Zero no Tsukaima - Volume 03 - The Founder's Prayer Book Read online

  Even though class had started, Kirche still continued to polish her nails. Without taking her eyes off the nail file, she replied languidly, “Passion and destruction.”

  “That’s right!” said Mr. Colbert, himself a triangular fire mage whose nickname was 'Flame Serpent'.

  “However, besides passion, only being able to destroy is a bit lonely, I think. It depends on the usage, everyone. Depending on how you use it, you can actually do some really fun things. Fire is not only for destruction, Miss Zerbst. A battlefield is not the only place where you will see it.”

  “There’s no use in trying to explain fire magic to Tristain nobles,” Kirche said, filled with confidence. Mr. Colbert was not agitated by her arrogance, but smiled instead.

  “But, what’s that strange thing you have there?” Kirche asked with a blank look, pointing at the equipment on the desk.

  “Hehe. So you finally asked. This is something I invented. It works using oil and fire magic.” The students gaped, staring at the mechanism intently. The mechanism seemed somewhat familiar to Saito, as if he had seen it somewhere before. Being a curious person, he too remained silent and watched intently.

  Mr. Colbert continued, “First, we vaporize the oil in the bellows.” He stepped repeatedly on the bellows with his foot. “And then, the vaporized oil will go into this cylindrical tube.”

  With a cautious look, Colbert stuck his wand inside a small hole he had opened. He recited an incantation. The sound of a blazing fire could suddenly be heard, and as the fire ignited the vaporized oil, the sounds changed into that of explosions.

  “Watch carefully everyone! Inside the metallic tube, the power from the explosions are moving the piston up and down!”

  The crank attached to the top of the cylinder started to move and the wheel along with it. The spinning wheel opened the door on the box. The gears began moving and a snake puppet came out from inside.

  “The power is transferred to the crank which spins the wheel! Look! The snake then comes out to greet us! How interesting!”

  The students watched it unenthusiastically. The only one interested seemed to be Saito.

  “And then? What’s so special about that?”

  Mr. Colbert was sad at the fact that the invention he took so much pride in had been totally chastised. Clearing his throat, he began to explain, “In this example, only a snake showed up, but say for instance this mechanism was placed on a carriage. Then, the carriage could move even without horses! It would also work on the side of a boat by turning a water wheel. Then there wouldn’t be any need for sails!”

  “You could just use magic in those cases. There’s no need to use such a weird mechanism.” After one student said that, the others started to nod in agreement.

  “Everybody, listen carefully! If it is improved upon, this could run machines even without magic! I relied on my fire magic to ignite it, but say flint was used and a way to ignite it every so often was found…” Colbert was obviously getting excited, talking on and on, while the students were all wondering what was so special about it. The only one who seemed to understand the greatness of his invention seemed to be Saito.

  “Mr Colbert, that’s great! That’s an engine!” Saito called up while standing all of a sudden. The whole class turned to him.

  “Engine?” Mr. Colbert looked at Saito with a blank look.

  “Yes, an engine. It’s used in my world for functions you just mentioned.”

  “I can tell you’re a perceptive person. You’re Miss Vallière’s familiar, yes?”

  The fact that he was the legendary familiar Gandálfr who had runes on the back of his hand suddenly came back to Mr. Colbert. He had forgotten since Osman had said to leave it to him … but due to his enthusiasm he started to hold an interest in Saito.

  “Where were you born?” he asked eagerly.

  Louise tugged at Saito’s parka slightly and glared at him. “Don’t say anything unnecessary, we’ll look suspicious.”

  Agreeing, Saito sat back down.

  “Hmm? Where were you born?” Colbert approached Saito with a bright expression. Louise answered for him.

  “Mr Colbert, he’s uh… from Rub' al Khali in the East.

  Mr. Colbert was taken aback. “What?! Past the frightening lands of the elves? Wait, he was summoned wasn’t he… so he didn’t have to go through those lands… I see. I hear that the lands the Elves govern in the East have advanced technology. So you were born there… I see,” he nodded in comprehension.

  Saito turned to Louise.

