Zero no Tsukaima:Volume17 Chapter1
Chapter 1: Saito's Despair
“Uu… uu”
Once Saito opens his eyes, he found himself on a bed of the mansion. Rays of morning light shone through the window.
“You’re okay, Saito-san?!”
“I……”
Saito replied with a croaking voice.
“What exactly happened yesterday?” Siesta asked in a hurry.
“Siesta, what’s wrong with me?”
With a pale face, Saito asked.
“What are you saying, because Saito-san came home too late, I went to search for you. Later, I found Saito-san lying on the street side …… May I ask if you have found Miss Valliere yet?”
From the back of his head came bursts of dull pain.
While in pain, Saito remembered the events of the previous night vividly.
He had came out of the mansion to search for Louise.
Then, he was attacked by two men and women claiming to be the Elemental Siblings.
The “blade” was big and terrifying.
Then because of the “blade”'s absorption of energy, it exploded and shattered into pieces…
“Derf…”
Saito softly murmured, looking at the Japanese sword by his bedside.
“Derf-san? That sword? Now that you mention it, I haven't seen him anywhere……”
“He’s not around anymore. He broke apart.”
Saito answered distractingly. Siesta wept, covering her mouth with her hands in an ‘ah’. Siesta clearly understood how close the relationship between the wisdom sword and Saito was. “How did that happen? Derf-san, is he really dead……?”
Saito began to talk about what happened in the previous night. While he was drunk, he found the keys in the kitchen.
"Isn’t there ... a basement we cannot get into? Those are the keys to it. In the basement, there is a very clean room…… later I found that the room is linked to the palace ...... and at the end of it……"
Linked to the palace.
Through these words, Siesta seemed to notice something.
"Ah" she gave a startled expression ... and then considered something while scratching her neck.
"Could it be that..."
"H-her Majesty the Queen came through......”
"Yes ... Her Majesty Henrietta. Other than the arrival of Her Majesty the Queen, there’s nothing else”
Siesta was staring at Saito in a scary manner.
"Ah, so, because we were both interested in the basement... so we'd taken a look! Just as we were inspecting the room, Louise……”
“You were discovered?"
At her serious tone, Saito nodded.
"What were the two of you doing?"
"Kiss ......"
When Siesta heard that, she suddenly looked severe and mercilessly slapped Saito in the face.
"Pa!" it clearly echoed in the whole room.
"This for Miss Valliere”
Saito who was listless, was so shocked that he opened his eyes.
"And then?"
"What then ......"
A still useless Saito, who has not completely woken up from his trance, asked Siesta.
“From there, continue "
Saito continued because of her tone. After finding out that Louise left, he frantically tried to catch up. Along the way, he met those strange aristocratic brothers and sister. They invited him to join them, but suddenly said they wanted to kill him. During the fight against the brother, Derflinger exploded into pieces because he absorbed too much magic...
Derf turned into broken pieces ... Speaking of that moment, Saito finally recognized its reality. Too shocked, he let the memories of his good friend's “death” come together in his mind. Tears slowly filled his eyes, and streamed down Saito's cheek.
"Uu, Siesta ... Derf died… obviously, obviously, as a good guy ..."
Siesta's eyes were also filled with tears, but she once again gave Saito a slap in the face.
Saito looked at Siesta with a surprised expression. He seemed to want to say something, but kept his silence.
”Why are you crying?
"Eh? B-because ......"
"Do we still have time to cry?"
Siesta wiped the corner of her eye while holding back her tears.
"Even though I also want to cry out, however, because there is no time to cry, I will not cry out. We must immediately find Miss Valliere, right? Even Saito-san got attacked, Miss Valliere might encounter the same danger”
Saito opened his mouth with a “ah”. It was as Siesta said.
"I…… even though Miss Valliere and I are vying for Saito-san as rivals, I really like Miss Valliere. To be honest, there are times when I hated her even if I compliment her, her personality cannot be considered good..
