Zero no Tsukaima:Volume7 Chapter1

Chapter 1: The Temperature Difference between the Two

A young lady with peach-coloured hair was lying horizontally on the bed, with only a thin cape wrapped around her body.

She's the one whom they call "Louise of the Void" (ed: her title/nick): Louise Françoise, and only a few high ranking officers of the royal army knew of this secret.

It's now the end of the year, the second week in the month of Wein. Going by Halkeginia's climate, it's now the equivalent of autumn... It's still not considered very cold in the tent. Winter will have to wait until the coming of the new year. It's also because of this that she can dress so sexily without the fear of catching a cold.

On a simple bed made up of a piece of cloth draped over straw, Louise bit her small finger, and sulked indignantly.

This gesture of hers has an unbelievable cuteness to it. On that porcelain doll-like face of hers surfaced a peach colour, arising from discontent. Louise sat up, and hugged her knee.

This gesture of hers has a cuteness akin to a god's. With her feelings immediatly writtenon her face, Louise cannot hide completely the uneasiness in her heart. This uneasiness caused some sort of dramatic change in Louise's girlish air, adding to it a layer of perfume called "sexiness".

Louise's hands non-chantantly touched her long slender legs beneath the cape.

The fingers touched the toes, and returned to the knees.

Unknowingly, Louise did such a seductive move, even gently tugging upwards the cape covering her. It exposed her legs, and her slim yet sexy thighs- All this, were done unconsciously.

Beneath the cape, was her skin, a young maiden's skin now full of charm, due to her passion.

Which is to say, she's wearing nothing. To ask why; that's because Louise only wears pajamas when she sleeps. Since she forgot to bring her pajamas, she had to replace it with a cape.

If she's wearing her undies, Louise will not fall asleep.

Although the sexy and cute pose from Louise is emitting an irresistible charm...It's a pity that the other person in the tent took no notice of it.

On the back of the cape covering Louise, was the lily emblem of Tristain. This cape was different from the one worn in the academy. The emblem, a way to distinguish friend from foe, clearly indicated that this area, was a battleground.

As a female officer directly under Her Highness's command, Louise was assigned her own personal tent. In the military port of Losayes, buildings resembling hostels were rare, so this treatment was very normal. Inside the tent lit by a magical lamp, was a simple bed made up of a piece of cloth covering some straw, a foldable dining table, a small cabinet for clothing and accessories, and a bell for ordering the accompanying soldiers. In the battlefield, these items inside the tent can already be considered the "luxurious" type.

In a corner of such a tent, Saito was staringblankly in front of him, feeling low.

"Oi, Saito."

No reply.

Louise sat up, and called him again.

"Oi, I'm going to sleep soon. Come here, quickly." Although Louise was red in the face

as she called him, there was still no

reaction.

"It's already past 10. We'll have to be up

early tomorrow morning to inspect the

frontlines. You've better sleep now."

Even so, there's still no reply from Saito.

This familiar of Louise, who came from

another world, was now sitting crossed-legged

on the floor, his face full of depression. He

was already like this a week ago. When Louise

recalled the battle which caused Saito's

depression, she felt a dull pain in her

heart.

A week ago, the combined armies of Tristain

and Germania successfully occupied this port

-town of Albion. As the main force of

Albion's armies were attracted to the

northern port-town of Talnis, there were only

about 500 defenders in Losayes. The landing

party, numbering 60,000, effortlessly

destroyed the defenders and set up camp in

Losayes.

During the enticing of the enemy into battle,

Louise's "Void" magic showed its power.

The Void spell "Illusion', is a spell that

can create huge illusions.

Louise used the "Illusion" spell to create

illusions of the combined armies landing in

Taldanis, causing the enemy forces en route

to Losayes to turn back.

But... in order for Louise and Co. to reach

Taldanis, some sacrifices had to be made.

That, was the 2nd Dragon Cavalry Company,

attached to "Varsenda", the flagship of the

Albion expedition.

It was because of their engagament of enemy

forces, that the Zero Fighter carrying Louise

and Saito could successfully escape the

pursuit by the enemy's dragon cavalry.

The price for this battle's success.... The

2nd Dragon Cavalry Company was annihilated.

Although dragon cavalry were very expensive,

compared to the possible losses while landing

in enemy territory, this sacrifice can be

considered minimial. The commanding officer

being rewarded was a matter of fact. Also,

this was something to be happy about.

The thing is, for those who took part in that

battle, and witnessed the destruction of the

company for themselves, it was an entirely

different feeling,

Louise observed Saito, and pouted her lips.

Of course, it was a sad thing that had

happened.

During the landing battle, there were

sacrifices as well. War definitely brings

Death along with it. If every death is

mourned, there will be no end to it.

