Editing Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Chapter8

===Chapter 8- The Old Mansion of Orleans===

When the crossed the country frontier and arrived at the old mansion of Orleans, it was over midnight.

The twin moons could be seen from the openings between the clouds.

The old mansion of Orleans was illuminated by both the mist which drifted from the Ragdorian Lake, and the light from the twin moons. It stood out strangely in the night.

“So this is Tabitha's home......”

Saito murmured.

Louise hid behind Saito's back, and peeked at the mansion.

Guiche gulped, and grasped his artificial flower-like wand tightly.

Montmorency was checking Sylphid's condition, on which they sat here. Sylphid, whose injury had not fully recovered, but had flown them here, was gasping for breath. Montmorency cast Water spell on Sylphid.

“Sylphid, are you all right?”

“Kyui!”

From the gate, the driveway which was as wide as a horse carriage, led directly towards the entrance hall. At both sides of the driveway, trees grew luxuriantly, causing the darkened mansion to further emanate an ominous feeling.

“Well then, look out......”

Guiche said that, and Kirche stepped out quickly.

“O, oi Kirche! Isn't it dangerous!? We've got to start off with a strategy!”

“If the enemy comes out, then that would be convenient. If the enemy had laid a trap, the strategy would not work!”

Kirche headed straight towards the entrance hall, and opened the door wide.

''Giiiiii～'' Making a heavy sound, the door opened.

The cold silence drifted about the hall.

“Nobody is here.”

With their respective weapons readied, the group searched carefully in the mansion. While walking down the corridoe, Guiche noticed the wound on the wall.

“There was a fight here...”

A broken gargoyle rolled over. Kirche approached and examined the gargoyle which looked like a fencer.

“What's wrong?”

Louise asked, and Kirche snorted.

“That girl's wind magic...did not have the usual power.”

“What do you mean?”

“Such destructive power is not from a Triangle magic. It's the power of a Square class.”

Louise and Saito peered at the gargoyle Kirche pointed at. It was completely sliced into half by wind blades or something else. Although she said that this was of a Square class, Louise still did not understand.

Saito could surmise nothing but “Its sharpness is awesome,” but since Kirche had passed the verdict, its power should be quite strong indeed.

Tabitha's footprints were under the broken gargoyle.

Lying deep within the place, there was a room.

Opening the door, the group went in.

That place was in a horrible condition.

As if a tempest broke out, the inside of the room was in a complete mess. The furniture which was originally a bed, was ripped apart, becoming feathers, wood, cloth, and fine fragments, scattered all about the room. Many cuts were on the wall.

The windows at the wall opposite the entrance were blown off; the outside could be seen.

Kirche meticulously started to examine the bed.

Pointing at a point on the bed, she called them together.

“Look here. At this point on the bed, looks like Tabitha had chanted a tornado-like magic.”

Indeed. With that point as its centre, hurricane-like cuts were inflicted until the wall.

“Uwah......What if the devastation of this room is......”

Saying that, Guiche gazed at the desolate room.

“Yeap. It is caused by that magic. Or rather, that ''has'' to be it.”

Guiche and Malicorne gulped. They imagined the power of that magic. Kirche whispered in a cheerful-like voice.

“Releasing such a strong magic, that girl still can lose? What on earth was her opponent like? Besides......”

Unnoticingly, Sylphid had poked her head into the hole of the wall. The size of the hole was about the same as Sylphid's head.

“You opened that hole? Sylphid?”

''Kyui'', Sylphid nodded.

“What was Tabitha's enemy?”

Sylphid extended her front leg out on top of her head. At that gesture, Kirche recognized a certain word, and muttered.

“Elf?”

Sylphid nodded vigorously.

The whole group held their breath.

“Elf!” Guiche's eyes bulged, and he trembled all over from fear.

“It's a hard enemy!” Malicorne shouted.

“No way! Elf...”

As expected, Kirche bit her lips. Louise hugged her shoulders, worried.

“Oi oi! Are elves that dangerous? You guys are always alarmed at elves......”

When it comes to elves, Saito had known no one else other than Tiffania. He could not think of her being as dangerous as they say, but......

“Ask your sword. He should probably tell you how powerful elves are.”

Saito unsheathed Derflinger.

“Hey Derf!”

“You'd only to to me at times like this, won't you!?”

Derflinger answered in a sulky voice.

“Don't say such things! Everyone is somehow frightened by elves but......Are they really that scary?”

“Scary!”

Derflinger answered readily.