Editing Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter1

== [[zeroNT:Komgvol01editcontrol|Raw English Translation Available Here]]==



=== Back Cover ===

Zero no Tsukaima by Yamaguchi Noboru

"Who are you?" 

Hiraga Saito awakes to find a pretty girl asking him that question. Looking around, he finds himself in an unknown area with people dressed as magicians surrounding himself and the girl in question.

Louise, as she calls herself, explains that she "summoned" him from another world to be her 'familiar spirit.' Saito's apparent confusion about all this grows, especially after she kisses him and claims it's a contract! ''My first Kiss!'' he laments. Before he even has a chance to get angry at this situation, strange symbols appear on his left hand marking him as a familiar!

While searching for a way to return home, Saito must contend with being forced to live with Louise as her familiar spirit...

So begins Hiraga Saito's comedic life as 'Zero's Familiar!'

=== Insert ===

Written by Yamaguchi Noboru

Born in Feburary, 1972.
His debut was "Canary/This thought on a Song" in ‘Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko.’
His other works consists of "Green Green kane no oto Fantastic," "Tsuppare Arisugawa" (both from Kadokawa Sneaker Bunko), "Green Green kane no oto Stand By Me" (MF bunko J), and many other serialization novel deals (such as “Fujimi Fantagia Battle Royal," "Green Green," "Gonna Be??" "Yukiuta," "Shiritsu Akihabara Gakuen," and "Makai tenshi Gibliel").
He has also worked as a scenario writer for games.



Illustrations by Usatsuka Eiji

A real Osaka native, born and raised. His birthday is the 16th of August.

Currently drawing an illustration while working as an office worker, he has worked on one previous novel called "Doushi sama to issho" (Dengeki bunko).

----

=== I'm a familiar spirit ===



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

''Her face is... Cute.'' Her reddish-brown eyes danced upon the stage of her flawless white skin and strawberry blonde hair.
''She looks kind of like a foreigner. Then again... she probably IS one. A cute, doll-like, foreign girl. Perhaps she’s half-Japanese?''

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

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

''It's like a fantasy.''

<!--
(paragraph continued from previous page?)
(It's not continued; next editor should delete this comment : the_naming_game.) -->

''This is giving me a headache,'' Saito thought, shaking his head.

"Who am I...? I'm Hiraga Saito."

"Where are you from, commoner?"

''Commoner? What do you 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 get lost in an American school or something?''

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

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

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

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

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

''Either way this is no American school. You won't see those kinds of buildings just anywhere.''
<!-- I checked the buildings sentence change with Cala-kun, del next edit : the_naming_game -->
''Could it be a movie set? For filming a movie?'' Saito thought all of a sudden.
''But it's too big to be a movie set. Could this kind of scenery exist in Japan?''


''Or maybe a new theme park? But then, why am I lying down in such a place?''

"Mr. Colbert!"
the girl called Louise shouted. The wall of people divided, revealing a middle-aged man.
Saito thought it funny, because the man looked ridiculous.
He carried a big wooden cane and was wearing a black robe that covered his whole body.

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

The girl, Louise, was saying things like, "Let me try it again," and "Please," while waving her arms wildly.

''It's too bad she's in this weird religious group, especially since she's so cute.''
<!-- I changed the nuance to "I'd like to get to know her, if she weren't some religious nut"; delete this comment if it passes muster: the_naming_game -->

"What is it, Miss. Vallière?"

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

=== Chapter 01 - Part 1.2 ===
====  Chapter 01 - Part 1.2 signing ====

Revision 0.5 - This section has issues that should be considered.
The following Editors Agree:


* [Signature Here]


Revision 1 - This section is in satisfactory condition ready for processing.
The following Editors Approve:


* [[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]]
* [[User:The naming game|The naming game]] 16:24, 22 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:Bicube|Bicube]] 16:28, 22 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:Nandeyanen|Nandeyanen]] 18:56, 22 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:CrowKenobi|CrowKenobi]] 20:06, 22 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:Da~Mike|Da~Mike]] 13:03, 23 August 2006 (GMT) [Please add a translation note for "hamburger"; The Japanese type.]