But I still like her very much. Because, a noble like her can sleep beside a person like me without voicing a complain, isn’t that right? We are obviously rivals"
Saito suddenly clenched his fist tightly and wiped the corner of his eyes.
"Derf-san’s death, I’m also very sad. However, if something happens to Miss Valliere, Derf-san would be even angrier, right?"
He will say, “Partner, what kind of excuse have you come up with this time?”
Saito nodded his head from the bed and stood up. Derflinger's final words floated into his mind.
"You must apologise to that arrogant little lady ..."
"... Siesta is right. This is really not the time to do such a thing."
Gathering his voice, Saito spoke. However ...... his voice was trembling, his body staggered as if he was about to fall. Saito kept saying to himself "This is not the time to do such a thing", while gripping the Japanese sword leaning against the bed, he insert it into his bed.
Siesta was holding on to this kind of Saito.
"This Is It! This is Saito-san!"
"But, where exactly did Louise go... since I have no clue......”
"Anyway, let’s go to a place where she would possibly go first”
Saito and Siesta quickly organised the finished costume (装束) and asked Grandmother Helen to help look after the house. Looking at their faces, Grandmother Helen felt something was amiss and nodded her head with a serious expression.
Imagining where Louise might go, they walked to the streets.
After walking for a while, they came to the place where 多德 fought last night. The ground had deep cut marks all over, showing the powerful magic of the 多德. They tried to find Derflinger’s fragments……but couldn’t find them. It was as if they have dissolved completely.
Exactly who commissioned those brothers and sister to attack him ... However, if you think about it, he was a celebrity after all. Even though he didn't consider it, but there was also the possibility of incurring the resentment of others. Speaking of which, a plebeian like himself become famous might just get the nobles jealous.
Saito clenched the hilt of the Japanese sword. Now is not the time to be thinking who exactly wants to attack. If someone came to fight, then I’ll fight them.
But ... can I still fight? Louise and Derf are not here, in this kind of situation, what do I do if I meet a stronger opponent?
Saito’s body was surrounded by fear and despair.
"...... Ah, I have been relying on you Derf”
He didn't know why, but his own body did not feel like a part of himself. The core of the body felt as if it was deprived of life.
When they went to the inn, Saito borrowed horses, in short, to rush to Tristan. When they reached the Charming Fairies Inn, they were just preparing the shop for the night.
“Ah! Isn't it Saito and Siesta!"
Scarron welcomed them at first, but when he saw the look on Saito and Siesta’s faces, his expression changed.
"What happened?"
“...... have you seen Louise? "
Saito used a dead man-like's face to ask such a question.
Scarron narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“Ah, ah. It’s only rehearsal and already you’re angered? In that case, after graduation that home sweet home is absolutely impossible!"
Hearing these words, Saito could not help but fall down on his knees. No matter how desperately he tried to cheer up, by this simple sentence, he was defeated. In fact, nobody can blame Saito’s fragility. In the end, he is only a teenager.
"That is the way ... in that case, having a new life is absolutely impossible to do ... and will never get Valliere’s family to acknowledge you ... I, what was I doing……totally did not expect, to develop into such a state ...... "
"You’re going to look at other girls with a pervert look anyway, right? So I say spend some quality time with Siesta only! Have I not told you before? Ah, looks like I did not."
Siesta interrupted Scarron who still wanted to pursue the matter.
"Uncle Scarron! Please Stop! Saito-san has just lost a close friend and is fragile!”
"Which close friend?"
"It's that talking sword. Saito-san was attacked by someone last night”
Siesta said with a calm voice, Scarron’s expression turned serious.
"I see... Sure enough, the situation we were worrying about has happened”
Looking down at a sea mouse-like Saito lying on the floor, Scarron said. The hero who saved the country becomes useless all of a sudden.
"So, we need to find Miss Valliere as soon as possible ......”
"En" Scarron nodded his head, then gave out instructions readily.
"First, through the Owl Post we'll pass this information to those places where Louise-chan might go to, her classmates and the Cavaliers. Then the capitalists there ... and also, the palace!”