In Halkeginia, there were wars almost every

single year.

For Louise, although death was something sad,

it was also something very close to her.

Louise stood up. Under the dim glow of the

magic lamp, the room was rather dark. Under

such conditions, even if the cape didn't

cover certain areas, the body should still

remain unseen.

Louise crossed her hands in front of her, as

if hugging herself, and held the hems of the

cape tightly. She walked up to Saito, who's

hugging his knees as he sat, and said,"Buck

up, alright."

"Emm." Saito grunted lifelessly.

"But, I can't help it. After all, it happened

right before my eyes. Although it's for the

execution of the mission, still...."

Saito was really down in the doldrums. It was

only then that Louise remembered: those teens

were about Saito's age.

Saito.. he must have projected himself onto

them. This kind-hearted boy from another

world, with what's going on in his mind being

a mystery, must have been hurt by this self-

projection.

Just as how Saito had comforted her before,

Louise felt that this time, it was her turn

to comfort him. But, she didn't know how to

go about doing it.

Louise squatted, and sat back-to-back with

Saito.(See illustration)

"That.. Although you may find me cruel by

saying this.. Compared to the deaths of the

company, what makes me sadder is to see you

being so depressed. Although I shouldn't be

thinking like this, but facts are facts.

Maybe, it's bcasue you're by my side. I

really felt very sad."

Saito slowly turned his head, and stared

quietly at Louise.

"Death may sadden people.... But that was a

glorious death in the battlefield... for

honour. They died for a great victory.

They're too pitiful if you felt sad about

their deaths..."

"Do you mean what you say... regarding this?"

He felt that something was amiss when Louise

started talking like this.

Of course not, but we have to. We're now at

war."

Louise's right hand let go of the hem it was

holding, and gently patted Saito's forehead,

now that he has turned around. The fingers

caressed the streaks of dried tears on his

cheeks.

Saito shook his head, and cried.

"I... I didn't even know their names."

Instead of calling it an unbearable pain, it

was more of the inability to forgive.

To die for the mission, to die for honour.

He couldn't imagine the feelings at all.

Doesn't Louise understand this?

He recalled Prof. Colbert's letter. The prof

wrote: Never become used to death, never

become used to slaughter.

He was wondering at the time "How is it

possible that one could get used to such

things?"

As Louise looked at Saito's forlorn face, she

felt terrible. What she had just said were

not lies. Although she felt sad for those

youths who had sacrificed themselves, but

they had died for the victory of their

country.

Louise, who had grown up receiving the

education of the nobility, and Saito, who

grew up in Japan on the peaceful Earth: there

was an obvious gulf between them.

Louise felt that it was worse seeing Saito

depressed. Compared to mourning the dead, she

had a greater desire to heal the pain of the

living. If Saito's tears were a kind of

gentleness, then perhaps this can be said to

be another type of gentleness.

Louise thought of -

What should one do at a moment like this? How

does one comfort a boy who had been hurt?

And...

If it was that maid (ed: Siesta), what would

she do? She used just a little bit of her

imagniation.

She would.... use the warmth of her body.

It's all that commoner can come up with.

On this train of thought, she suddenly became

angry.

That... that sort of thing... I can do that

too!

Recalling that time where he pushed her to

the floor, and kissed her a few times on the

neck, Louise's face became red at once.

Since at that time, he was being excited all

of a sudden (That's how Louise sees it),

Louise hasn't forgiven Saito for what he did.

Definitely not.

He said something about liking her; surely he

said it with doing that sort of thing in

mind. Once her mind was on this thought, a

burst of anger erupted from within her. After

that, she couldn't even forgive herself.

Although she was affected by the mood at the

time, but she actually lowered the hand which

had risen to slap him.

That means... that is to say.....

But, at the back of her mind, Louise shook

her head furiously.

That doesn't mean that I've accepted him.

Because he wanted to do it the hard way; he's

doing it unconsciously. That's right:

unconsciously.

Although Louise didn't know what "unconsciously" actually meant, she hugged Saito tightly, her face crimson-red. Hugging a familiar is something which isn't supposed to be done, due to the difference in status between the two. Yes... letting him sit beside the dining table can be said to be a form of pity. But, hugging him like this isn't pity.

Louise shook her head. She thought,"What was I doing?" The incredible thing is that her heartbeat was quickening. Her racing heartbeat, seemed to be dissolving the cruel atmosphere of the battlefield.

Despite all this, Saito was still depressed.

Is it still not enough?

Is simply hugging him tightly not enough?

Hoping that he will pucker up doesn't mean that she likes him or anything. However, if a familiar is like this, it will affect missions in the future.