:*'''This section has been forwarded on to the next stage.'''

[[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 18:56, 23 August 2006 (PDT)


Revision 2 - This section is finished and is ready for Baka-Tsuki pdf release.
The Following Editors Approve:

* [Signature Here]


----

==== Page 15 ====

''A summoning?''
''What is that? They mentioned it earlier.''

Mr. Colbert, the man wearing the black robe, shook his head.
"That won't be allowed, Miss Vallière."

"Why not, sir?"

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

''A familiar spirit?''
''What is that?''

"Your elemental speciality is decided by the familiar that you
summon. This enables you to advance to the appropriate courses specialized to that element.
<!-- by way of Cala-kun on IRC, decided on his second choice of terms -->
You can't change the familiar spirit once you've summoned it, because the Familiar Spirit Summoning of Spring is a holy ceremony.
Whether you like it or not, you don't have any choice but to have him as your familiar spirit."

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

''The 'Familiar Spirit Summoning of Spring?'''
''What is that?''

==== Page 16 ====
<!-- (paragraph continued from previous page?) paragraph not continued;
     delete this comment upon next edit : the_naming_game -->
''I don't understand. What are they talking about?''
''How did I end up in a place like this.... It has to be a new religious group.''
''It might be possible for me to find an opportunity to run away.''
''I mean really, where is this place?''
''Was I taken to a foreign country?''
''An abduction! I've been abducted!''
''I'm in real trouble,'' thought Saito.

"This is a tradition, Miss Vallière. I can't allow any exceptions, he is..."
The middle-aged man cosplaying as a wizard pointed at Saito.
"He might be a commoner but as long as he was summoned by you,
he must be your familiar spirit. We have never had a human summoned as a familiar spirit in our history, 
but the Familiar Spirit Summoning of Spring takes priority over every rule.
Therefore he must become your familiar spirit."

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

"Well, then. Continue with the ceremony."

"What? With him?"

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

==== Page 17 ====
(paragraph continued from previous page)

Everyone voiced their agreement and began jeering.

Louise stared at Saito's face as if it was troubling her.

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

"Hey,"
Louise called Saito.

"Yes?"

"You should be appreciative. It usually never happens; a thing like this carried out by a noble."

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

Louise closed her eyes as if she had given up.
She waved around a little wooden stick, which was in her hand.

"My name is Louise Françoise Le Blanc de la Vallière. A pentagon, which holds five powers,
bless this humble being, and make him become my familiar spirit,"
she recited, like a sonorous incantation.

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

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

==== Page 18 ====

"Just stay still."
Louise said, upset.
Her face got closer.

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

His face gradually shook as he panicked.

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

"Huh?"

"Mmm..."

Louise's lips touched Saito's.

''What, what is this! This is what that contract means?!''
The touch of her soft lips confused Saito more.
''My first kiss! But it was taken by this weird girl in this weird place!''
Saito laid there, paralyzed.

Louise let go of his lips.
"It is done."

==== Page 19 ====

(Illustration -- KISU!)

==== Page 20 ====
<!-- (paragraph not continued from previous text page, p.18.) -->

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

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

But Louise completely ignored Saito. 

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

"You failed on The Spell of Familiar Spirit Summoning of Spring many times, but you have managed to succeed with the Servant Contract,"
Colbert said happily.

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

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

Louise scowled at them.
"Don't think of me like a fool! Even if it happens rarely, I can still do things right!"

"You are right, it rarely happens, Louise the Zero."
A girl laughed at Louise, a girl with gorgeous curly hair and freckles on her face.

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

==== Page 21 ====

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

"I've heard that you used to wet the bed like it was flooding, so 'the Flood' suits you better!"

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

"Watch it!  Nobles are to respect each other,"
the middle-aged, cosplaying man interjected to stop them.

