’t go anywhere. I’ll stay here for a long time.”

“Really?”

“Aah. Yes, so rest, ok?”

“Un… If Saito says to sleep, I will sleep. Because I don’t want him to dislike me.”

However, Louise didn’t go to sleep. Instead, she shuffled a little and brought her blushing face to the scruff of Saito’s neck. Before Saito could even think of what she was doing, she started to kiss his neck. It felt as if a torrent of small needles ran down his spine.

“Haaaaaaaaaaah...”

Saito started to shake in fear. Meanwhile Louise started to suck strongly on Saito’s skin.

“Louise! Louise!”

''If you don’t stop I’ll die.'' However, Louise didn't stop. With flushing cheeks she watched the place that she just kissed. It reddened as if bitten by an insect.

Noticing this, Louise proceeded leaving marks on Saito’s skin with an absorbed interest.

“Louise, stop! I already! I! Aah!”

His mind could not take it anymore. When Louise separated her lips, she muttered in a sulky way.

“No. I won’t stop. Saito is mine and mine alone. Therefore, I will leave marks to show that he is mine and keep the other girls away.”

After that, Saito’s torture continued for a while. Louise started to leave hickey marks not only on the scurf of his neck but even on his chest too. By the end, there were ten of them.

Saito’s strong convulsions turned into a faint shiver, when Louise’s lips finally left his chest. Then Louise, turned her head to the side, presenting Saito her own neck.

“Now you mark me.”

“B-but…”

Saito looked at Louise’s slender, snowy white neck.

“If you don’t do this - I won’t go to sleep.”

There was no other way. Saito closed his eyes and brought his lips to Louise’s neck. He touched it. A deep sigh escaped Louise’s lips. Never hearing such a cute sigh from her, Saito almost died.

Very nervous, he sucked on Louise’s celadon skin.  

“Nh…!”

Louise must have been nervous too, as giving out such a cry seemed to confirm.

Tiredness soon took over her and Louise started to breath in a faint sleeper’s way after a while.

Dazzled he looked at his own red mark on Louise’s nape of the neck. It looked like a red strawberry in the middle of white snow.

Saito breathed roughly, he had to restrain himself many times, or else, he would have attacked Louise who was peacefully sleeping next to him.

''Calm down! Louise is acting this way only because of the potion!''

He had to find the antidote quickly, to return Louise back to her usual saucy self, instead of this cute one!

Then Saito noticed something that Louise was grasping tightly in her sleep.

It was the pendant that Saito bought her in town. She was grasping it tightly as if it were some sort of treasure. Seeing that lovely view he lost all his strength.

It was cruel. Louise was horrible. It’s a crime to look so disturbingly cute.

Subconsciously, he extended his hand towards Louise, only to clamp it with his other one. ''I don’t have the right to take advantage of Louise this way. It is not because of me. It’s because of the potion. Endure it.''

[[Image:ZnT04-170.jpg|thumb]]

''If only I wouldn’t have wanted for Siesta to wear that sailor uniform, Louise would have not turned into this… Therefore it is my fault.

I am useless, Saito thought. I never turn down an opportunity to flirt with a girl and…''

Siesta. That’s right, Siesta.

Aah, Siesta, she would calm him down simply by her presence. She was a fine looking lass too.

But when Louise was nearby she made his heart race.

''Aah, which one do I love more?''

What a luxurious worry. He couldn’t even imagine having such worries back on Earth.

Watching Louise’s sleeping face, he started to think… ''why return back to his former world, if you can stay here?''

When Louise became a court lady of Henrietta, it became difficult to travel to the east… Though he was disappointed, at the same time he felt glad. Because of that he could stay by Louise’s side.

Aah, Earth, Siesta and Louise. Those three turned round and round in Saito’s head, making him frustrated.

''Which choice should I make?'' He could not make a choice today, but he would have to.

Maybe, in the near future.

In the evening the next day, Saito was in Montmorency's room. He had a quarrel with Louise before leaving her in her room and coming here…

“You can’t make an antidote?”

With his face lifted, Saito stared at Montmorency. Beside her sat Guiche holding his chin and scowling.
　
Montmorency and Guiche had gone into the city that day to face the black-market traders in the hopes of finding the antidote, however....

“It can't be helped! It was sold out!”

"Then when can you buy it?!"

“It… seems like they do not have the goods needed.”

“What is it?”

“The specific medicine comes from Ragdorian Lake, at the boarder with Gallia. It is made from the tears of a water spirit… however it seems they were not able to contact the water spirits recently."

“Whaat?!”

“In other words, we cannot get this special medicine.”

“Then what about Louise?”

"Well, I mean, really, what is so bad about all this? She has fallen in love with you. You like Louise, do you not?"

