Zero no Tsukaima:Volume15 Chapter1

Carcassonne

Residing on the Southern parts of Galia, Carcassonne is a medium sized city around 400 miles west of the capital Lutèce.

On the surface, that is.

Spanning 50 metres wide, 2 miles long, this narrow but long city was built hanging on a cliff like a bridge. If someone views it from the sky, it would almost look like a winding giant snake.

Roofs made from layers and layers of red tiles are the snake's scales. Because of this, this city also has an alias named red. Containing a population of around 2000 citizens, this city has a long history.

In the streets of this city which defended Aren people(亞人) from invading for numerous times, a familiar and its master was frantically running.

"Stop! In the name of the Queen's official Louise Françoise I order you!"

While running for his life on the stone paved roads, Saito panted heavily. The pedestrians looked at this pair of fascinating master and familiar arriving with Romalian army with astonished expressions.

Louise, wearing clothes of the academy, launched herself and grabbed Saito's waist tightly, and "thump!" the two fell onto the ground.

"Let, let go of me!"

"It's time I teach you a good lesson!"

Louise sat on top of him and pointed at his face, her face thoroughtly red.

"I'm sick of it! You say it everyday!"

Yes. It has already been two whole weeks after the Myozunitonirun led Golomonta army have been crushed.

During this period, Louise have been blaming Saito non-stop. That is because.... Saito's memories flowing into Louise's heart.

Unable to stand Saito's departure, Louise pleaded Tiffania to erase all her memories about Saito...

Unknown if it's the bond between a familiar and its master that's hard to break, or Louise's desire for her familiar..... anyhow Saito's memories flowed into Louise's heart when they kissed.

From Saito's perspective, the couple's memories were rebuilt, inculding all sorts of other stuff. Which can also be said that this memory does not only consist of things that happened in reality, but also of Saito's daily fantasties.

For teens at Saito's age, his "fantasties" can only be about one thing.

"I'll let you off for now about the 'education in the toilet' a while ago. It may not be something good, but it's understandable"

"Understanding that, you've grown as well"

Saito teased happily, Louise turned even redder

"B-but, but...... But!"

At the last "but", Louise clenched her fists.

"'Closing eyes at the court' is not negotiable! Impossible!"

Louise beat Saito to a pulp.

The Ondine Water Spirit Knights, Tabitha and Sylphid extend their heads from the balcony of the tavern to watch the last part.

"Really.... this is almost becoming their daily routine"

Guiche chuckled while gulping down wine.

Reinare pushed his glasses up from slipping and said

"But if you think about it, Louise is pretty troublesome. Saito fights so hard for Louise.... even if he had some weird dreams, it isn't excatly unforgivable."

"Reinard. Do you also like doing perverted stuff to girls as well? Huh~ even someone as stubborn as you too...."

Being made fun by Gimili, Reinard blushed

"It's not like that! If...if you are a male, you would think of these things more or less... I don't have a high interest in these things, just normal interest...."

"Then would you say these to normal girls?"

Reinare gulped down his glass of wine silently.

With this, an intense discussion on the topic of Louise being easily angered and their pity on Saito began.

"honestly, Louise is just like a child!"

"Saito has an impressive endurance, don't you think? If I were him, I couldn't have handled this"

One member of the forum shook uncontrollably with anger.

That boy is none other than Malicorne. Using one hand stabbing and twisting his food cruelly, he said

"Is there a problem with your eyes"

"Uh? What do you mean?"

"It's only a what it looks like"

Malicorne jabbed his fork with hanging pieces of meat at Louise and Saito. Louise beating Saito and Saito defending from her attacks. It's a common sight around the boys.

"What does looks like then?"

Confronted with his mate's doubt, Malicorne tipped his head in the same direction again

"Watch again closely"

The band looked again at Louise and Saito.

And was kept in that posture staring.

Although Louise was punching Saito.......... they only landed on his chest lightly. Saito accepted her attacks and was wearing a carefree face, just like comforting a child.

Louise paused her punches and bit her lips like flirting and turned her head away from him, used index finger to hold down Saito's hands and started twirling.

Saito pulled Louise close, mumbled for a while in her ear, then Louise bowed her head embarrasingly and said something.

"......Idiot. Must be saying 'you naughty boy' or whatever......"

Malicorne lip-read Louise's script with a tone almost sighing. Such highly skilled techniques.

"You would make me do even more d-d-dirty things....... Don't be stupid. Is this all...... Really?.....Really? Of course it's true..... But, Louise doesn't like you fantastising like this....."

Malicorne spun around, about to puke. He quickily regained himself and up, crying out with a fierce face.

"Using an ironic expression to put this makes this sounds laaaaaammmmmeeeeeeee!"

Malicorne suddenly saying things so willfully gave his counterparts sitting next to him a scare.

"Which means that the main dish is yet to come? Signs of flirting with each other, this, this kind of thing..... as a noble, it should be done in absolute scecrecy......"