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

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

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

"It will be over soon, just wait. The Runes of the Spell of Summoning are being engraved,"
Louise said, irritated.

"Don't engrave it! What did you do to my body?!"

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

"By the way."

"What?"

==== Page 22 ====

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

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

"That was quick..."

The middle-aged cosplaying man known as Colbert, came to the kneeing Saito
and checked the back of his left hand.
There, jumping around were unfamiliar letters.

''Is this a word? It looks like a wriggling snake in some strange pattern.''
Saito stared at it and thought, ''if this isn't magic, then what is it?''

"Hummm..."

At this point, Saito really lost it.

"This is a very rare Rune."
The middle-aged wizard said.

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

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

The middle-aged cosplaying wizard turned around and then rose gently into the air.
Saito's jaw dropped in shock.

==== Page 23 ====

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

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

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

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

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

That made Saito mad. He thought, ''That's my line!''

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

==== Page 24 ====
(quotation continued from previous page -- "23 俺 24 の体に何をした！" "23 me 24 's body what done!")


"What did you do to my body?!"

"I don't know which country you came from but I will explain it to you."

"A country? This is a country? Tokyo is nothing like this!"

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

"Japan."

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

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

But Louise took no notice of it at all.
Instead, she seemed to think, "What's wrong with flying?"

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

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

"This is Tristein! And this is the renowned Tristein Magic School!"

"A magic school?"

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

==== Page 25 ====

All of Saito's strength disappeared.
He was getting a really unpleasant feeling about the situation.
"Excuse me... Louise-san."

"What?"

"Was I really summoned?"

"I've told you so, so many times. Over and over again. Just give up. I'll give up too.
Why is my familiar spirit a creature that isn't cool at all...
I wanted to have something cool, like a dragon, a griffin, or a manticore.
At least an eagle or an owl."

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

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

"Do they really exist?"

"They do, why?"

"You're kidding me,"
Saito said, and laughed. But Louise wasn't laughing.

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

==== Page 26 ====

The mages who flew away and the fantasy words suddenly connected.

He felt a chill run down his spine and broke out in a cold sweat.
"I thought maybe... Since they flew, are you people really witches and wizards?"

"Yes we are! If you understand that, let go of my shoulder!
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 by my name."

"Hit me."

"What?"

"Hit me in the head as hard as you can."

"Why?"

"I want to wake up from this dream now. I'll wake up from this dream and get online.
Tonight's dinner is <span id="back_to_hamburger">[[#hamburger|hamburger]]</span>. My mother mentioned it."

"Get online?"

----

=== Chapter 01 - Part 2.0 ===
==== Chapter 01 - Part 2.0 signing ====


Revision 0.5 - This section has issues that should be considered.
The following Editors Agree:


*[Signature Here]


Revision 1 - This section is in satisfactory condition ready for processing.
The following Editors Approve:

* [[User:CrowKenobi|CrowKenobi]] 22:21, 27 August 2006 (CDT)
* [[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 21:46, 27 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:BlckKnght|BlckKnght]] 21:49, 27 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:Bicube|Bicube]] 21:54, 27 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:The naming game|The naming game]] 08:04, 28 August 2006 (PDT)
* [[User:Da~Mike|Da~Mike]] 17:02, 3 September 2006 (GMT)

:*'''This section has been forwarded on to the next stage.'''
[[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 08:03, 28 August 2006 (PDT)

Revision 2 - This section is finished and is ready for Baka-Tsuki pdf release.
The Following Editors Approve:


* [Signature Here]


----

==== Page 27 ====

"No, it's nothing. After all, you're just a part of my dream, so you don't need to worry about it. Now just let me wake up from this dream already."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but you want me to hit you, right?"
Louise clenched her hands into fists.

"Yes please."

Her fists began to tremble.
Louise's expression became unreadable, but it seemed a lot of thoughts were going through her head.
"Are you concerned by this situation at all?"