Saito couldn't consent with what Guiche said, though.

“I can’t be happy if the reason she likes me is because of that medicine. These are not Louise’s true feelings. That’s why I want Louise to return back to her original self.”

But… Montmorency pouted her lips and Guiche shook his head reluctantly. Even Saito thought quietly for a while, until he finally grasped his hand into a fist, determined.

“Where is that water spirit?”

"I told you already, it's at the Ragdorian lake.”

”So you only need to get in touch with her, right?”

“Eeeeeh!? Now listen here! The water spirit rarely shows her face before humans! And even if she did, she is very strong! If angered, the results can be disastrous!"

“I don't care, let’s go!”

"Well I do care! I am absolutely not going!"

Saito crossed his arms.

“Well then, there's only one thing I can do. I will have to tell Her Royal Highness the Princess about the love potion, or is it Her Royal Highness the Queen now? Anyway, I will have to ask for her help about the problem. Come to think, wasn't that potion banned? It's not supposed to be allowed to be made, right? Now then, I wonder what would Her Highness do if she learned about it?”

Montmorency's face quickly turned pale.

“What do you think, Monmon?”

“Fine, already! I understand! I will go, if you go!”

“Hmm, we can't let Louise stay this way, either. Or else others may notice her strange behaviour and suspect the love potion.”

Guiche shook his head.

“Fear not, my lover. I will stay by your side on this journey," said Guiche while leaning in and trying to slowly put his hand over Montmorency's shoulders, but she quickly evaded him.

“That’s not really inspiring. You are too weak.”

After that, the trio made arrangements for the journey.

They would leave the following day, early in the morning. Because they did not know how Louise might act if left alone, they decided to bring her along as well.

“Haah, this is my first time skipping school.” Montmorency sighed.

“And what about me, as I have not been going to school for half of a year now? After Saito came, it was adventures everyday! Ahahaha!” Guiche burst into a hearty laughter.

<noinclude>
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|-
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter4_%7EPreview%7E|Back to Chapter 4]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Return to Main Page]]
| [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter6_%7EPreview%7E|Forward to Chapter 6]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima

2012-04-14T04:24:29Z

Zeth: /* Editors */

[[Image:Znt novel cover.jpg|300px|thumb|Vol.One Cover]]

The ''Zero no Tsukaima'' series is also available in the following languages:
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_%28version_fran%C3%A7aise%29|Français (French)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_Deutsche Version|Deutsch (German)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_%7E_Indonesian_Version|Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_%7EItalian_Version%7E|Italiano (Italian)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_Korean_Version|한국어 (Korean)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_wersja_polska|Polski (Polish)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_~Russian_Version~|Русский (Russian)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_%7EVersi%C3%B3n_Espa%C3%B1ola%7E|Español (Spanish)]]
*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima_Tiếng Việt|Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese)]]

(Note: Translation progress varies for each version.)
----
Visit the [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/index.php Baka-Tsuki Project Forum] to discuss this series and other information from Baka-Tsuki.

== Updates == 
*September 10, 2009:
:* [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Full Text|Volume 10 full-text version]] is up.
*March 13, 2010:
:* [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Full Text|Volume 11 full-text version]] is up.
*October 26, 2010:
:* [[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume12 Full Text|Volume 12 full-text version]] is up.
*February 27, 2012
:* Volume 13 is completed.

Older updates can be found on the [[Zero_no_Tsukaima_news_archive|ZnT news archive]].

== Translation ==

=== Translators Needed ===

'''Baka-Tsuki is desperately looking for translators for this series.''' If you would like to help translate this series, please post in the forums [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=714&start=135 here], and we will help you get started. Thank you.

=== [[Zero no Tsukaima Registration|Registration]] ===
Translators are requested to mark all the chapters they are translating on the [[Zero no Tsukaima Registration|Registration Page]] according to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Guideline#Translation_Management|Translation Management]] section of ''Zero no Tsukaima'' [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Guideline|Project Specific Guidelines]].
=== Format Standards ===
Every chapter (after editing) must conform to the agreed points highlighted in [[Format_guideline|Format/Style Guideline]].

Some of these chapters are translations of the '''Chinese edition''' of the novels, which are known to have some minor mistakes compared to the original Japanese text. If you have access to the originals and you spot an error, '''please feel free to make the corrections yourself''' - this is a Wiki which means it's meant for anyone to fix things (and if you screw up, we can revert back your changes if all deem necessary). We can see the corrections you make, so just go ahead instead of hiding or waiting for permission.