"Ma-malicorne......"

Guiche stood up and grabbed his mate's shoulders.

"Ah!"

Malicorne's fist hit Guiche's cheek.

"Putting up this kind of show brazenly, they really fear nothing, do they?"

Saito and Louise ignored them and went back into their own world again shamelessly. Only they would think that fighting is a part of flirting.

Louise was hugged tightly by Saito from behind, her hands joined by Saito's, acting all shy. Saito stared at Louise's face from the side, but every time Louise would turn away in embarrasment.

"Welll.... I know males is a completely different creature from us.... because you were by my side all the time"

"Hmmmh? Louise, how should I say, that is only an extreme case....."

"Why are all boys like this, thinking these things"

"How should I explain it, that...."

Saito shook his head. The tension at the scene was like an matured apple about to be fall on the ground but bounded so tight by iron wire that it almost cuts into its flesh. Must correct Louise's misconception, even though it's not a misconception at all. However, that would be too much for an illogical Louise to handle.

The girl you like falling in love with yourself, and also in an environment that spells "do whatever you want" out loud..... yet Saito just had to screw things up at the crucial stage.

If he doesn't come up with something quick....... after some frantic processing in his brain, Saito, being stuck in a stalemate, came up with a shocking excuse.

"I say, actually there is a little devil living in my heart. That guy always imprints these henious thoughts into me"

Louise's shoulder's tensed up

"Little devil?"

"Mm. That guy would tell me to do a lot of things with bad intentions, is a terrible guy who needs to temptate even me. Even so, I am still fighting with him everyday. It's hard to deal with since it's full of charming lies..... No, it may be charming, but it only works on men."

Louise hated this kind of excuses. Although she feels really sorry for Saito's wild fantasties, but in reality, she isn't as angry as she seems. A half is actually used to cover up her shame, as for details, we'll leave it for later. Saito being so consicious of her has made her very happy.

This is the obvious truth, but he just had to tread on "a little devil in his heart", this kind of lame lies. Even if you had to lie, find something better. Or does he doesn't take me seriously. That's right, it must be it. Huh, there must be a limit to believing someone to be dumb

Louise focus all her energy in the tip of her foot. If in addition to the torque generated by turning her body and kicking it out, it would unquestionably land on Saito's weak spot..... in other words, between his legs. Just as Louise was considering this, Saito opened his mouth and continued.

"Hmm, letting the little devil speak for himself might be good. But anyhow, my feelings for you are real."

Last time Saito was at the inter-class grand baseball competition, he had never made a homerun no matter how hard he tried. On the contrary, this hardly spectacular sentence had successfully made a homerun pitched by Louise.

The white ball flies over the wall, out of the stands, and fell towards Louise again, knocking her out in the head.

Louise's soft body lost its source of power, and leaned on Saito.

"Put aside the little devil talk. Say, I really like beautiful things. The same goes for romantic ones. Therefore, the washroom stuff, you are whose's dog whatever, I hope you will never think of these things, How should I say it, it feels like it would dirty important pieces."

Saito kept nodding and hugged Louise close to him gently.

"Understood. I will try my best"

"If it really is like that, I would be very happy"

"Let's make up"

"Mm, alright"

Saito lifted Louise's jaw. Louise closed her eyes like she's angry. Just as Saito was nearing close his lips......

A sudden gust of wind from behind pushed the couple to the ground.

"What!"

Saito jumped up. Behind him was a giant "ghost" standing with his legs crossed.

"It's me, Malicorne......."

The couple trembled with fear as they observed the slightly chubby teen telling them his name. The reason he looks so huge is that the fury emitting from his body is too shocking to get a clear sight.

"......Ma-malicorne"

"That's right. My name is Malicorne. I will be representing the citizens of Carcassonne to punish the flagrant 'heretics' with the hammer of God!"

Malicorne said laughing darkly.

Saito and Louise crawlled backwards in fear, attempting to flee. The rage leaking at such a massive scale from a dot ranked mage was enough to scare the legendary void user.

Thunderclaps sounded in the air, his fury has triggered lightning. Although lightning magic is mainly composed of wind elements, it almost belongs to top level spells, which a dot ranked Malicorne isn't supposed to be able to use. Yet still, around his surroundings, lightning sparks fired all around.

The spell's power has magnifolded because of his jealousy.

After Malicorne has finished chanting, a cloud condensed above their heads.

"St-stop! Malicorne!"

A streak of lightning bolt hit Louise and Saito right on. The two held each other, drenched in the enormous amounts of currents, and fainted away.

Even so, Malicorne's madness has still not been dispersed and kept stomping on the couple's bodies.

Her firery red hair waving in the wind, Kirche raised her eyebrows at the look on the Ondine Knights as they rushed out to stop their hot-headed friend.

"Oww. Those guys no matter where they're headed they lack a sense of emergency"

She commented, astonished, spreading her arms open.