"Dunno."

"Why did I, the third daughter of the Vallière family... A proud descendant of an honorable lineage of nobles, have to be stuck with a familiar like you?"

"Dunno."

"...And just who decided that the contract had be sealed by a kiss?"

"Dunno. Look, will you just get it over and done with? I hate nightmares."

"Nightmare? That's my line!"
Louise thwacked Saito's head as hard as she could.
"On top of it all, that was my first kiss, you know that?!"

Perhaps she was a bit too forceful... Saito passed out thinking, ''It was mine too!''
<!--<CrowKenobi> moved above line from page 28 to separate present section from flashback section-->

==== Page 28 ====
<!--<CrowKenobi> moved line to previous page to separate present from flashback section-->
Hiraga Saito. Seventeen years old and in the second year of high school.

Athletic ability: normal. Grades: average. Duration without a girlfriend: seventeen years. Overall, no positives or negatives.
<!-- <Cala-kun> Just say, "overall, no positives or negatives." -->

Teacher's evaluation: "Ah, Hiraga-kun? He hates to lose, and he has a very strong sense of curiosity, but sometimes he just doesn't grasp the concepts."
<!-- <Cala-kun> And for the teacher's evaluation line, change "Saito-kun" to "Hiraga-kun". -->

Parents' evaluation: "Study more. You're not smart enough."

He occasionally causes accidents without even realizing it, but will take anything quite readily in stride.
Earlier when he saw those people fly, while anyone would've been surprised, his reaction was far more exaggerated than most&mdash;another significant aspect of his character.

To put it in more critical words, he just doesn't think too deeply about things before acting.

Also, he has a fiercely competitive spirit. In that sense, he might be quite similiar to Louise in personality.

Anyway, a mere thirty minutes ago, Saito had been walking down a street in Tokyo, Japan&mdash;on Earth.

He was on his way home after having his notebook computer repaired. He was quite happy in fact, since he could go on the internet once more. He'd recently registered at an online dating site, and he might even have found himself a girlfriend.

==== Page 29 ====

Though what he really wanted was something to spice up his otherwise monotonous daily life.
However, instead of discovering it on the internet, he found it in the middle of the street.

He'd been walking past the train station on his way home, when suddenly a shining mirror-like object appeared in front of him.
Saito stopped to take a good long look at it. Remember, his curiosity is about double that of a normal person.

It was a large ellipse, about two meters high and one meter wide, with no substantial thickness.
Then he noticed it was actually floating a little above the ground.

This piqued his interest. ''What kind of natural phenomenon is this,'' he wondered, as he scrutinized the sparkling mirror-like object.

''I have no idea. I've never seen or heard of any kind of phenomenon like this.'' He considered sidestepping around it, but his curiosity got the better of him.
He wanted to see if he could walk through it.

''No, maybe I shouldn't,'' he told himself. ''But it's just a couple of steps,'' he reasoned. What a hopeless personality.

But first, he picked up a pebble and threw it in experimentally.
The pebble disappeared into the middle of the mirror-like object.

''Oho,'' he thought. When he checked the other side of the mirror-like object, the pebble was nowhere to be seen.
Next he pulled his house key out of his pocket. He poked the mirror-like object with the tip of the key.

==== Page 30 ====

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 as he knew he shouldn't, he stepped forward. It was much like opening up a manga just after deciding you were going to do nothing but study from now on.

He immediately regretted it, as an intense shock assailed his senses. He suddenly remembered back to when he was a child, when his mother had bought him a strange machine that supposedly made a person smarter by running an electric current through their body. It felt a lot like that.

Saito fainted. When he opened his eyes...

He was in a fantasy world.

"Is that true?"
asked Louise, looking at Saito with an expression of disbelief. In her hand she held bread from tonight's dinner.

They were in Louise's room. It looked about <span id="back_to_12_jou">[[#12_jou|12 tatami mats]]</span> in size.  If you treated the window as south, the bed was situated on the west side, the door to the north, and a big wardrobe stood to the east. All the furniture looked like valuable antiques.