  “What?”

  “Just play along,” said Louise, stepping on his foot.

  “A, Ah yes. I’m from um… Rub'.”

  Mr. Colbert nodded again and returned to the mechanism. Standing on the platform once more he looked around the classroom.

  “Alright then, who would like to try operating the mechanism? It’s very simple! Just open the hole in the cylinder, put your wand in and recite the ‘ignite’ spell repeatedly. The timing is a bit tricky but once you get used to it, it will be easy like this,” Mr. Colbert stepped on the bellows with his foot and operated the mechanism once more. The explosive sounds echoed throughout the classroom while the crank and gears moved, followed by the snake showing its face.

  “And the joyful snake greets us!”

  No one raised their hand. Mr. Colbert tried to get the students interested in his mechanism by saying “joyful snake”, but it didn’t quite work. Disappointed, Colbert drooped his shoulders.

  Montmorency, suddenly pointed at Louise, “Louise, you try it!”

  Mr. Colbert’s face lit up, “Miss Vallière! You have an interest in the mechanism?”

  “Catching Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt and journeying to dangerous places, surely you won’t have trouble with something like this right?”

  Louise realized Montmorency was trying to embarrass her by making her fail.

  It seemed Montmorency didn’t like Louise getting all the attention, such as accomplishing great feats and being the star at balls. Her jealousy was deep and the fact that she was a show off suddenly came back to Louise.

  Montmorency continued provoking Louise, “Hey, do it Louise. Louise the Zero.”

  Something in Louise cracked. She just couldn’t keep quiet when Montmorency called her Zero. Louise silently stood up and approached the platform.

  Seeing Louise in this state, Saito glared at Montmorency, “Hey Monmon.”

  “It’s Montmorency for God’s sake!”

  “Don’t provoke Louise! It’ll end up as an explosion!” said Saito, without thinking.

  Louise shifted her eyes at Saito's comment. The front row students hid behind their chairs.

  Hearing the comment, Mr. Colbert remembered Louise’s skill and the origin of her nickname. Trying to desperately change her mind, he began to persuade her in a flustered manner.

  “Ah, Miss Vallière. Er, you can do it another time, alright?”

  “I have been insulted by Montmorency the Flood,” said Louise in a cold voice. Her reddish brown pupils were filled with rage.

  “I shall discipline Miss Montmorency. So, er, could you please withdraw your wand? I do not doubt your skill, but magic doesn’t always succeed. I mean, ‘a dragon can also die from fire’, after all.”

  Louise looked sharply at Colbert, “Please let me do it. I do not always fail. Occasionally, I succeed.”

  “There are times when I, occasionally, succeed,” said Louise, as though the words were meant for herself, her voice trembling. Saito knew there was no stopping Louise now. When Louise was extremely irked, her voice would start to shake.

  Mr. Colbert looked up at the ceiling and sighed.

  Louise copied Mr. Colbert actions and stepped on the bellows. The vaporized oil was sent to the cylinder. She took a deep breath and stuck her wand inside the cylinder.

  “Miss Vallière, uhh …” whispered Mr. Colbert as if he was praying.

  With a voice as clear as a bell, she started to recite the spell incantation.

  The whole class froze.

  As expected, the mechanism exploded. Louise and Mr. Colbert were sent flying towards the black board while the class screamed. The explosion splattered the burning oil throughout the room. The students ran around chaotically, avoiding the flames.

  As the chair and table were burning, Louise stood up slowly. It was a pitiful sight. Her clothes were scorched and her clear complexion was covered in soot. Totally ignoring the chaos within the classroom, she grabbed Mr. Colbert’s arm and whispered, “Mr. Colbert. That machine of yours breaks quite easily.”

  Mr Colbert didn’t reply, feeling faint headed. The students replied for him, “It’s you who broke it! You Zero! Louise the Zero!”

  “Never mind that, there’s a fire! Someone put it out!”

  Montmorency stood up and recited a spell. It was the water spell ‘Water Shield’. The barrier of water extinguished the fire and the students applauded Montmorency. Montmorency, as if she had triumphed, said to Louise, “I wonder if that was unnecessary. After all, you’re such a skilled mage and that was such a weak fire.”