[http://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Zero_no_Tsukaima:guidelines Naming Conventions For ZnT]

=== Joint Collaboration ===
This Project began as a [http://www.baka-tsuki.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=246 joint collaboration] with the following groups:
* [http://kh.beyondeternal.com/ Kawaii Heavens] (who also worked on the manga version of this series)
::*Volume 1 (all chapters)


*[http://www.k-neko.net/ Kuroneko]
::*Volume 1, Chapter 1
::*Volume 1, Chapter 2

== [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Familiar_of_Zero ''Zero no Tsukaima''] series by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noboru_Yamaguchi_(author) Noboru Yamaguchi] ==
=== Volume 1 - Zero's Familiar / ゼロの使い魔 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1_Insert_and_Back Cover|Insert & Back Cover]]
'''Kingdom of Magic'''
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - I'm a Familiar]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Louise the Zero]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - Legend]]
'''Gandálfr'''
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - A Familiar's Day]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Kirche the Ardent]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - Tristain's Arms Dealer]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume1_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Staff of Destruction]]

=== Volume 2 - Albion of the Wind / 風のアルビオン ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - A Secret Boat]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Her Majesty's Melancholy]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - A Childhood Friend's Request]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - Port City - La Rochelle]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - A Rest Day Before Leaving]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The White Country]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter7_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 7 - The Prince of a Dying Country]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter8_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 8 - The Eve before the Final Battle in Newcastle]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume2_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 9 - The Final Battle]]

=== Volume 3 - The Founder's Prayer Book / 始祖の祈祷書 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter1_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 1 - Lineage of Zero]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Louise's Lovesickness]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter3_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 3 - The Founder's Prayer Book]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - Love Triangle]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - The Arsenal and the Royal Family]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - Treasure Hunting]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Dragon's Raiment]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Colbert's Laboratory]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter9|Chapter 9 - Declaration of War]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume3_Chapter10|Chapter 10 - The Void]]

=== Volume 4 - The Water Spirit of Oath / 誓約の水精霊 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Prologue|Prologue]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - The Saint]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter2_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 2 - Saito Goes Shopping in the Triumphant Town]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - The Sailor Outfit and Louise's Jealousy]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter4_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 4 - Tabitha's Secret]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter5_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 5 - The Strength of a Love Potion]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter6_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 6 - The Water Spirit]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter7_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 7 - The Ring of Andvari]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Reunion with Falsehood]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 9 - Confrontation of Sadness]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume4_Epilogue|Epilogue]]

=== Volume 5 - Tristania's Holiday / トリスタニアの休日 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - The "Charming Fairies" Inn]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Encounter with the Flame and the Friendship with the Wind]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume5_Chapter3_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 3 - Tristania's Holiday]]

=== Volume 6 - The Ruby of Atonement / 贖罪の炎赤石 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Homecoming]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter2_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 2 - Cattleya]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - Duke de La Vallière]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - Commanding Officer Guiche and Officer Cadet Malicorne]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Flame of Twenty Years Ago]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter6_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 6 - Sortie]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - The Illusion at Dartanes]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume6_Chapter8_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 8 - The Atonement of Flame]]

=== Volume 7 - The Silver Pentecost / 銀の降臨祭 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - The Temperature Difference between the Two]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter2_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 2 - Fairy]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter3_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 3 - The Priest of Romalia]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Secretary and the Emperor]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - The Ancient City of Saxe-Gotha]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter6_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 6 - Truce]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter7_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 7 - The Reason to Fight]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter8_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 8 - King of Gallia]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 9 - Rout]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Chapter10|Chapter 10 - The Place of Courage]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume7_Epilogue|Epilogue]]

=== Volume 8 - The Serenade of Nostalgia / 望郷の小夜曲 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter1_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 1 - Each End of the War]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter2_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 2 - Saito's Morning]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter3_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 3 - The Golden Elf]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter4_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 4 - The Visit of the Priest]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter5_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 5 - The Disappearing Gandálfr]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter6_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 6 - The Nations Conference]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter7_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 7 - Louise's Decision]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter8_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 8 - The Users of Void]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter9_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 9 - Myoznitnirn]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Chapter10_%7EPreview%7E|Chapter 10 - Swordsman]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume8_Epilogue_%7EPreview%7E| Epilogue]]

=== Volume 9 - The Ball of Twin Moons / 双月の舞踏会 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter1 ~Preview~|Chapter 1 - Louise's Fear]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter2 ~Preview~|Chapter 2 - The Elf of the Forest]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter3 ~Preview~|Chapter 3 - The Meeting and Parting of the Users]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter4 ~Preview~|Chapter 4 - The Chevalier Title]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Ondine ・ Knight Corps of the Water Spirit]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Feelings of the Queen]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Solicitation]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume9_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Ball of Sleipnir]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume9 Chapter9|Chapter 9 - The Confrontation with the Mysterious Bird]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume9 Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume9 Translator's Notes|Translator's Notes]]