Hearing the word ‘palace’, Siesta's shoulders shook slightly.
"... actually, I think she’ll not be in the palace"
"Why? Isn’t Henrietta her highness and Louise childhood friends?
Scarron's gaze swept over Saito who was lying on the floor face down saying "I cannot do it. I’m so useless. I should not be born in this era,代继子遭受排斥的家伙是德奥鲁尼艾鲁土地上的泥块是腐烂 掉的橘子啊！我的橘子是柳澤公夫，那个还挺有意思的”之类完全意义不明自虐话语的才人，一会扫扫雪丝塔，随后他的嘴唇张成菱形，流着急汗不停哆嗦起来。
"D-don’t tell me ... Saito’s love interest is…… implossible…… but looking at Saito-san’s past achievements… the country best knight and Her Royal Highness Princess's tryst - there are still that kind of rumors... but I totally did not think that the unexpected will become a reality ... ah ah, really wonderful!"
Scarron’s emotions were uncontrollable, turning back and forth.
"Uncle! Pull yourself together! Pull yourself together a little!"
Siesta shook awake Scarron who muttered dreamily,
"The small girl boarded the dark stage of history! Ah ah, wonderful!"
Then Scarron stood up, patting the shoulder of Siesta.
“Siesta can perhaps leave a mark in history. If it comes true, you must tell your uncle because uncle wants to turn this story into a drama, letting it spread through the universe”
"Please 收敛 a little! Really!"
When Siesta call it this way, Jessica who was doing laundry suddenly jumped out.
"What? What happened?"
After listening to Scarron’s explanation, Jessica stared at Saito with wide eyes.
"Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey Hey!"
Scarron and Jessica, started muttering that this was the biggest ugly news of the Kingdom of Tristan and if this matter was to spread, the government will definitely be shaken.
"So, you definitely must not tell anyone! Writing it to be a drama is even more ridiculous!"
Under the harsh glare of Siesta, the two finally became more honest.
“Yes ...... It's not like I don't hear enough things that will throw more than a few lives. I won’t tell anyone so can you don’t worry?"
"Next"
"However, that aside, informing this matter to Her Majesty the Queen should be a little better. After all, Miss Valliere is a female officer of Her Majesty. Ah, this has become a big event!"
Therefore, Saito wrote a few letters. The content was "Did Louise reach there?” Now that it was the summer vacation, the students had gone back home. The Ondine Knights were no exception. The only person who was willing to listen to Saito from Louise’s own family was Cattleya, so he wrote a letter to her too. As he was writing, the sadness in his chest became unbearable. He had clearly promised Cattleya that he will protect Louise……but she ran away. At Tristan, even though they didn’t have a post office, there are industries like Japan that used owls to mail letters or articles.
He gave the letters to one of Des Ornières’s post office. Within two to three days, the letters will be delivered.
Even though he was troubled, Saito finally directly rushed to Henrietta. Getting attacked by those unknown people also needs to be reported.
Letting Siesta stay in the Charming Fairies Inn, Saito rushed to the palace. Because he was vice-captain of the Ondine Knights, he was immediately allowed to enter and have an audience in the waiting room.
What kind of facial expression do I use to face Henrietta? Alas ...... what kind of attitude should I show?
"Do I like Her Royal Highness Princess?"
Men who see Henrietta and are not being able to say she was "beautiful" did not exist. Even Saito who lacks experience in love know that Henrietta’s charm was extraordinary.
However, Saito thought.
This was only an excuse. To use this excuse, say to himself, that "being unable to resist that kind of charm is normal”, this kind of ‘him’ was terrible.
The audience waiting room door was opened, a guard announced.
"Her Majesty the Queen, instantly summoned the Ondine Knights vice-captain Hiraga”
Saito stood up and passed through the doors. There, Henrietta assumed a different attitude than what Saito imagined. General expression as if over-thoughtful, sitting in a chair reading a letter deeply.