  Angry, Louise bit her lip.

  It was night by the time the classroom was cleaned up. Tidying up the chairs and desks and wiping the floor was a big task. Exhausted, Louise and Saito returned to their room. Saito collapsed on his haystack. Louise sat down on her bed. It was almost time for bed. Out of habit, Saito went to the closet to get Louise’s clothes. Louise, however, suddenly stood up.

  “W-What are you doing?”

  Louise blushed and did not reply. Her hands gripped the sheets and she started hanging them from her bedposts. The sheets acted as a curtain and hid her bed. Watching Saito out of the corner of her eyes, she went to the closet, found her clothes, and returned to bed. Saito could hear the ruffling of clothes as she changed behind the curtain. Depressed, Saito returned to his haystack.

  She doesn’t want to be seen by someone like me. Even if I see you, I won’t do anything strange. I won’t even look anymore. I’m not the hungry wolf you think I am … I’m a mole. Well, you were kissed by a mole, but that was when I got carried away, I made a mistake. I won’t ever do it again, Louise. I’ll watch over you properly. This homely mole will watch over you from this haystack.

  Saito endlessly tortured himself with these thoughts. The curtain was taken down. Wearing a negligee, Louise was bathed in moonlight, her hair flowing smoothly. The brilliant moonlight accentuated her divine beauty. After combing her hair with her hands, she lay down and switched off the lamp on her bedside table with a flick of her wand. It was a magic lamp that would switch off at the signal of its master. It wasn’t exactly special, but it seemed like something expensive. With the moonlight bathing the room, the atmosphere felt ethereal.

  Just as Saito was about to fall asleep, Louise sat up and called out, “Hey, Saito.”

  “Yes?”

  “Always sleeping on the floor is a bit extreme …you can, er, sleep on the bed if you want.”

  Saito’s body stiffened, “W-What?”

  “Don’t get the wrong idea! I’ll hit you if you do anything strange.”

  Saito was overwhelmed. ‘’Ah, Louise you really are kind, aren’t you. It’s like you’ve changed completely. That harsh experience really did change you…You’re even becoming kind to a disgusting mole like me.’’ With every inch closer to the bed, his pulse seemed to double. Louise faced the window, wrapped up in the blanket on the edge of the bed.

  “Is it… ok? Even for me? A mole?”

  “Yes, it’s ok, don’t make me say the same thing. What do you mean a mole?”

  Saito slipped into the bed and covered himself with the blanket.

  “Sorry.”

  He had to apologize for getting carried away and kissing her. He felt he had to. Saito whispered, “Sorry … for kissing you like that.”

  Louise didn’t reply.

  Saito thought she was sleeping, but it didn’t sound like it. Saito continued, “I've … decided before then that I would protect you as I had promised Prince Wales.”

  “Not only from enemies, but also from my own desires as well. I can’t say I’ve done a good job of protecting you so far, so, I’m sorry.” said Saito, who was now clearly voicing his thoughts.

  Louise replied in a small voice, ”It’s fine, don’t worry about it.”

  Saito grasped the blanket and whispered, “I won’t do it again.”

  “Of course.” replied Louise.

  She started to talk, as if determined to tell Saito something.

  “...but, I too have to apologize. Sorry, for just summoning you.”

  “That’s ok. It’s not good, but it’s alright.”

  “I’ll find a way for you to return home. I don’t know how, but I will. I've never heard of another world before.”

  “Thanks,” Saito felt relieved.

  Squirming a bit, Louise asked Saito, “Your world … there aren’t any mages there right?”

  “Nope.”

  “There’s only one moon?”

  “Only one.”

  “That’s weird.”

  “No it’s not, it’s this world that’s weird, mages and stuff.”

  “What were you doing in that world?”

  “I was a high school student.”

  “High school student?”

  “Well it’s not much different from being a student here, I guess. Studying is kind of your job.”

  “What do people do when they grow up?”