=== Volume 10 - The Hero of Ivaldi / イーヴァルディの勇者 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===

::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - The ''Ostland'']]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Elf]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - Anxiety and Jealousy]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Queen and the Knights]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Siblings]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - The Imprisoned Six]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Settlement of the Past]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Old Mansion of Orléans]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Chapter9|Chapter 9 - Alhambra Castle]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Chapter10|Chapter 10 - The Hero of Ivaldi]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume10_Postscript|Postscript]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Translator's Notes|Translator's Notes]]

=== Volume 11 - A Duet of Recollection / 追憶の二重奏 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===

::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Von Zerbst]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Queen and the Duke]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter3|Chapter 3 - Karin the Heavy Wind]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Vallière Family]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter5|Chapter 5 - New School Term]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter6|Chapter 6 - Private Lesson]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter7|Chapter 7 - The Pope of Romalia]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter8|Chapter 8 - Jörmungand]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter9|Chapter 9 - Reunion in Westwood]]
::*[[Zero no Tsukaima:Volume11 Chapter10|Chapter 10 - The Heart of the Duet]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume11_Epilogue|Epilogue]]

=== Volume 12 - The Fairies' Holiday / 妖精達の休日 ([[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Full_Text|Full Text]] - [http://www.baka-tsuki.org/forums/viewtopic.php?f=25&t=4895 ePUB/MOBI])===

::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Prologue|Prologue]]
::*''' New Student from the White Country (Albion)'''
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter1|Chapter 1]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter3|Chapter 3]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
::*'''Knight Corps of the Water Spirit, Charge!'''
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter5|Chapter 5]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter6|Chapter 6]]
::*'''Right to Use Saito for a Day'''
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter7|Chapter 7]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume12_Chapter8|Chapter 8]]

=== Volume 13 - The World Door of the Holy Country / 聖国の世界扉===

::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Romalia]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Saito's Decision]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - Aboard the ''Ostland'']]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Two Knight Corps]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - The Persuasion of the Pope]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - Long Spear]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - World Door]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Meaning of the Smile]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume13_Epilogue|Epilogue]] (in progress)

===Volume 14 - Aquileia's Saint / 水都市の聖女===

::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - The Flowerbed Squadron's Rebellion]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Third Annual Enthronement Ceremony]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - An Elven Gandalfr]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter4|Chapter 4 - The Capital of Water]]
::* [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter5|Chapter 5 - Six Thousand Years Ago]]
::* [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter6|Chapter 6 - Tiger Highway]] (10%)
::* [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter7|Chapter 7 - Aquileia's Saint]]
::* [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter8|Chapter 8 - The Steel Tiger]]
::* [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Chapter9|Chapter 9 - The Memory of the Bond]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Epilogue|Epilogue]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume14_Translator%27s_Notes|Translator's Note]]

===Volume 15 - Labyrinth of Oblivion / 忘却の夢迷宮 ===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Carcassonne]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - The Knight Contest of the Sandbank]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter3|Chapter 3 - A Shaken Mind]] (46%)
::*Chapter 4 - The Jewel of Fire
::*Chapter 5 - Honeymoon
::*Chapter 6 - Tabitha's Long Night
::*Chapter 7 - Henrietta's Diplomatic Plan
::*Chapter 8 - Coronation
::*Chapter 9 - The Exit of the Labyrinth
::*Epilogue

===Volume 16 - The Tea Time of Des Ornières / ド・オルニエールの安穏 ===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume16_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume16_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - The Reward of the Campaign ]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume16_Chapter2|Chapter 2 - Searching for a Residence ]]
::*Chapter 3 - Henrietta's Melancholy, Louise's Anxiety, Saito's Promotion 
::*Chapter 4 - Mother and Cousin 
::*Chapter 5 - Saito Chevalier De Hiraga Des Ornières 
::*Chapter 6 - Daily Tea Time 
::*Chapter 7 - Eléonore's Academy 
::*Chapter 8 - The Basement of the Residence 
::*Chapter 9 - Secret Meeting 
::*Chapter 10 - Elemental Siblings 
::*Epilogue