Noting that Saito has appeared, she raised her head, smiling. This smile, did not have any feelings and was different than last night's bright smile. It was simple, exposed only to reward the hard work of the vice-captain and his smile. Saito made a stiff expression. Henrietta gently waved her hand to allow others to leave. The guards standing next to the door exited the room. Making sure the guards was away, Henrietta sighed deeply. That beautiful face from the side started showing sorrow.
"Great. I was going to ask you to come"
"Me?"
"Yes ... in fact, I just received a letter from Louise suddenly and was thinking of what to do now......”
Saito aroused a burst of nasty premonition. After reading the letters, he understood that his premonition was accurate. It was written, 自己想卸下作为和加里亚王的交涉官的任务，以及奉还司祭一职的想法。
"Then, I hope I am never going to make a farewell ......
Louise really wants to disappear from our eyes.
"Actually ......"
Once Saito said that, Henrietta’s shoulder shivered. With clenched lips, her shy-like body stiffen up. As a result, the Queen's authority disappeared and turned into变成了芳龄少女的表情. The Henrietta, at this point of time, let Saito be defeated under her charm. Or, it was because he spent that kind of night, so he will feel like that.
“From start to finish in that room, Louise saw everything……”
"Is that so......"
Henrietta expressed a “It really was like that” kind of expression, being upset until she was out of the line of sight.
"Sure enough, should not be that kind of thing"
As if to escape under that kind of Henrietta charm in general, Saito categorically said,
"...... Today I came just to report Louise’s disappearance but it seems Louise has already told Her Highness”
才人凝视着书信。在那之中没有任何一句对安莉埃塔的非难。有的，仅仅是辞别，以及为至今以来受到的厚遇而感谢。
As Saito Imagine the feelings of Louise as she wrote this letter, he felt his chest tighten in sadness. As long as he thought of that the may never meet her again, he could not bear it.
"Are there any clues as to where Louise is? Tentatively, I have sent letters to students and partners, as well as the Vallieres ......”
Henrietta said with an over thoughtful expression.
"...... If women want to hide themselves, they will certainly go to the monastery or the Chamber of Commerce. I will give notice to the monastery of 托里斯汀, to look for anyone that looks like Louise among the women who come to visit”
"In short ... I try to 托里斯汀look around”
Speaking of which, Henrietta said with a troubled voice,
"... this is after all affairs of the state. Be sure to come back before Gallia Queen's Coronation Garden Party starts”
After considering for a moment, Saito nodded his head. Work was work, after all. Ah, it was also necessary to complete. Must be added with that of Louise's work together.
If, however, he did not find Louise, under that kind of situation, Saito had no confidence whether he could complete his work successfully. However, if Tabitha was the same as before, he should be able to open up his mind.
“Yes. In short, I will come back before the deadline. If I am able to find her beforehand, that’s fine... After all, this is like looking a gem in the sea "
Hearing the term ‘ gem’, Henrietta gloomily closed her eyes. Even so, she said with a calm voice.
"To Louise, you are the gem…...the same goes for you. It seems that this was the fault that I committed, but ......"
Henrietta raised her head and said categorically.
"But I do not regret"
Saito cannot help but breathe. Henrietta placed her slender hand on his chest, like a sculpture in general good shape slowly closed her lips. At that time that glamorous atmosphere was not shown. Only great willpower ... coming from the queen, her whole body emitted it. That kind of dignified attitude shook Saito’s heart.
Henrietta, seen under the sun was shining like a saint in general virtuous.
"This person has a twofold appearance of the day and night."
This has nothing to do with his own will, this two faces was expressed by Henrietta unconsciously.
"Does a women with this kind of charm exist in the world?"
With an ‘ah’, Saito noticed. He felt a strong sense of shame to the ‘him’ who was thinking like this. My feelings ... haven’t I just lost Louise ...
So bad.
Saito murmured in his heart.
"I'm terrible."
While Saito was thinking that, he could not forgive the “him” who was attracted to women in front of him.
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