  Louise started to bombard Saito with questions. While wondering why, Saito replied, “Hmm, a company employee perhaps, that’s the most common.”

  “What’s a company employee?”

  He became slightly irritated, but replied, “You work and you earn money.”

  “I don’t really understand … but is that what you want to become?”

  Saito remained silent. He hadn’t thought of what he wanted to do in the future. He spent his days doing what he liked. His future was neither bright nor dark. Thinking this state of affairs would last forever, he just absentmindedly attended school. Saito was a bit troubled by his reply, “I dunno. I haven’t really thought about it.”

  “Wardes said you were a legendary familiar. Those runes on the back of your hand are apparently the mark of Gandálfr.”

  “I don’t really understand, but it seems that Gandálfr is meant to use the sword Derflinger.”

  “I wonder if that’s true…”

  “Well it has to be, I couldn’t use a sword like Derflinger normally.”

  “Then, why can’t I use magic? You’re a legendary familiar, yet I’m Louise the Zero. Ugh.”

  “I don’t know.”

  Louise remained silent for a while. Then she spoke in a serious tone, “You know, I want to become a great mage. I don’t mean a very powerful mage. I just want to be able to cast spells properly. I don’t want to fail every spell I cast and not even know which branch of magic I’m good at.”

  Saito remembered the class they had earlier. As usual, Louise had failed.

  “Ever since I was small, I was told I was hopeless. My father and mother didn’t expect anything of me. I was always treated like an idiot, always called Zero … I really don’t have any skill. There isn’t a branch of magic that I’m good at. I’m even clumsy at reciting incantations. I get it. My teachers, mother and sisters have said it. When you recite an incantation for a spell in your branch of magic, something within your body responds and it circulates within your body. When that rhythm is at a climax, it means that the spell is completed. I have never felt that before.”

  Louise’s voice became smaller, “But, I want to at least be able to do things like everyone else. Otherwise, I get the feeling I won’t be content with myself.”

  Louise became silent once more. Saito did not know what to say to comfort her. Some time passed before Saito began to speak.

  “Even if you can’t use magic … you’re normal. Not just normal … you’re cute. And you’ve been so kind recently as well. You have your own qualities. Even if you can’t use magic, you’re a great person…”

  Ending his incoherent reply, Saito turned towards Louise. She had already fallen asleep. Her innocent face took his breath away. It seemed she had drifted off while Saito was thinking of his reply. Her pinkish blond hair mixed with the moonlight, shining brightly. Steady breathing could be heard from her small pink lips.

  Looking at those lips, he wanted to press his lips against hers once more and, without even realizing it, he started to move his face forward. But, he stopped. It's cowardly to kiss a girl who isn't even his lover while she is sleeping. I’m not your lover… but I will protect you. So don’t worry Louise.

  Smiling warmly at Louise, Saito closed his eyes. With Louise’s breathing as a lullaby, Saito fell asleep.

  Louise opened her eyes once Saito had fallen asleep. She knit her eyebrows and whispered, “I was even pretending to sleep”. Louise hugged her pillow, and bit her lips. It’s so different, she thought. When he was making a move on her, he did it rashly like an idiot and yet when he’s obedient, he’s totally obedient.

  I don’t understand. I don’t understand what he’s thinking at all. Louise rested her hands on her chest. When Saito was next to her, her chest really did throb. So these feelings really are true?

  She wanted to return the favour to Saito, who had been so kind and had saved her so many times… But that wasn’t the only thing. It was the first time she had felt these feelings for someone of the opposite sex and she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t allow Saito to help her change because of this. Once she recognized these feelings, she became embarrassed at the mere thought of him looking at her skin. She didn't want him to see her face after she had just woken up.

  When did I start having these feelings for Saito? Probably since that time, Louise thought. Just when she was about to be killed by Fouquet’s golem, she was hugged by Saito. Her heart throbbed. Despite the fact that she was about to die, her heart beat loudly. There was also the time when Wardes was about to kill her. Saito jumped in and saved her. But the time her heart beat the fastest was when they were riding on the dragon and he had kissed her. After that, she couldn’t look at Saito’s face.