Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story2 Chapter5

Chapter 8: The Staff Of Destruction

The second morning… At the Tristain Academy of Magic, there was much commotion since last night just as though a wasp’s nest have been stirred.

Why? Because the staff of destruction has been stolen.

And it was brazenly stolen by using an Earth Golem to break through the wall of the vault.

The teachers of the Academy of magic, gathering inside the vault was speechless when they saw the gaping hole on the wall.

The inscription on the wall etched by Fouquet the Dirt Crumb says it all: [I have acquired the Staff of Destruction. Fouquet the Dirt Crumb]

At this point of time, all the teachers at the academy could do was to gripe and whine “It’s that thief that has looted the nobles clean, Fouquet the Dirt Crumb! How daring of him (1) to target the academy! “ “What were the guards doing?” “Even if the guards are around, they’re useless! They’re only peasants! Speaking of which, which noble was supposed to be on duty last night?”

Miss Chevreuse felt anxious. She was supposed to be on duty last night. “But who would steal from the academy?”, so she thought while sleeping soundly in her own room instead of being next to the vault door like all nobles on watch duty must do.

One of the teachers immediately pointed out and said, “Mrs. Chevreuse! You’re supposed to be on duty last night! Am I right?”

Mrs. Chevreuse broke into tears and said,” I’m very sorry… Very sorry…” “Even if you cried you heart out, would it come back? Or are you going to pay for it?” “But…but I just finished paying for my house” Miss Chevreuse knelt down on the floor and wept.

Just then, Old Osman arrived. “Erm….This is not best time to be hard on ladies right?” The fellow teacher who reprimanded Miss Chevreuse retorted, “But Osman, Miss Chevreuse failed in her duty! She was sleeping soundly in her bed when she was supposed to be on watch!”

Old Osman gently stroke his long beard while looking at the very shaken and stirred teacher. “Erm… What’s your name again?” “It’s Gimli! Have you forgotten?” “Oh, right! Gimli! Well, Mr. Gimli, don’t get angry. Honestly speaking, how many of you here can say that you’re always vigilant throughout your tour of duty?” Old Osman replied The teachers looked at each other and hung their heads in shame. There was silence.

“Well, that’s the situation that we’re in now. Talking about responsibility, I think all of us, including myself; have to be held accountable for this incident. Why do we think that a thief could never infiltrate the academy? It’s it because of the number of magicians we have in the academy here that gives us the assurance that we won’t be attacked? This type of thinking is wrong from the start.”

Old Osman gazed at the hole on the wall and continued saying, “It’s because of our complacency that has given Fouquet the courage to trespass, and steal the staff of destruction. We’re all at fault.”

Mrs. Chevreuse looked upon Old Osman with gratitude and said, “Oh! Osman, Mr. Osman! Thank you for your benevolence. From now on I’ll look upon on as though you’re my father” “Well, that… Hehe… Mrs…” Old Osman started to stroke Mrs. Chevreuse’s bottom. “If that’s ok with you…. It’s up to the headmaster then.”

Old Osman, not want to put the blame on anybody, decided that was the best way to loosen the uptight atmosphere. After that he proceeded to clear his throat, with everybody remaining solemn waiting for him to speak.

“Well then, who were the ones who witnessed the theft?” Osman asked.

“It’s this three.” Said my Colbert while pointing to the three persons behind him. It’s Louise, Kirche and Tabitha. Saito is also present but due to the fact that he’s a familiar, he’s not counted as a “person”.

“Oh… It’s you guys…” Osman said as he looked at Saito with great interest. Saito did not know why he is being stared at, but remained courteous nonetheless.

“Please tell us the event in depth.”

Louise stepped forward and described what she saw “Mm… A great clay golem appeared and broke the wall. The hooded magician standing on its shoulder went in and took something…… I think most probably was the staff of destruction...... After that the hooded magician rode on the golem and escaped beyond the city walls…… The golem in the end, become a big lump of earth”

“After that, what happened?”

”Later, all we saw was a lump of earth, with no sign of the hooded magician.”

“So… this is what happened…” Osman said while stroking his beard.

“Even though we wanted to carry on the chase, but without any leads we can’t. So…”

At this point of time Old Osman suddenly remembered a question to asks Mr. Colbert,” Ah, Where is Miss Longueville?”

“I’m not sure; I haven’t seen her since morning.”

“Where could she have gone to during these trying times?”

“That’s right, where could she be?

In the midst of those mutterings, Miss Longueville finally appeared.

“Miss Longueville! Where have you been? Something terrible has happened!” said Mr. Colbert Anxiously

Miss Longueville spoke to Old Osman in a very cool and clam manner. “I’m extremely sorry to be late! I was doing investigations. So…”

“Investigations?”

“Yes. I woke up this morning; there was already a lot of commotion happening. When I went to the vault and saw the inscription on the wall made by Fouquet. I knew that the thief infamous throughout the land has struck again. Therefore, I immediately started investigations”

“You’re really very efficient, Miss Longueville.” Mr. Colbert then asked again in an urgent manner, “In the end, did you get any findings?”

“Yes, I have gotten hold of the whereabouts of Fouquet.”

“What!?” Mr. Colbert spoke with amazement. “Where did you get this information from? Miss Longueville.”

“According to the commoners around the area, they saw what it seemed to be like a person wearing a black hooded cloak entering an abandoned house in the nearby forest. I think that the person is most probably Fouquet and that abandoned house is most probably his hideout.”

Louise upon hearing that exclaimed; “A black hooded cloak? That must be Fouquet unmistakably!”

Old Osman too got psyched up and ask Miss Longueville; “How far is it from here?”

“By foot it takes half a day, if we using horses it should only take us four hours”

“We must report this to the Imperial Court right away! We must seek reinforcements from the imperial army!” Mr. Colbert shouted yet again.

Old Osman shook his head, stared at Colbert and with a vigor unfitting for an old man shouted; “You fool! By the time we reported his to the imperial court, Fouquet would have gotten away Scott free! Besides, if we can’t even handle such a small problem on our own, we’re not fit to be called nobles! Since the staff is stolen from the academy, then it’s the academy’s responsibility to get back the staff ourselves!”

Miss Longueville smiled, as though she was waiting for this answer all along.

Old Osman coughed for a while, and then started recruiting volunteers. “Now, we’re going to organize a search team to find Fouquet. Those willing to join, please rise up your wands.”

All of the nobles looked at each other awkwardly, and no one raised their wands.

“No one? That’s peculiar; No one wants to be known as the hero who caught Fouquet the Dirt Crumb?”

Louise was among those who lowered their heads but she decided to rise up her wand.

“Miss Françoise!” Miss Chevreuse exclaimed in surprise. “You mustn’t do this! You’re still a student! Please leave this to the teachers!”

“But all of you aren’t willing to help…” Louise muttered.

Saito looked at Louise with his mouth wide open. The rather serious look on Louise coupled with her gently biting her lips looked so stunning that it had captivated Saito.

Seeing Louise had raised her wand, Kirche too raised her wand, with a little reluctance though.