===Volume 17 - The Soeur of Dawn / 黎明の修道女 ===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume17_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume17_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Saito's despair ]] (95%)
::*Chapter 2 - Flight 
::*Chapter 3 - Meeting and Comrade 
::*Chapter 4 - Sulpice 
::*Chapter 5 - First meeting with Jack 
::*Chapter 6 - Damien and Lord Gondrin 
::*Chapter 7 - Soeur Louise 
::*Chapter 8 - Josette's Resolution 
::*Chapter 9 - Two Canes, One Crown 
::*Chapter 10 - Garden Party to Celebrate the Enthronement 
::*Chapter 11 - Bonds 
::*Epilogue

===Volume 18 - Spirit Stone of Destruction / 滅亡の精霊石 ===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume18_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*Chapter 1 - Lovers 
::*Chapter 2 - Fouquet and Wardes 
::*Chapter 3 - Josette's Garden Party 
::*Chapter 4 - Strategy 
::*Chapter 5 - Confession of the Pope 
::*Chapter 6 - Spirit Stone of Destruction 
::*Chapter 7 - Our Home 
::*Chapter 8 - Elf of the Sahara 
::*Chapter 9 - Chance meeting 
::*Epilogue

===Volume 19 - The Founder's Round Mirror / 始祖の円鏡 ===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume19_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*Chapter 1 - Maidens of Des Ornières 
::*Chapter 2 - Assault 
::*Chapter 3 - Abduction 
::*Chapter 4 - Rukshana's Oasis 
::*Chapter 5 - Ali's visit 
::*Chapter 6 - Second meeting with Bidashal 
::*Chapter 7 - Louise's Decision and Romalia's Choice 
::*Chapter 8 - Two Prisoners 
::*Chapter 9 - Confrontation with Ali 
::*Chapter 10 - Escape 
::*Epilogue

===Volume 20 - Holy Land from Ancient Times / 古深淵の聖地 ===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume20_Chapter1|Chapter 1 - Boat for Two]] - Under Translation
::*Chapter 2 - Mother Sea 
::*Chapter 3 - The Last Spear 
::*Chapter 4 - Council 
::*Chapter 5 - Fairy's Heart 
::*Chapter 6 - United Council for the Holy Land Restoration 
::*Chapter 7 - Elfland 
::*Chapter 8 - Military Breach 
::*Chapter 9 - Void Demon's Fate 
::*Epilogue

=== Side Story Volume 1 - Tabitha's Adventure / タバサの冒険===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Side_Story_Volume1_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Side_Story_Volume1_Story1|Story 1 - Tabitha and the Pterosaur (36%)]]
::*Story 2 - Tabitha and the Vampire
::*Story 3 - Tabitha and the Assassin
::*Story 4 - Tabitha and the Magic Doll

=== Side Story Volume 2 - Tabitha's Adventure / タバサの冒険2===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Side_Story_Volume2_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Side_Story_Volume2_Story5|Story 5 - Tabitha and the Gambler]]
::*Story 6 - Tabitha and the Minotaur
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Side_Story_Volume2_ExtraChapter|Extra Chapter - A Day in the Life of Sylphid]]
::*Story 7 - Tabitha and the Bird of Paradise
::*Story 8 - Tabitha and the Naval Port

=== Side Story Volume 3 - Tabitha's Adventure / タバサの冒険3===
::*[[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Side_Story_Volume3_Illustrations|Novel Illustrations]]
::*Story 9 - Tabitha and Sylphid
::*Story 10 - Tabitha and the old Warrior
::*Story 11 - Tabitha and first Love
::*Story 12 - Tabitha's Birth

== Project Staff ==
*Project Administrator: [[user:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]]
*Project Supervisor: [[user:Vaelis|Vaelis]]

=== Translators ===
'''ACTIVE'''
::*[[User:Wildk|Wildk]]

'''INACTIVE'''
::*[[user:Darknemo2000|Darknemo2000]]
::*[[user:MasterMusician3|MasterMusician3]]
::*[[user:ArchmageXin|ArchmageXin]]
::*[[user:Kazesenken|Kazesenken]]
::*[[user:Momogan|Momogan]]
::*[[user:SeiryuuChan|SeiryuuChan]]
::*[[user:Serenade_beta|Serenade beta]]
::*[[user:ShApEsHiFt3r|ShApEsHiFt3r ]]
::*[[user:Trewth|Trewth ]]
::*[[user:Xorius|Xorius]]
::*[[user:Zyzzyva165|Zyzzyva165]]
::*[[User:Chuta|Chuta]]

'''A.W.O.L'''
::*[[user:christof|christof]]
::*[[user:Claies|Claies]]
::*[[user:Vertiful|Vertiful]]