"Speaking of which, at the start I was thinking 'how would this turn out', but I never could have imagined that we're already here now."

The day Pope Vittorio announced the commence of "Crusade" was in the month of Lutos (烏魯), Teraz(特瓦茲) week and Ingot(銀格) day. To now, it has already been two weeks. romalian army was only able to conquer the main part of Gallia because of the help from a real rebellion out of the dual-use fleets which triggered this war in the first place.

As Myozunitonirun's Golomonta army was overrunned, fleet captain Halaweiluin (克拉威魯卿) himself awoke from his nightmare.

The King may have promised him the "land of Romalia", but this does not justify his actions either. Therefore, in the case that a "Crusade" was even started, Halaweiluin completely lost his will to fight. Gallia may be powerful, but taking the God these people believe in as an enemy would result in a complete failure.

Concluding to make this decision, Halaweiluin reacted to it rapidly. After shaking off Romalia fleet's chase, he flew fast to Son.Malon (桑.馬隆). There, he honestly spoke of Gallia's conspiracy, then asked the whole crew if they are willing to surrender to Romalia.

Although Halaweiluin may not be a natural-born commander, the time he spent as a soldier was well-fit for his job. Supporting crew members from this were surprisingly high, due to the fact that many of the soldiers had their opinions to the ill-prepared operation. In the end, almost all of them agreed to rebel.

Officially becoming a real "rebellion", the news of the dual-usage fleets rising up against its home country spread across the Gallia in no time.

The unsatisified subjects of Joseph holding back their desire to mark their own names in history for a long time's official response to the rebel, is to leave the capital.

Crusade and the rebellion of the dual-usage fleets.

These two incidents, to the distrusting and unhappy congressmen, is the perfect timing for them to overthrow the Government,

Like a chain of dominos, the Marquess of the land directly connecting Gallia and Tiger's highway Funsaludar (馮薩魯達亞) was the first to stand up with the Son.Malon areas.

Marquess Funsaludar have held a deep grudge against the government for reclaiming his land the year before the last.

In addition to announcing his defiance, he declared to Romalia their permission for troops to pass and aids from volunteers on his land. Guarding the borders of Romalia and Gallia for many years, the well-known Funsaludar's betrayal consecutively pulled counterparts of shaky loyalty to his side as well.

Eventually, the lords of southern Gallia quite some distance from the Capital allied itself to the rebellions and the Romalian army audaciously walked into with the a Crusading flag, passing through the uprising areas without a single blood staining the grounds, to this city of Carcassonne.

Unfortunately, the chain of dominos also ends here.

Across the Lelian(利吶恩) river flowing through the north side of Carcassonne, an army sworn loyal to Gallia camps there awaiting. Its army is of size 90,000. Even half of the country has taken down the Gallian flag, they were still able to recruit an army of this humongous size, proving that the title of being the most powerful country of Halkengia is well deserved.

Even including the volunteers from the rebellions, the Romalian army has only 60,000 soldiers. They may be carrying the flag of a Crusade, but to overcome the disadvantage of the large difference in army size is any easy task. Although the dual-use fleet have already allied themselves, but this doesn't mean that they can march directly into the Capital without putting up a good fight.

On the other hand, in comparison to its advantage in army size, the Gallian army has a low morale to fight. Swearing loyalty does not mean that they do not know of the dangers of swinging wands towards the people who started the Crusade.

All sorts of reasons knitted together, the result? Both armies stood glaring across the river at each other.

"Oh, that reminds me, why haven't you gone to save your knight? Look isn't he being fried by lightning together with his master?"

Being asked by Sylphid, a young girl hair shining bright blue.....Tabitha continued to read her book without a sound.

Sylphid froze gazing at Tabitha. Originally she thought that her friend was no different from usual. But a few more looks gave her an instinct that something says otherwise. It's so minute that only Sylphid who always sticks near her can observe.

"You..... are nervous right?"

This is the centre of Gallia. The person wearing this kingdom's crown is her father's largest foe..... And not long ago was almost driven crazy by this uncle king.

Still attempting to get closer her most hated enemy...... now she does not have the same helpless existance as before, but with a large army capable of reversing the tables.....

Feeling nervous is expected.

"No. Not like that"

Tabitha shut her book then stood up, afterwards, making quick footsteps.

Sylphid glanced at the balcony across. In between the two steep cliffs, enjoying the view of the streets of Carcassonne is one of the best scenes you would want to see before you die. Below the cliff is a field of pastures, the Lelian river reflecting sprinkles of the radiant sun. On both shores the deadly shadows of the Romalian and Gallian army.

Afterwards, Sylphid switched to Saito and the others. The Ondine Water Spirit Knights were taking care of Saito and Louise fried black by Malicorne's lightning.

And eventually her eyes landed on Tabitha's silhouette.... To other people she is not different from any other day, but Sylphid can see through the disguise easily.

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