==== Page 31 ====
(Paragraph continued from previous page)

Louise had brought Saito here, once he had regained consciousness.

Saito, trying to ignore the pain in his head which still hurt from the blow earlier, answered her,
"So what if it isn't?"

Saito had never felt the slightest bit resentful of his own curiosity until today.

''I never should've walked through that stupid thing...''

''This isn't Japan. It isn't even Earth.''
''Middle-school geography doesn't teach you about countries where there are magicians and flying people.''

''And even if there was such a place, what's with the huge moon? It's easily twice the size of ours.''
''Well, that's fine, I guess. Maybe in some countries there are nights when it just looks bigger.''

''But having two moons is definitely abnormal. Did one suddenly appear, and I just didn't know about it?''
''No, that can't be. There's just no way. Which means, this really isn't Earth.''

It was dark now... Night had already fallen. ''I guess my family is worrying about me right now,'' he finished sadly.

From the window, he could see the grassy plains where he'd been lying. Across the plains, illuminated by moonlight, he could also see a tall mountain range. Over to his right was a vast expanse of dense forest. Saito let out a sigh.

==== Page 32 ====

''There just aren't any wide evergreen forests like this. It's totally different from what you'd see in Japan.''

The Academy grounds he had passed on his way, looked very much like some Middle Age castle. It had been a breathtaking spectacle that would've amazed him if he'd come here on a trip.

An entrance arch and a sturdy staircase crafted from stone...
This was Tristein Magic Academy, Louise had explained.
All of the Academy students lived in dormitories on the school grounds.

''Magic Academy? Wonderful! Dormitories? Splendid! It's just like a movie!'' <!--(lit: "there are movies like this!") -->

''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 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?!"

==== Page 33 ====

"Well, you're not a mage, right? So you're a commoner."

"What's with all your talk of 'mages' and 'commoners?'"

"Hey, are you really from this world?"

"As I've been telling you all this time, I'm not."

At that, Louise set her elbows on the table with a troubled look.

On the tabletop was a lamp with an art deco style shade. Its flickering light filled the room with a pale glow. It seemed as if electricity wasn't used.

''Jeez, electricity isn't that complicated to set up, is it? I feel like I'm back in the old foreign settler's hut that our family went to ages ago.''

''Wait, 'setup...'''
''Oh, could it be... This is...''

"I've got it."

"What did you get?"
Louise asked, looking up.

"This is one of those candid camera programs. It's just a trick everyone is pulling on me, isn't it?"

"What's a 'candid camera?'"

"They stopped airing after someone got hurt, but they must've recently started coming up with new jokes, huh? So where's the camera?"

==== Page 34 ====

"What are you talking about?"

Saito sprung upon Louise.

"Kya--! What are you doing?!"

Knocking over a chair, he bore down on her.

"Where's the mike?! Is it here?"

Grabbing her roughly, he started to unbutton her blouse. However, a swift kick to the groin brought that to a halt... And left him on the floor in pain.

"Gaaaaaaaaaarrrgh..." <!--(note: a painful moan) -->

"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..."


----

=== Chapter 01 - Part 2.1 ===
==== Chapter 01 - Part 2.1 signing ====

Revision 0.5 - This section has issues that should be considered.
The following Editors Agree:


* [Signature Here]


Revision 1 - This section is in satisfactory condition ready for processing.
The following Editors Approve:

*[[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 17:13, 19 August 2006 (PDT)
*[[User:Da~Mike|Da~Mike]] 13:11, 23 August 2006 (GMT)
*[[User:CrowKenobi|CrowKenobi]] 19:39, 23 August 2006 (CDT)
*[[User:Bicube|Bicube]] 11:33, 24 August 2006 (PDT)


:*'''This section has been forwarded on to the next stage.'''
[[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 15:47, 25 August 2006 (PDT)


Revision 2 - This section is finished and is ready for Baka-Tsuki pdf release.
The Following Editors Approve:


* [Signature Here]


----

==== Page 35 ====

"That's impossible."