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

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

'''ACTIVE'''
::*[[user:Silimir|Silimir]]
::*[[user:Superdaun|Superdaun]]
::*[[user:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]]
::*[[user:DeotoxSlayer|DeotoxSlayer]]
::*[[user:Darknemo2000|Darknemo2000]]
::*[[user:Akirasav|Akira]]
::*[[user:BakaSama|BakaSama]]
::*[[user:Wolfpup|Wolfpup]](never know when i might be prowling around)
::*[[user:Marven054|Marven054]]
::*[[user:Zeth|Zeth]]
'''A.W.O.L'''
::*[[user:Bicube|Bicube]]
::*[[user:BaKaFiSh|BaKaFiSh]]
::*[[user:Rednal|Rednal]]
::*[[user:Se-chan|Se-Chan]]
::*[[user:The naming game|The naming game]]
::*[[user:Darkoneko|Darkoneko]]
'''M.I.A'''
::*[[user:Nandeyanen|Nandeyanen]]
'''K.I.A'''
::*[[user:Da~Mike|Da~Mike]]
::*[[user:BlckKnght|BlckKnght]]
::*[[user:Crowkenobi|Crowkenobi]]
::*[[user:Andiyar|Andiyar]]

== Series Overview ==
* Volume 1 - ''Zero's Familiar'' (June 25, 2004)
* Volume 2 - ''Albion of the Wind'' (September 25, 2004)
* Volume 3 - ''The Founder's Prayer Book'' (December 25, 2004)
* Volume 4 - ''The Water Spirit of Oath'' (March 25, 2005)
* Volume 5 - ''Tristania's Holiday'' (July 25, 2005)
* Volume 6 - ''The Ruby of Atonement'' (November 25, 2005)
* Volume 7 - ''The Silver Pentecost'' (February 25, 2006)
* Volume 8 - ''The Serenade of Nostalgia'' (June 25, 2006)
* Volume 9 - ''The Ball of Twin Moons'' (September 25, 2006)
* Volume 10 - ''The Hero of Ivaldi'' (December 25, 2006)
* Volume 11 - ''A Duet of Recollection'' (May 25, 2007)
* Volume 12 - ''The Fairies' Holiday'' (August 25, 2007)
* Volume 13 - ''The World Door of the Holy Country'' (December 25, 2007)
* Volume 14 - ''Aquileia's Saint'' (May 25, 2008)
* Volume 15 - ''Labyrinth of Oblivion'' (September 25, 2008)
* Volume 16 - ''The Tea Time of Des Ornières'' (February 25, 2009)
* Volume 17 - ''The Soeur of Dawn'' (June 25, 2009)
* Volume 18 - ''Spirit Stone of Destruction'' (January 25, 2010)
* Volume 19 - ''The Founder's Round Mirror'' (July 23, 2010)
* Volume 20 - ''Holy Land from Ancient Times'' (February 25, 2011)

* Side Story Volume 1 - ''Tabitha's Adventure'' (October 25, 2006)
* Side Story Volume 2 - ''Tabitha's Adventure'' (October 25, 2007)
* Side Story Volume 3 - ''Tabitha's Adventure'' (March 25, 2009)

[[Zero no Tsukaima:Series Overview|ISBN information]]
[[Category:MF Bunko J]]

File:ZnT11-006.jpg

2012-04-14T04:16:00Z

Zeth: uploaded a new version of "File:ZnT11-006.jpg": Reverted to version as of 21:58, 28 February 2008

File:ZnT11-006.jpg

2012-04-14T04:15:06Z

Zeth: uploaded a new version of "File:ZnT11-006.jpg": Reverted to version as of 21:09, 28 February 2008

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume15 Chapter3

2012-04-14T04:04:20Z

Zeth: /* A Shaken Mind */

{{Incomplete|percentage=0}}
==A Shaken Mind==

The night Saito displayed his skills at the sandbank....

Louise was in her bedroom awaiting Saito's return. Hugging around one main street, praised as a heaven for vacations, Carcassonne has countless hotels. At this moment, they all of the customers they were serving are almost entirely Romalia soldiers. As a special team from Tristain, Louise and the others were also assigned a hotel.

After the previous event, Louise hurried back to the hotel. Despite her efforts in anxiously waiting, Saito just doesn't seem to appear.

At the instant the door creaked open, Louise's face was immediately replaced by one shining golden lights. Standing in front of the door, was the golden haired Tiffania. Still dressed in the robes of a nun, the hood perfectly hides her elven ears. There cannot be a more suitable dress for her, because as one of Founder Brimir's nuns, no one felt the need to request her to take of her hood.

"So-sorry, it's me."

Tiffania twisted shyly and softly apologized.

"Why would you need to be sorry."

"Eh? Oh, no, I thought you were waiting for Saito, seeing Louise like that."

"Was not."

Tiffania sat down on the bed next to Louise's side.

