Zero no Tsukaima:Volume7 Chapter2 - MTL

Chapter 2: Elf

Today is the third day of the miraculous return of the dragon knights. Rene and Saito, along with the rest, were partying in the tent all this while.

Ever since that party, Rene and the other members of the 2nd Dragon Cavalry Company had been making a fool of themselves at Louise's tent everyday. Them being so-called "guards" were merely excuese; in reality, they were there for other reasons.

"Cheers! To our miraculous survival!"

Saito lifted an 17th toast of the day, delivered in a half-druken stupor.

"Cheers! Cheers!"

Slurry voiced dragon knight’s cacophonous chorus joined in. Again, the lot emptied their cups, filled to the brim with grape wine, in one gulp.

"It's great to be alive. You could still drink like this!"

Said Rene's deputy, a crimson-haired youth named Matthew Pennterdon, as he casually waved his wand, creating a mini whirlwind to stir the wind. As the third son of a petty noble family, he always drank in a miserly manner - diluting the wine with water before drinking it. So, he would occasionally use magic in this manner to stir his cup.

That pair of attention-grabbing twin dragon knights, were called Gilbert and Siegfried. With soft, pale golden hair and cute maiden-like faces, these two came from a noble family which had fallen into ill times. They helped each other to fill up the cups with wine, while grinning away.

Besides Louise, the rest were already dead drunk. No.... one of them seemed to have some sort of troubles, and was in deep thought. He's the somewhat taciturn Fernan. When Saito toasted him, he merely shook his head. Looks like he has some kind of worry in his mind.

At this point, the plump Rene showed up, hugging a sack full of stuff.

"Captain of the 2nd Dragon Cavalry Company, Rene Vonke, has returned!"

"Hat's off. It's been hard on you."

Saito, who was sitting in the center seat, burst into laughter, with dragon knight’s following him

Sitting in the nook of the tent and hugging her knees, Louise could only watch such spectacle in frustration.

What is it with this bunch?

Simply put, they are treating the place as if it's their room. Pretending to guard but coming here just to booze, away from the pry eyes of senior officers. Here they could do whatever they wanted.

Louise bit her lip in hatred. Of course, it wasn't easy for them to escape death, a little wine for celebration would still be tolerable.

But...

They were doing this every day! EVERY SINGLE DAY! And it was from dawn to dusk!

And these fellows have absolutely no idea on how to keep a room clean! Louise's grinding of her teeth became very audible. Bottles, bones of fowl and leftover scraps were scattered everywhere; the sight of it all was unbearable.

Whenever she complained, she got a chirpy "Okayyyyy!" in reply, but that was all. No one cleaned up the mess. As a result, the rubbish grew by the day, along with Louise's frustration.

Saito was the most unforgivable one. Initially, she thought that he'll warn them on Louise's behalf. Instead, that idiot began leading the racket, and is now the "highest commander". "An absolute general of fools, how fitting for him," thought Louise, as she sighed.

"Status report!" said Saito, who really thought that he had become a general. Rene noisily opened the sack.

"Smoked ham, dried meats, sausages... and wine!"

Upon seeing all the food that was handily "taken" from the warehouse, everyone cheered at once.

"Now, I shall decorate this officer with a medal..."

But, he has no medals with him. Just as Saito was being troubled by this, someone stuffed something into his hand. It was a light, pure white piece of fabric.

"Wha-what is this?"

Having figured out what that "something" really was, Louise hastily rose to her feet.

"Hey! That's my underwear! What are you guys thinking?!"

"Ah, because it was left there," said Matthew, who was the one who passed it to Saito.

"There...there's plenty over here," hollered the trembling Gilbert and Siegfried, as they opened Louise's wardrobe.

"This's the best medal ever!" One by one, the knights laughed.

“Lowest! You truly are the lowest!”

Blushing Louise hit Gilbert’s head and Siegfried’s chest with the wine bottle, threw out poultry bone at rolling Renes, and all other drunken dragon knights were kicked and hit.

Lastly, she kicked flustered Saito between the groins, and sat riding on his neck.

“Constantly making noise! Habit of a familiar! That’s the status of the familiar! D-d-dogs status! Dogs! Suiting status!”

Turning around the social standings. Irresponsible thoughts.

“Can’t be, so you are her familiar!” Rene and others watched Louise’s and Saito’s flustered faces and started laughing out loudly again.

“Person – a familiar, weird story!”

Rene and others summoned “Pon!”. And many familiars jumped into the tent. Because they were wind system mages, most of their familiars were winged… Owl, taka, flying fox…small griffon and hipogriffon, even phantom beast’s figure could be seen.

“These are the familiars! Aahahaha!”

“Don’t think I l-love this guy or anything! This idiot came on his own!”

“Well, Summon servant lets you choose the partner!”

Rene, while laughing, approached Louise and said.

“However, you, Miss Valliere, summoned a boyfriend. The familiar and the lover in one, might be ideal for mage!”

The dragon knights burst out laughing.

“He is not my lover! Idiot! All idiots! How can’t you understand!”

Then Matthew said grinning.

“How about the other day, hmm?”

“You very naked under the mantle! What about that!”

Even Louise's neck crimsoned.

“Ribaldry! Lowest! Boys of your age shouldn’t have thoughts like this!”

At last, Louise grabbed the blanked and put it over her head.

Even after calming down the won’t come out. Was pretending to sleep.

“Spicy. I wonder why she is so angry?”

Rene muttered anxiously. After that they all simultaneously looked for Saito's reaction.

And Saito… had frown of worrying on his face.

Where do we stand.

What is our relationship now?

Familiar and master, however it seemed that they relationship progressed…

But did it really progressed?

However, that time in the shallop, they became close when he called for Louise. But what does Louise really think of me?

He felt uneasy.

“We didn’t mean any harm, sorry buddy.”

“A, aah” With mixed feelings, Saito nodded.

Rene and others exchanged looks.

“Ribaldry has been said.”

“It can't be helped. We are lower class nobles.” Matthew said.

“It happens to peerage as well! But Miss la Valiere called it ribaldry and was annoyed! Aahahaha!” Siegfried and Gilbert laughed into each others faces.

Indeed, thought Saito. Children in Academy of magic are all young nobles and ladies. They all from high-status families like Louise’s, and even though Guiche’s and Montmorency’s families had financial problems, Guiche’s father was still a field marshal, and field marshal is very respected within military forces, right?

Louis and others study in a private, prestigious school which is very different from public schools.

Aah, so that’s why I felt so close to these guy’s from the beginning, Saito thought.

Then he recalled Rene's words.

He said, that to advance in ranks you can only through war field. Feeling sympathy, Saito sobered in a moment.

“Ha, drinking certainly makes me happy, after a great deed! 　 Said Rene.

“That’s right! Dragon knight second unit even wingless will show how great they are!”

“Aahaha” Gilbert and Siegfried neighed.

“Aaah, when we will finally attack Albion’s army in Londonium? It has been ten days since we landed!”

Matthew said impatiently.

That’s right. There were no marching signs from Allied Forces. Seems like they are waiting for an Albion army to come to Rosais where they could repulse them… But Albion army didn’t seem to move either.

At that time… dragon knight wish seemed to come true, as a single child soldier came to the tent.

“Haah, an order from the dragon knight battalion headquarters.”

The boy seemed to be thirteen years old. He had a frighten look on his face seeing vulgar senior nobles with mess all around.

“Battalion headquarters? What good are dragon knights without dragons?

Rene sarcastically asked.

“I do not know. I am just reporting orders…”

What duties they could be given? Gilbert grumbled, and everyone, with now serious look, started cleaning after themselves.