"But why...?"

"Because, you've been bound by a contract as my familiar. It doesn't matter if you come from the countryside, or even a completely different world as you've said. Once the bond is established, it cannot be undone."

"You gotta be kidding..."

"Look, I don't like this either! Why do I have to be stuck with a familiar like you?!"

"Well then, send me back."

"Are you saying you're really from another world?"
asked Louise, seemingly still perplexed.

"Yeah."
Saito nodded.

"Show me some proof."

Wincing at the pain where he'd just been kicked, Saito stood up, and opened his bag.

"What's that?"

"A notebook computer,"
replied Saito.

==== Page 36 ====

The surface of the recently-repaired notebook gleamed with reflected light.

"I've certainly never seen something like this. What kind of magic item is it?"

"It's not magic. It's science."

Saito pushed the power button, and the computer whirred to life.

"Uwah! What is that?!"

Louise gave a surprised yelp, as the screen flickered on.

"The notebook screen."

"It's pretty... What element of magic does it use? Wind? Water?"

"Science."

Louise stared at Saito with a blank expression. Clearly she didn't get it.
"So, what kind of element is this 'science?' Is it different from the four elemental powers?"

"Argh, enough already! In any case, it's not magic!"
Saito waved his hands around wildly.

Louise sat on the edge of her bed and dangled her feet. Then shrugging, she spoke with a dispassionate look.
"Hmm. But that's the only thing I don't understand...."

"Why? Is there something like this, in this world too?"

==== Page 37 ====

Louise pouted.
"No, but..."

"Then just believe me! There's nothing to understand!"

Clutching her long hair, Louise just shook her head.
"All right! I'll believe you!"

"Really?"

Crossing her arms and cocking her head, Louise gave an irritated growl.
"Only because you would've gone on about it if I didn't say so."

"Well, it doesn't matter, as long as you've got it. Now, send me back."

"I told you, that's impossible."

"But why?!"

Louise's face was etched with discomfort as she answered Saito.
"That's because, there's no spell that can connect this world to your world."

"Then how did I end up here?"

"I don't know how!"

Saito and Louise glared at each other.

"Listen, I'm being completely honest when I say there's no such spell. Most people don't even know that another world exists."

==== Page 38 ====

"It obviously does, if I'm here!"

"The spell of Summoning is used to call living beings from within Halkeginia. Normally, only animals or magical beasts are summoned. This is actually the first instance that I've seen a person summoned."

"Stop talking about it like you're not involved. In that case, cast that spell on me one more time."

"Why?"

"It might return me to my world."

Looking discernably perplexed, Louise tilted her head to one side.

"...That won't work. The spell of Summoning is strictly a one-way spell. No incantation of any kind exists to return a summoned familiar back to where it was brought from."

"Whatever, just try it."

"It's impossible. And I can't even cast it now."

"What? Why?"

"...Using The spell of Summoning again is..."

"Yeah?"

"...Completely ineffective unless the familiar you first summoned has died."

"Say what?"

==== Page 39 ====
<!-- (paragraph not continued from previous page) -->

Saito's body froze.

"Would you like to die?"

"Err... I'll pass."
He hung his head.
His eyes trailed down to the runes that had been inscribed on his left hand.

"Oh, that?"

"Yeah."

"That's like a stamp that says you're my familiar."

Louise stood up and crossed her arms.
If you looked closely, she was actually quite cute. Slender and well-proportioned legs, thin ankles. Not very tall, at around 155cm.
Her eyes were like a curious kitten's, and her eyebrows traced a subtle line over them.

If Saito had met her through the message boards of a dating site, he would've hopped and leaped for joy. But alas, this wasn't Earth. No matter how much he wanted to go back, he couldn't. Saito choked up at this thought, and his shoulders drooped.