"Seems like it has became very '''XXXX'''", Tiffania said uncomfortably.

:(Sorry, I don't understand the chinese version here myself so until another translator comes by, we'll have to leave it like that)

"Seriously, being so lax even under these situations."

"So-sorry."

"I don't mean you. It's Saito, we are on enemy's ground. In the middle of streched bows and drawn swords Mr.Know-It-All decided to play a dueling game with the nobles. Sheesh, what was he thinking."

Tiffania seemed to uncomfortable listening to Louise's rambling.

"Do you understand? The bells for a crusade have already rang, there aren't any way we can back out of this. Her highness has already ordered 'we find our own way out', what is his mind filled with!"

Louise did not know of Saito's situation, who was, behind the scenes, forced to duel unwillingly, therefore complained.

Picturing the sight of a mere river stopping the progress of the two armies sent a shiver down Louise's spine.

Joseph may be an terror that cannot be left ignored, but the only choice does not lie with an act such as war. The more Louise ponders on the subject, the more this doesn't feels right.

"....Sorry."

"Like I said, why should you be sorry."

"It's all my fault, if I hadn't erased Louise's memories, things wouldn't have turned out like this...."

Louise grabbed Tiffania's hand.

"Not true, I'm the cause for this. Being 'Aquelia's Saint' and to trigger a war was the condition for my choice to send Saito back...."

With memories about Saito have been erased, Louise was not the same salf anymore, yet the fact that she had done everything consciously is undeniable, which is why she believes she does not deserve forgiveness either.

"No matter what happens, we must stop this war. Only in that way may I bear the title of being 'Aquelia's Saint', it's what a real saint should do."

"I'm going to help."

Tiffaina said directly into Louise face.

"Thank you."

"No, part of this is for my own cause, war between elves and humans is a nightmare, carrying the blood of both species I should do whatever I can."

"True,..... I feel that, being able to be friends with you is such a great thing."

Hearing Louise's praise, Tiffania beamed shyly.

"Speaking of which, Romalia's intentions behind their actions are really suspicious."

"How so?"

"Aquelia's Saint...., as hero and symbol of the crusade, I'm not assigned to do anything at all, put aside completely."

"Hmm."

"Trapped at a choke point here, Romalia should be feeling very anxious...., why aren't there any orders issued to us at all?"

Although under watch 24/7, any direct contact from Julio or the Pope himself was unheard of, as if 'you have already finished your part', or should we say, saving them for the finale?

"....All we can do now is to expect her Highness's message."
Louise said.

Henrietta told them she would 'definitely find a way to solve this, but to buy time for her before so', and then headed back to Tristain, all done with a face full of determination and believe.

Louise decided to trust in Henrietta, not the ignorant kind of trust when they were small and playing together, but one that's derived from Henrietta's attitude and the power in her words.

"Your cousin will most certainly bring a solution back.... we'll wait for her signs while we're pretending to help Romalia, as long as we're here, her highness will have power to interfere with this war."

Tiffania nodded, mentally handing over difficult decisions and whatnot all to Louise and Henrietta, and convinced herself:
'If it's them, I can definitely entrust my life upon'

"Louise, you really are incredible, taking everything into consideration, while I'm just here worrying and fearing."

"It can't be helped. Sheltered away from the rest of the world in the woods of Albion, it is understandable for you to be unfamiliar with these events. On the other hand, that guy...."
Louise said through her gritted teeth.

"Were you talking about Saito?"

"Mhm, what was he thinking, taking up on challenges alone!"

"Saito must have had Saito's own concerns, must have proper thoughts and reasonings of a man, before deciding to do so."

"Huh! That guy doesn't even have much of a thinking to talk about! Just as I was starting to believe some sense was surfacing in him, yet they're all these weird dreams, something 'three of us together', if those backyard things count as 'a man's thoughts and reasoning', he would be better off dead."

"Aren't you going a bit overboard."
Tiffania scolded.

"You can say that only because you have no idea what kind of lewd fantasties that dog have to torture me."

"L-lewd fantasties?"

Louise took off Henrietta's hat, and started whispering close to her pointy ears.

"......Court- In the middle of the courtyard!?"

".............."

"Making Louise obediently on all fours like a dog!"

".........................................."

"Whip......., while that....., .....it came, .....my.....by myself?!......and.....slowly....! Oh! Wah!"

Tiffania, under mixed emotions of confusion, shock and shyness, trembled continuously upon Louise's whispers.

<center>[[Image:ZnT15-083.jpg|thumb|"......"]]</center>

"Isn't it, makes you speechless. That dog."

"Although I couldn't understand half of it, but it must be something very indecent!"

Tiffania gripped her knees with a flushed face.

