Zero no Tsukaima:Volume19 Chapter10

Chapter 10: Escape

The boat tugged by two dolphins was sprinting through the canals.

Splashing water as it went, it easily outran other boats. Their passengers looked at it with surprise but it didn't bother Luctiana at all.

Saito was still overwhelmed by Derflinger's revival. Even though it had revived some time ago, it didn't have enough mental power to speak until now.

Tiffania was happy to see Saito in such high spirits.

"It talks a lot."

"Indeed, because it couldn't speak for such a long time."

Well... Saito became serious. It wasn't a time to celebrate just yet. The resurrection of Derflinger didn't change their situation much... they still were in the middle of Elvish country and Luctiana wasn't entirely on their side.

"Hey, Luctiana."

"What?"

"Where are you taking us?"

"Didn't I say already? My old friend's place."

"Where is it?"

"You're gonna like it," replied Luctiana with a smile.

"What will happen when you're done with your research?"

"Well, we will see."

"What do you mean?"

"That's how I am. If I think something is right I'm doing it, consequences be damned." Luctiana laughed loudly. Saito was amazed.

"In helping us you committed high treason. If they catch you it's the death penalty, isn't it?" said Saito.

Luctiana squinted and smiled.

"Ali will fix it somehow. He really likes me."

Saito though about Ali. He did look like a worldly-wise guy.

He was a serious opponent. Still, there was something sympathetic about him.

"Well, I am not interested in the location of the Gate of Shaitan. I can't help you with that. I want to tag along and continue my research."

She looked as Saito with squinted eyes.

"It would be unreasonable to expect more from an Elf."

Saito nodded.

"Then we have an agreement."

Luctiana held out her hand. Saito was surprised by the gesture but shook her hand without reservation.

Then Luctiana held out her hand to Tiffania.

"Elves said a lot of hurtful things about you, but I envy you a little. Half elf, half barbarian. Awesome, isn't it?"

"Really?"

Tiffania timidly held out her hand.

"Yes. I apologize for their behavior. But don't blame them, they were taught to react like that... they can't help it."

Tiffania nodded.

"But, really, those are awesome! Are they like that because of barbarians' blood?"

Luctiana squinted a little, grabbed Tiffania's breasts, and started to research them enthusiastically.

"Hey! Don't! Stop it!"

Saito imagined Tiffania's breasts he seen recently and blood again went to his head. He involuntarily held his nose. He looked at Tiffania and, no matter how he tried to look away, his eyes went right to the huge mountains covered by the robe.

Then he noticed Tiffania's bright red face and bowed to her.

"Tiffa... About what you did back there, thank you... You saved my life."

"Right... it's fine because you are a friend..." said Tiffania without any conviction. She realized that friendship had nothing to do with it.

"It was good, partner! If only you could look like that at breasts that you actually wanted to see!" said Derflinger. Tiffania blushed even more and hung her head.

"Hey! Fool! What are you saying! It's not like I didn't want to see those all the while!"

"Mine? Really?" asked Tiffania in a choked voice. "... all the while? Did you want to see them?"

Saito's face contorted. He hated to lie. Lying was wrong. So, he confessed.

"Yes, sorry, I wanted to see! I am sorry I exist! Louise, forgive me! This is so wrong!"

"No distinction, huh? This is low." Luctiana butted in. "No! There is a distinction! Definitely!"

"Oh, Louise. If partner gets in trouble like that again, she will show them to you. I'd say it's the best medicine."

Tiffania began to tremble. Then she asked Saito with a strain in her voice.

"You wanted to see them as a friend?"

"Yes."

"Right, 'as a friend.' He just wants you." Said the merciless Luctiana.

Tiffania was close to tears. This conversation had become too exciting for her. She was thoroughly confused. She said, "I might have a problem."

"Tiffa?"

"A few days ago I unintentionally said to Saito that I love him. Mister Derf told me to show my breasts to Saito. Usually I wouldn't do it. I didn't think it would wake him up. Because we are friends there wasn't supposed to be anything exciting about it."

"Nothing exciting about it, really? Damn barbarians!" Luctiana interrupted.