"...Yeah, all right. In the meantime, I guess I'll be your familiar."

"Come again?"

"What, you got a problem with that?"

----

=== Chapter 01 - Part 2.2 ===
==== Chapter 01 - Part 2.2 signing ====

Revision 0.5 - This section has issues that should be considered.
The following Editors Agree:

*[Signature Here]


Revision 1 - This section is in satisfactory condition ready for processing.
The following Editors Approve:

* [[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 09:09, 20 August 2006 (PDT)
*[[User:Da~Mike|Da~Mike]] 13:27, 23 August 2006 (GMT)
*[[User:CrowKenobi|CrowKenobi]] 19:33, 23 August 2006 (CDT)
*[[User:Bicube|Bicube]] 11:37, 24 August 2006 (PDT)


:*'''This section has been forwarded on to the next stage.'''
[[User:Onizuka-gto|Onizuka-gto]] 15:48, 25 August 2006 (PDT)

Revision 2 - This section is finished and is ready for Baka-Tsuki pdf release.
The Following Editors Approve:

* [Signature Here]



----

==== Page 40 ====

"I see you're still not used to formal speech. It should be, 'Is there something you wish to address, master?'"
corrected Louise, one finger raised as if lecturing. The gesture was cute, but the tone was quite strict.

"But um, what exactly does a familiar do?"
asked Saito. Of course, he had seen ravens and owls appear as familiars in anime involving magicians. But mostly, they would just sit on their master's shoulder and not do anything particularly relevant.

"Firstly, a familiar is able to grant its master an enhancement in vision and hearing."

"Like how?"

"That means what the familiar sees, the master can also see."

"Oh."

"But it seems that doesn't work with you. I can't see anything."

"Yeah, but like that matters,"
Saito said off-handedly.

"And also, a familiar will retrieve items that its master desires. For instance, reagents."

"Reagents?"

"A catalyst you use when casting certain spells. Something like sulphur, or moss..."

"Uh-huh..."

==== Page 41 ====

"But you won't ever find me stuff like that, will you? Considering you don't even know what kind of reagents there are."

"Nope."

Louise frowned irritably, but continued talking.
"And this is most important of all... A familiar exists to protect its master! The task of protecting them from any and all enemies is a duty of the highest priority! But that might be a little bit problematic for you..."

"Since I'm human..."

"...A powerful magical beast would almost always defeat its enemies, but I don't think you could even beat a raven."

"Shut up."

"That's why I'm only making you do things I'm fairly sure you can do: laundry, cleaning, and other miscellaneous tasks."

"Don't insult me. I'll be sure to find a way to get back home!"

"Yes, yes. In fact, I'll be glad if you do. Because when you return to your world, I'll be able to summon a new familiar."

"Why you..."

"Right then, all this talking has made me sleepy,"
said Louise with a great yawn.

"Where do I sleep?"

==== Page 42 ====

Louise pointed to the floor.

"I'm not some dog or cat, you know."

"But there's nowhere else. And there's only one bed."
She threw him a blanket.

She then brought her hand up to the top button of her blouse.

One by one, the buttons came undone.

Soon she was down to her underwear. Saito blushed.
"Wh-wh-what are you doing?!"

Louise answered as if it was the most obvious thing.
"I'm going to sleep, so I'm getting changed."

"Do it somewhere else where I can't see you!"

"Why?"

"Because! It makes the situation awkward! Seriously!"

"It's not awkward at all."

"Is that because you're a mage? You're okay with doing that in plain sight of a guy?"

"A guy? Who? I don't need to think anything of being watched by my familiar."

''What the heck. That's exactly how you'd treat a dog or cat.'' Saito grabbed the blanket, threw it over his head, and turned away.

==== Page 43 ====

First of all, he decided to revoke any and all thoughts he'd previously had about her being cute. She just really got on his nerves. ''A girl like her, a mage? Yeah right.''

