Zero no Tsukaima:Volume10 Chapter8
Chapter 8: The Old Mansion of Orleans
By the time they finally crossed the country frontier and arrived at the old mansion of Orleans, it was well past midnight.
The twin moons could be seen from the openings between the clouds.
The old mansion of Orleans was illuminated by both the mist which drifted from the Ragdorian Lake, and the light from the twin moons. It stood out strangely in the night.
“So this is Tabitha's home......”
Saito murmured.
Louise hid behind Saito's back, and peeked at the mansion.
Guiche gulped, and grasped his artificial flower-like wand tightly.
Montmorency was checking Sylphid's condition, on whom they were sitting. Sylphid, whose injury had not fully recovered, but who had flown them here anyway, was gasping for breath. Montmorency cast a Water spell on Sylphid.
“Sylphid, are you all right?”
“Kyui!”
From the gate, the driveway which was as wide as a horse carriage, led directly towards the entrance hall. On both sides of the driveway, trees grew luxuriantly, causing the darkened mansion to further emanate an ominous feeling.
“Well then, look out......”
Guiche said that, and Kirche stepped out quickly.
“O-Oi Kirche! Isn't it dangerous!? We've got to start off with a strategy!”
“If the enemy comes out, then that would be convenient. If the enemy had laid a trap, the strategy would not work!”
Kirche headed straight towards the entrance hall, and opened the door wide.
Giiiiii～ Making a heavy sound, the door opened.
The cold silence drifted about the hall.
“Nobody is here.”
With their respective weapons readied, the group searched carefully in the mansion. While walking down the corridor, Guiche noticed the wound on the wall.
“There was a fight here...”
A broken gargoyle rolled over. Kirche approached and examined the gargoyle which looked like a fencer.
“What's wrong?”
Louise asked, and Kirche snorted.
“That girl's Wind magic...did not have the usual power.”
“What do you mean?”
“Such destructive power is not from Triangle magic. It's the power of a Square-class.”
Louise and Saito peered at the gargoyle Kirche pointed at. It was completely sliced into half by wind blades or something else. Although she said that this was of a Square-class, Louise still did not understand.
Saito could surmise nothing but “Its sharpness is awesome,” but since Kirche had passed the verdict, its power should be quite strong indeed.
Tabitha's footprints were under the broken gargoyle.
Lying deep within the place, there was a room.
Opening the door, the group went in.
That place was in horrible condition.
As if a tempest broke out, the inside of the room was a complete mess. The furniture which was originally a bed, was ripped apart, becoming feathers, wood, cloth, and fine fragments, scattered all about the room. Many cuts were on the wall.
The windows at the wall opposite the entrance were blown out; the outside could be seen.
Kirche meticulously started to examine the bed.
Pointing at a point on the bed, she called them together.
“Look here. At this point on the bed, looks like Tabitha had chanted a tornado-like magic.”
Indeed. With that point as its centre, hurricane-like cuts were inflicted until the wall.
“Uwah......What if the devastation of this room is......”
Saying that, Guiche gazed at the desolate room.
“Yeap. It is caused by that magic. Or rather, that has to be it.”
Guiche and Malicorne gulped. They imagined the power of that magic. Kirche whispered in a cheerful-like voice.
“Releasing such a strong magic, that girl still can lose? What on earth was her opponent like? Besides......”
Unnoticingly, Sylphid had poked her head into the hole of the wall. The size of the hole was about the same as Sylphid's head.
“You opened that hole? Sylphid?”
Kyui, Sylphid nodded.
“What was Tabitha's enemy?”
Sylphid extended her front leg out on top of her head. At that gesture, Kirche recognized a certain word, and muttered,
“Elf?”
Sylphid nodded vigorously.
The whole group held their breath.
“Elf!” Guiche's eyes bulged, and he trembled all over from fear.
“It's a hard enemy!” Malicorne shouted.
“No way! Elf...”
As expected, Kirche bit her lips. Louise hugged her shoulders, worried.
“Oi, oi! Are elves that dangerous? You guys are always alarmed at elves......”
When it comes to elves, Saito had known no one else other than Tiffania. He could not think of her being as dangerous as they say, but......
“Ask your sword. He should probably tell you how powerful elves are.”
Saito unsheathed Derflinger.
“Hey Derf!”
“You'd only talk to me at times like this, don't you!?”
Derflinger answered in a sulky voice.
“Don't say such things! Everyone is somehow frightened by elves but......Are they really that scary?”
“Scary!”
Derflinger answered readily.