Almost crying, Tiffania continued her monologue.

"But Saito loves Louise. He can't fall in love with me. At least I think so. I don't have much experience in these things. But, anyway, I did it. Mother told me that I shouldn't show them to anyone other than her son-in-law. But Saito can't become her son-in-law. He loves Louise. What should I do..."

"Tiffa."

"Yes."

"Calm down. Please."

Tiffania nodded.

"I don't know, but when you guys are done with the Holy War you could stay with me. I take care about my place."

"Don't joke about it, you dumb elf," said a disappointed Saito.

Tiffania fainted and fell back on her cape.

She must be very tired thought Saito, carefully laying her down for a nap.

He put an improvised pillow made from an extra blanket under her head.

Meanwhile the boat left the canals and reached the open sea. The emerald-blue sea shone in the sunlight. Clouds over the horizon looked like a mass of cotton.

Under other circumstances, thought Saito, it would be a perfect vacation.

Luctiana looked at Derflinger with interest and said.

"This is an intelligent sword, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Actually it's an imitation." Luctiana boastfully said to a surprised Saito.

"Imitation?" Saito asked.

"Yes. Making intelligent swords, or rather giving them awareness is an elvish hobby, like Ali's swords that you have seen recently. This one most likely was made by elves."

"Huh? What are you saying? This is a Japanese sword... from my home country... a katana, the weapon of a samurai."

Saito remembered this from the movies.

"No, this is just a shell. I am speaking about the content. The name of this awareness is Derflinger, right?"

Derflinger muttered,

"... right. Certainly the Elves made me, partner."

"Huh? Really?"

Then Saito remembered a dream he saw in Romalia when Louise gave him a sleeping pill... about events that happened six thousand years ago.

Gandálfr was an Elf, Sasha.

"Now that you mention it, was Founder's Gandálfr an elf? Did the Sasha that I had seen in my dream make you?"

Luctiana's eyes widened. She asked intently: "What? Founder's Gandálfr was an elf?"

"Well, it was just a dream that I saw..."

Luctiana was very excited.

"Well, Anubis, our saint, had a shining left hand. My uncle has this theory that he was a Gandálfr but scholars don't take it seriously. If what you said is true it supports his theory."

"Oh, right. Bidashal mentioned it. Interesting. He was very pompous about it."

"He wasn't pompous. Don't badmouth my uncle."

"But it doesn't sound right. Didn't Saint Anubis defeat Founder Brimir... so that he become a Saint? Why would Gandálfr defeat Founder Brimir? He was supposed to protect him."

Then Derflinger, which had been silent all this time, said:

"It did happen."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Gandálfr killed Founder Brimir."

Everyone froze for a moment.

"Huh? What? Did he? Was it Sasha? Did she kill Founder Brimir? No way!"

"I wish it was a lie, but while you were discussing it I remembered the whole thing. Good grief, I wanted to forget it." Derflinger replied earnestly.

"I went through that guy's chest."

"Hey Derf! What are you saying?"

However, Derflinger fell silent.

Saito and Luctiana stared at each other.

"... what the hell happened six thousand years ago?"

"It was so long ago, even I don't know. But it suddenly became very interesting."

Saito was trembling.

A calamity that killed every second elf.

Founder Brimir is called Devil here.

Elf Gandálfr, Sasha.

Sasha killed Founder Brimir. With Derflinger, the sword laying in front of him...

Events that happened six thousand years ago led to the current situation. They affected every single person in this world, including the elves.

Saito felt it with his skin.

He felt a premonition that something horrible was coming. He needed something to calm him down.

Teased by the sea breeze, he thought about Louise. His beautiful master with pink hair. His adorable sweetheart...

He couldn't imagine himself plunging a sword through her chest.

Why the hell did you do it?

Derflinger, a sword with self-awareness, was resting in the sea breeze. All these memories made it sad.

Can something like that happen again? No way! Even though it thought so, the sword knew that it was only a tool.

It looked at the bright blue skies.

They hadn't changed in six thousand years.

They were looking at the world below everywhere.

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