Zero no Tsukaima:Volume8 Chapter3 - MTL

First thought that crossed Saito’s mind after seeing the girl was…　

Golden light.

During the dream before, he had seen the golden light at the end.

That light became reality, blinding Saito’s eyes.

He hastily squinted. Once you get used, it doesn't actually shine. However, that girl's impression is too strong to be felt as a false light.

The girl who showed up was beautiful. No, the word beautiful was too trite, she had a divine pretty face. When she moves, one wants to kneel down and worship her.

For the time being “Hada, wada, howada” Saito had trouble finding any words, as they were stuck in his throat.

“What's wrong?”

The girl asked in blank confusion.

“No, that, nothing, this.”

The girl look hesitant for a moment, then, as if having her mind set, took a deep breath and approached Saito. She wore a green, crude, short, one-piece dress, but rather than damaging her beauty, it suited her nicely. Slender lovely legs ran down her short skirt, with white sandals framing her pretty feet.

That simple attire eased up her beauty and created a friendly atmosphere.

Once coming to Saito, the girl laughed forcibly. She tried hard to make him relieved and smiled. Yet it wasn’t a beauty radiating smile, but kindheartedness.

“Thank goodness. Because you slept for two weeks…I was worried that you might not awaken.”

“Did I sleep for so long…”

Though he was surprised that he slept for two weeks, but the girl’s beauty was even more shocking.

Haa, it looked as if she was covered with light, because of her long hair falling left, right and through the middle. Her blond hair like a waving golden sea reflected sunshine rays falling from the window, puzzling and dancing on her face.

It was like CG showing the face with a perfect outline and a perfect silhouette, beautiful, but making one nervous at the same time. Such a beautiful person without any thinkable flaws.

And… through the crevice of her golden hair, unnoticed, pointed ears peeped.

Such ear shape is quite unusual, he though while trying to move, and incomparable acute pain ran through his side. Until now he has never felt such strong pain.

That pain made him feel "alive". I am not dead, I feel life, thought Saito while trembling.

The way wilted flowers suck in water, relief filled Saito. It was a torrent of relief. He was safe for now and was swept by a turmoil of emotions.

“I see… I am alive…”

Gradually he was moved to tears. I am alive, with such thought, even the aching wounds on his body felt dear.

“Ah, if it hurts it means I am alive.”

Teary-eyed Saito muttered.

Seeing that…

“W-well… are the bandages too tight?”

Blinking her clear, big, green eyes, the girl reached for Saito.

After confirming being alive, the girls' beauty in his presence, also became more real and made Saito’s heart tremble.

Aaah, the touch of such a beautiful person felt like a hit from a drumstick.

At once, feeling like a simpleton, Saito retreated.

Then the girl opened her eyes wide.

Then she noticed that an ear was peeping from the crevice of her hair and hurriedly covered it with both hands. In an instant her cheeks were dyed to pink.

“S-sorry.”

“Eh?”

“But don’t worry. I won’t do any harm.”

Saito looked blankly. It seems that Saito’s retreat was mistaken for fright. An unexpected misunderstanding. Saito lost his nerve only because of her beauty, not because of fright.

“No no! That, I am not afraid. But because of your b-b-bb…”

“Bb?”

“Beauty, well…”

Saying that Saito colored up. He was simply not accustomed saying 'You are beautiful' to a girl.

She made a surprised face.

“Beauty?”

“Y-yes.”

“You think so even after you saw my ear?”

She said removing hands from her ear.

“Yes.”

Suspicious, Saito nodded. Certainly, pointed ears were unusual. However, in Halkeginia with orcs, dragons, water spirits, there lived many strange beings. At this point, pointed ears did not surprise him much. Well, I guess there are people who would not think so.

“…really, you are not shocked? Not scared?”

The girl watched Saito with a doubtful face.

“Really, I am not shocked nor scared. Why would I be afraid? Why do you ask? Besides, there are a lot more scary ones. Like dragons and trolls.”

The girl was relieved.

“It’s unusual for a human to not be afraid of an elf.”

“Elf?”