"Oh, and these. Wash them for me tomorrow."
Several items came flying over to land softly beside him.
He picked them up, wondering what they were.

A lacy camisole, and matching panties. White, too. ''What exquisite and delicate pieces'', Saito thought as his face began to flush. He clenched the items tightly as a mix of indignation and delight welled up.

"Why do I have to-- Your underwear?! Wash them?! Frankly, I'm both flattered and offended!"

He bolted upright, without even realising 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. More like she seemed hurt<!-- (note: originally 'kuyashii', but I toyed with various synonyms) -->, like a boy who'd just been rejected.

"Who do you think is going to support you? Who do you think is going to give you food? And just whose room are you in?"

"Uhh..."

==== Page 44 ====

"You're my familiar, right? Laundry, cleaning, other menial tasks - they're naturally your jobs."

Saito pulled the blanket over his head again.

''This girl is hopeless,'' he thought. ''She just doesn't see me as a guy at all.''

''I want to go home. I miss my room. I miss my parents.''

The feeling of homesickness was overwhelming.

''...When will I be able to go back?''

''Is there even a way to go back?''

''I wonder if my family is worried about me right now...''

''Anyway, I need to find some way of returning...''

''What should I do? Should I try running away from here? But then what?''

''Maybe I'll try asking someone. But from what Louise told me earlier, nobody even knows another world exists, so there's no way they'll believe me.''

''No, I need to think about this critically. In any case, struggling won't get me anywhere. I don't have any clues, and even if I escaped from here, there's no guarantee that I'll even find a way back.''

''I don't even have relatives in this world. There's nobody I can rely on, except for a conceited girl named Louise.''

''Guess there's no choice. For now, I'll be her familiar. At least she said she'll keep me fed.''

==== Page 45 ====
(paragraph continues from previous page. "44 飯ぐらいは食わせて 45 くれるらしい。")

''It'll be tough, since I'm not much more than a familiar to her.''

''Sure, she's a bit arrogant, but at least she's fairly cute. I suppose I can just imagine I made a girlfriend. Someone I happened to meet through the dating site. Treat it as if I came overseas just to see her. Or I came as a foreign student. Actually, that's better. Yeah, that's what I'll think. Hah, I'm so simple like that. It's great.''

''Okay,'' thought Saito. ''It's not like I've been stranded on a deserted island. Moping will achieve nothing.''

''I'll live as a familiar, and in the process, I'll look for a way to return home.''

Now that his plan was set, he felt noticeably sleepy.

No matter the situation, Saito's amazing adaptablity had always saved him. Where anyone else would've panicked and crumbled, Saito came through thanks to his fluid personality.

Louise snapped her fingers, and the glow of the lamp died out.

''The lamp is magical too? I guess that way there's no need for electricity,'' Saito reasoned.

A shroud of darkness descended upon the room, enveloping it in shadow.

Outside the window, the two moons shone down mysteriously.

''Mother,'' Saito thought. ''I've ended up in a world of actual magicians. I don't think I can go to school for a while. I won't be able to study either. Please forgive me.''

And so began Saito's life as a familiar.

=== Translator's Notes ===
;<span id=hamburger>[[#back_to_hamburger|&uarr;]]</span> Hamburger
:From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hamburger#Japan <blockquote>In Japan, hamburgers can be served in a bun, called hambāgā (ハンバーガー), or just the the patties served without a bun, known as hambāgu (ハンバーグ) or "hamburg," short for "hamburg steak."</blockquote> The type mentioned by Saito was the version without the bun. (ハンバーグ)<br/><br/>
;<span id=12_jou>[[#back_to_12_jou|&uarr;]]</span> 12 Tatami mats
:Rooms in Japan are measured jō (畳), which is the number of tatami mats required to cover the floor.  A tatami mat is 90 cm by 180 cm for an area of 1.62 m<sup>2</sup> each.  Twelve jō is slighly more than 19.5 m<sup>2</sup> or almost 210 square feet.