"Softly....., th-that...., but more unbelievable, Saito.....that....then....."

"..............."

Louise started to spew out more of Saito's even wilder fantasties, Tiffania almost losing balance and fainting. Louise continued to whisper with a low voice.

"..............."

"Stop, Louise stop."
Tiffania huffed holding her chest.

"I know, unforgivable, right!"

Louise gradually drooped her eyelids.

"Out of the blue, I'm not the only one being imagined like this, in the 'three of us' one, I found out this point."

"Say Louise, I'm very curious,..... if I had to go through this I would definitely die, if it were Louise it would be fine?"

"What do you mean?"

"Because, before discovering the 'three of us' one, Louise wasn't so angry......, ah, ah! Ah!"

Louise suddenly grabbed Tiffania's breasts and squeezed with force.

"It must by your breasts that made you say something impossible."

"Sorry! I thought too much, I thought too much! Louise was always angry!"

"Of course."
Louise let go and looked away. Huffing and puffing Tiffania turned her head to Louise.

"Still, boys can be quite scary...."

"Don't talk about it as if it's not of your concern, you never know if you're also in that dog's dreams, dried out or whatever."

"M-me?"

"Yes, because you, have those ~~ kind of things. Although I don't know, your appearance will definitely be ranked top."
Louise said while starting to play again with Tiffania's breasts, her tiny hand soon slithering through the loose nun's dress, squeezing all sorts of shape out.

"A-as for what did he do,... to this pair of breasts,...! M-m-m-must have stuck his head in it! C-can't see anything!"

"Ah, ah, waah, Louise, please! Please!"

Spending a lot of energy Tiffania finally escaped from Louise's grasp.

"Hua,hua......"

"....Sorry."

"My breasts did nothing wrong, please don't hurt them. ......"

"You've got a point there. Speaking of which, where did that guy slither to now? I hope he's not somewhere collecting samples for more awkward fantasties?!"

"If it's Saito, he should be drinking wine with the knights? They collected a lot of ransom in the day."

Louise frustratedly cursed:
"Nothing good ever comes from giving idiots money!"

When Tiffania brought Louise to the bar, the already dead drunk teens were planning to massively buy more wine to pour down their throats.

"Hey hey!! Isn't that the arrival of, hic, Aquelia's Sainnntttt and our holy nuunnnnn!"

Gimili cried out loudly, dragging both his body and a chair:
"Here, here! Please take a sit, may our holy founder Brimir's nun permit us glorious knights to pour you a cup of goooood wine."

Gimili said with a jokingly tone. The teens all congregated around Louise and Tiffania soon afterwards, crying out "Hurray" three times, completely drunk.

"Crusade hurray! Romalia Hurray! Aquelia's Saint Hurray!"
Then looked at each other with "what the heck are we yelling at" written all over their face, then bursted out into laughter. Louise coldly surveyed the bunch of drunks, just to discover Saito's untimely disappearence.

"Where's Saito?"

"Oh, that guy's not here, said had something for Tabitha, long gone."
Malicorne replied.

"Tabitha?"

Louise's shoulders shuddered.

That guy even, towards the small Tabitha....., extended his claws !?

A thought that never came much across Louise started to expand in her mind, a jealousy completely different from what she holds towards Siesta, Henrietta or even Tiffania started to envelope her.

Saito reacting to them, full of a woman's attractiveness, although enraging, but still relatively understandable.

But, Tabitha is different. Smaller than even herself, isn't breasts even more so? If Saito had normal tastes, Louise is no competition.

But on the other hand if Saito isn't interested in that....

Louise feels something from the blue haired girl which is enough to cover those inadequate points, an almost overwhelming attractiveness....

Louise heart skipped a beat. No matter which one is it, it's as if she is no competition, plus Tabitha is a desendent of Gallian Kings, defeating her in both bloodline and position.

Louise is starting to fear.

Could it be that she is....., the strongest enemy so far?

Louise knows that Tabitha holds a special feeling towards Saito, but that...., is not of love, but more of "devotion towards knight" that kind of thing, kind of similar to respect.

Even when peeking at the showers she helped Saito without any clothes on her body, kissed Saito, to prevent Louise from punishing him or something, all sorts of reasons.

At least not because of "that indescripable acts", fits more.

Or is it?

<noinclude>
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|-
| Back to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter2|Chapter 2]]
| Return to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima|Main Page]]
| Forward to [[Zero_no_Tsukaima:Volume15_Chapter4|Chapter 4]]
|-
|}
</noinclude>

Zero no Tsukaima:Volume15 Chapter2

2012-04-14T03:01:53Z

Zeth: /* 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 think of you 24 hours a day, or be there whenever 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."

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