He has heard the name. He sought in the bottom of the memory and recalled it. Well certainly, mentioned in some talks. This was a name of those who live in the ‘east‘. According to the rumors they are vicious, and live on bad terms with humans in a holy land.

He did think them to be terrible, but the girl in front of him was far from that.

“Yes, elf. And I am ‘mixed’ one at that…”

Muttered the girl with a touch of self-hatred. Thereupon, a shadow covered her porcelain features.

A melancholy took over her face.

Confused for a moment… Saito had second thoughts.

Hey Saito, it's not time to appreciate the pretty girl.

Isn't there anything else for you to worry about?

How did I survive?

What happened to the war?

Louise?

Siesta?

Everyone?

However, there was something else to do before that. He’ll ask later.

“Did you help me?”

Saito said pointing at the bandages around his body.

“Yes" The girl nodded.

“I see… Thank you. Honestly, thank you.”

Saito thanked her many times. Even so, it was insufficient to express his gratitude.

The girl smiled shyly.

Somehow; she seemed to be embarrassed and dodged Saito’s words. Despite being the owner of a beautiful face, she seemed to loose her composure easily.

Though this girls behavior was naturally cute, Saito endured. Now wasn’t the time to get love-struck. There were a lot of things that he wanted to hear first.

But... something was amiss.

Wasn’t it a little strange?

She helped me?

Heyhey, wasn’t I leaping against an army of 70,000?

From the looks, the girl wore village clothes. So how was she able to help him in the middle of the large army?

Gradually, suspicion built in Saito’s mind.

Then, her beauty, and the atmosphere surrounding her…

What if this elf woman was an enemy?

She tries to make me feel relieved to draw out some information…

When you think about it, this beautiful girl in front of me could really be an enemy’s trap. In movies and anime, the spies were usually beautiful women.

Moreover, after coming to this world and meeting Louise, Saito realized one the truth.

‘What looks cute may not be so from the inside.’

Such was the truth. And from the evidences that his body obtained – it was unshakable truth.

With such truth, his doubt in girl rose more.

“Fufufu…”

“What's wrong?”

Saito, cleared his throat, and asked in an calm voice.

“I really want to express my gratitude for helping me, however, there’s one thing I want to know.”

“Please.”

“Where I was helped?”

“Because you were lying in the forest, we brought you here.”

Lying in the forest?

Didn’t I fall, surrounded by a large army?

What forest?

Saito narrowed his eyes and watched the girl suspiciously.

Due to this, the atmosphere started to feel awkward…

“W-well, I’ll bring you food.”

Saying that, the girl tried to leave. Saito gripped her arm.

“Where have you put my sword?”

“Aah, that sword is yours? That, that sword, I did not know but he was making noise. I thought that it was better to not wake you up, so I placed him in the room on the other side….

Saito puckered up his eyebrows. He recalled words from an old detective drama. The beauty of a rose has thorns. And in the end, the beautiful woman was a criminal. Damn, and said aloud.

“There must be a reason for Derf to be so loud.”

“Even if you say that, there must be a reason…”

She said in an embarrassed voice. Then, seeing Saito clasping her hand, the girl shamefully bit her lip.

“W-well… please, that, hand…”

The girl struggled to shake off Saito's hand. However, Saito doesn't let go. Frowning in pain, he drew slender girl’s arm to himself. The blush on girl's cheeks increased even more.

“Umm… let go… please.”

“Tell me the truth.”

But Saito was completely lost in the role of the great detective hunting down a criminal. A very bothering character. Even an encounter with death could not fix such a painful personality.

“You are from the Albion army. Say it, A-L-B-I-O-N.”

“N-no. I am not related to Albion nor to an army.”

With frightened face, girl shook her head. However, Saito’s detective feelings sense was completely convinced that she was part of the Albion army.

“Then how I was “lying in the forest”? I lost my consciousness in the middle of an enemy army! So there!”

“I-I do not know how…”

“Spit it out!”

“Ah..”

Saito pulled the girl making her loose the balance. Then she fell dawn on Saito’s thigh.

“Spit it out! S-eh?”

In an instant, Saito's face became pale.