“How-How could this be......”
“If the opponent is an elf, the odds are still against a Square Mage.”
Montmorency muttered with a troubled face.
“What!? Serious!?”
“Their power lies at the magic they use. The “Ancient Magic” I haven't witnessed it, but it is said that they could recite spells without even holding a wand. It is said that the elves are more skilful than any other races at handling the Ancient Magic.”
“Hey Delf. What's this “Ancient Magic” thingy? It's that right? The thing the water spirit is said to be using. Besides, haven't you also said that you can move because of some “Ancient” stuffs?”
“More or less. This Ancient Magic, is a magic which existed long before the magic elements were being created; a magic which controls the “power of life”. The magic elements you people recite are displaying the effects of changing the “logic” according to the power of each individual's will, but......the Ancient Magic run alongside the “logic”.”
“Explain in simpler terms.”
“The point is, the utilization of the power of nature which exists everywhere. The life force, wind, fire, water......every possible energy source. Individual's will and the power of nature- you don't have to imagine which one is stronger.”
“Well then, the elf who captured Tabitha is someone who manipulates this strong Ancient Magic. Tell us this power!”
“Perhaps the wind dragon knows more than me.”
“Sylphid?”
“Hey Rhyme Dragon, until when do you want to play dumb?”
“Rhyme Dragon?”
Everyone present looked blank. Only Louise and Montmorency who had been studying hard gasped.
“How could it be......but haven't Rhyme Dragons been extinct since a long time ago......?”
“If there's one here, then it can't have have gone into extinction.”
“Hey Sylphid. I don't really get it, but you're that- Rhyme Dragon? What's that?”
Sylphid gazed at Saito with her round eyes. After that, with a troubled-looking expression, Kyui kyui, she started shaking her head.
“It's saying it isn't.”
“Hey Rhyme Dragon. Your master had probably ordered you “never reveal your true identity”, but......now's not the case she's referring to, isn't it? Your beloved master has been captured. It's sort of emergency. In your easiest way, tell them the dreadfulness of the “Ancient Magic”.”
In a troubled face, Sylphid started shaking her head even more rigorously.
“Kyuikyui! Kyuikyui!”
After that, as if she had an idea, she closed her eyes, and opened her mouth wide. Standing right in front of her, Saito leaped back instantly.
“Wh-what are you doing?? You want to eat me!?”
In a desperately close voice, a sound which was different from Sylphid's cry was squeezed out of her throat.
“I'm not eating you! Kyui!”
Except Derflinger, everyone present opened their mouth wide. Rooted to the ground, Malicorne screamed.
“The dragon! The dragon spoooookkkkkeeeeeeee!”
“So I cannot speak? That's enough! Onee-sama instructed me not to speak, so I had controlled it all along! But that sword over there spoke as well! Kyui kyui!”
After that, Sylphid started sobbing in a sorrowful voice.
“Aaahhh! I've broken my promise with Onee-sama! I've promised never to speak out! Kyu~~i! Kyu~~~i!”
Guiche and Malicorne were screaming about anxiously, but Louise and Montmorency who had already known more or less some details about Rhyme Dragon; and Saito, were relatively calm. Saito was astonished as well, but he coped with it composedly. So what if this dragon can talk?
Even the lump of water and the owl spoke. Now, Saito was no longer very surprised at this speaking dragon.
“What's a Rhyme Dragon?” He asked Louise.
“They're legendary dragons of the ancient times. Possessing high intelligence, excelling in languages and senses, manipulating the Ancient Magic......powerful mythical creatures!”
“Ehh? You're that great?”
Saito gently stroked Sylphid's snout. In a happy voice, Kyui!, Sylphid purred.
“Hey Rhyme Dragon. Show them a little of the greatness of the Ancient Magic.”
In a mischievous voice, Derflinger asked Sylphid.
“We don't call it “Ancient”. I want you to call it the “power of the spirits”. We have only borrowed it for a while.”
“Well then, show them a little of this “Power of the spirits” thing.”
Sylphid sighed, and began chanting. Instead of runes, spoken incantations could be heard from her.
“O wind which clothes me, change my shape!”
Wind coiled about Sylphid, and turned into a blue swirl.
Taken aback, everyone stared at Sylphid. The blue swirl shone, and vanished in the blink of an eye.
Upon that......Sylphid which was supposed to be there had disappeared. In her place was a young lady around 20 years of age. A beautiful lady with long, blue hair.
Or rather, that person was......
“You! Aren't you that Irukukuu!?”