Something big and soft crashed against his thigh.

Detective doubts about the girl where blown off from his head in an instant, and now other doubt swelled up in his mind.

Hey, Saito asked.

What object crashed against my thigh just now?

…Breasts?

It should be breasts.

However… it cannot be breasts. Surely, there cannot be such breast size. So, it isn’t.

Yet what would be normal breasts like? Saito imagined cooking. Big, soft bread. Stuffed animal. And yes - rounded square cushion.

Then what.

Still, even if it would be breasts. There are physical laws that breasts cannot disregard.

By an accident he caught her profile with his eyes. She was crimson. From shame and tension she seemed to not to be able to talk any more. Because Saito’s grip on her arm she could not stand up. Still, bravely, the girl struggled trying to stand up.

Something hard stuck in Saito’s throat.

T-this especially. I, aah, I…

These soft, heavy objects on his thigh changed shape while moving.

Saito, with his mouth agape, watched the girl. Felt like his heart valves were breaking, almost making blood spout from the nose. His pulse was beating like drums, enthusiasm of life was coming back to Saito.

While watching the pointed ear which peeped from the crevice of her thin golden hair… three letters sparked in Saito’s head

T B R

Or saying in words…

The bust revolution.

Indeed… this was a revolutionary breasts size.

When compared to the body lines, the size looks even bigger. This elf girl’s body was slender. He could see that when her body fell. Ankles are thin. Arms are also thin. Waist, neck – all are thin… However, only the breasts gone out of the ordinary groove. The breasts caused the revolt within this body.

If there was a law concerning the breasts size, then this would earn life imprisonment. No, death penalty. At least if Louise were a judge, it would be death penalty.

Aaah, because she wore voluminous clothes he had not realized. Aaah, because of her delicate arms, unconsciously mind applied that to the whole body. Aah aaah, for me, such breast size was all honesty.

“Ah, ya…ha, n.”

The girl let out sounds while struggling. This rascal, though her whole body is slender, why are the breasts so strange? It couldn’t be that the breasts gathered all the nourishment, could it? I learned one day in science class from Mendelian teacher... this miracle could be explained by the laws of dominant inheritance...

His brains boiled, while thinking.

“Big sister is telling the truth!”

“Don’t do anything to Tiffa nee-chan!”

“Stop doing weird things to big sister!”

Children suddenly rushed into the Saito’s room. Seems like the children were watching them from the open door.

“Remove your hands from Tiffania onee-chan!”

Tiffania – seems to be the name of this beautiful elf girl. Children started hitting Saito, who was grasping her arm.

“Eh! No! This! Different! Children, it’s different!”

Though Saito tried to make excuses… the children power was too strong. Though these kids a little while ago were frightened of the weird stranger.

With potential of huge breasts that cannot be expressed in a single phrase, this delicate elf girl, seemed to be the children's treasure.

“You are misunderstanding! This person’s breasts are too strange! Therefore I was surprised! It’s different! I was just surprised, that’s why I attacked!”

“Not different! It looked strange no mater what!”

It was justifiable.

“Ruffian! Be gone!”

“Wait! I’m not bad! That! Gyaa!”

“Eat this!” the girl with short blond hair hit his head severely with the frying-pan. Come to think of it, I was hit with the frying-pan in the dream as well, came the trivial thought, before Saito started a journey to the unconscious world again.

* * *

While rubbing his aching head, Saito woke up again.

Tiffania opened the door and entered. Even after seeing again, she was beautiful. The color of her hair was bright and sparkling with gold and white, tres bien indeed, he thought.

She was embarrassed.

“Just a while ago, s-sorry for the children… because they believed… that you were doing strange things.”

Tiffania was carrying the heavy Derflinger in her arms. Unsho, yokkorasho – panting, she put strained expression that didn’t suit her face and leaned it against the bed.

“Derf!”

“Yoo, partner… Are you finally awake? I'm so glad, I'm so glad.”

Derflinger explained the things after Saito had fainted.

How he fell immediately before attacking the general.

And how Derflinger using ‘absorbed amount of magic to move Gandalfr’ ability ran away to the forest.

“But, I was at a loss. And sad because you died. Your heart stopped too. I was fed up with making friends and then loosing them, what kind of legendary Derf I am.”

“Well, I survived…”

Saito, took a long look at himself again.

“Partner."

“Hold your tongue! Why haven’t you told me that you have such an ability?”

“I had forgotten… I am rather forgetful. But partner’s death made me sad. Partner is partner after all. No, not a legendary anymore, but partner is partner…”

He said in an inarticulate way, but Saito was not listening to Derflinger’s whining already.

Ignoring his aching body, he bowed to Tiffania.

“I'm really sorry! I… Though you helped me, I suspected you to take part in an enemy trap...”

“Eh? It’s all right. That, umm, don’t worry.”

Tiffania muttered, looking embarrassed.

“But, to heal such injury…”

Once again, the inborn curiosity raised it’s head. Saito asked anxiously.

“If you can, could you tell me? What magic you used to heal me when I was in an almost dead state?”

Tiffania, hesitating whether to say or not… showed a ring.

It was an old ring, only a dull silver plinth.

In that silver base for the fourth finger ring - there must have been a stone before.

“I was cured by this ring?”

Tiffania nodded with a stern face.

“Incredible ring! To cure such severe injury! If you have it, people won‘t die from injuries or diseases!“

Tiffania shook her head.

“That’s impossible.”

“What?” Saito was bewildered. Derflinger explained.

“Primordial magic. Elf treasure, isn’t it? The girl is half-elf.”

Tiffania was surprised.

“How do I know it? Anyhow, I lived very long, even though my memory is bad.”

“So… I'll tell you. As sword-san said the ‘primordial magic‘ with water power was placed into this ring. However, I do not know the name of it... it was given as keepsake from my dying mother.“

“Your mother was an elf?”

Tiffania nodded.

“This is rather complicated. I cannot tell you in full-detail… but, the magical power of the plinth was already used up.”

“Exactly. Since the water magic stone was placed in there, the magic was absorbed by the plinth itself. Therefore, there is only a plinth left. However, it cannot rise from the dead. It cannot heal the wounds of the dead ones.”

Saito was touched to the bottom of his heart. Though he didn’t understand well, somehow an important keepsake from her mother was used and he was cured.

“Tiffania-san… right?”

“Tiffania it is. Though, if it is too hard to call me that, you can call me Tifa.”

Tiffania said, giving a smile that was embodiment of beauty. Hard to call, indeed.

“Tifa then. Really really, that… Let me express my greatest gratitude… Though it was such an important ring, to cure me…”

“Eh? It’s all right, it’s all right! Tools are there to be used after all!”

Tiffania said in panic.

“Indeed…”

Saito looked up.

“I would like to thank you, but I do not have anything to give but the little "power" I have!“

“Partner.”

In an embarrassed tone, Derflinger muttered. Disregarding him Saito continued.

“I cannot tell the details, but I can use any weapon! Therefore, please tell me when you are in trouble! For instance if a fierce animal or monster attacks the village at night…”

Saito, on the bed, clasped Tiffania's hand.

“F-for now…”

Tiffania mutters, giving a wry smile.

“You’ll see! Weapon! Grab! And the runes on my left hand start to shine! Here!”

“Saito reached for Derflinger, who had been leaning against the bed and gripped him.

“Ah, partner…”

For some reason Derflinger’s voice sounded embarrassed.

“Hey! When I grip the sword this way, the runes on my left hand… T-that?”

Saito stared blankly. Though Derflinger was gripped, nothing shone. Usually, the runes on his left hand shined and his body felt light, as if growing a pair of wings… yet, it didn’t lighten.

“W-what’s wrong?”

In panic, Saito watched his left hand, with his mouth widely agape.

“Rururu…”

“See, partner? I told you so. Not legendary anymore, but partner is a partner. But we are still same old, right? Friends, right? Therefore do not worry. Because I am still your partner. Thu-…”

Derflinger’s words were interrupted,

“What’s with the runes?!”

Saito screamed.

And so…

The sign of Gandalfr disappeared without a trace.