Zero no Tsukaima:Volume1 Story1 Chapter2

Chapter 02 - Part 1.0

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Chapter 02 - Part 2.0

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Page 58

Louise propped her chin on her hands and spoke.

"You know, familiars are supposed to be outside. You're only in here because I've specially requested it."

Saito was sitting dumbly on the floor, staring at the bowl that had been placed in front of him. In it were some sorry-looking scraps of meat, floating around in a thin soup. And to the edge of that was half a loaf of hard-looking bread.

Extending his neck, he peered over the edge of the tabletop.

He could only gaze longingly at the spectacular feast that was laid out on it. It was far beyond comparing with his meager bowl of scraps.

"O Great Founder Brimir, and our lady the Queen. We thank you for this humble meal that you have graciously provided us this morning."

The harmonious sound of prayer was raised. Louise also joined in, closing her eyes.

Just how is that a 'humble meal?' Saito griped, still staring at the food. That's more than a banquet. If anyone's got a 'humble meal,' it'd be me. I mean, just what the heck is in this bowl? This is worse than what you'd feed a pet. He wanted to protest. Even pets in Japan eat better than this!

Irritated at this mistreatment, he laid a hand on the tabletop. But that hand was slapped away by Louise.

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Saito looked up resentfully at her.

"What are you doing?"

"Give me some chicken. Just a bit will do."

"Jeez..."

Grumbling, Louise stripped a bit of skin and dropped it into Saito's bowl.

"What about the meat?"

"No, I'm not going to help start a habit."

Louise herself began digging enthusiastically into the grand feast.

"Ah, it's delicious. Delicious! I think I'm going to cry." (note: that's Saito being sarcastic)

Saito muttered, while he gnawed on his hard bread.

The classrooms in the Magic Academy were similar to university lecture halls. And like everything else, they too were constructed from stone. The lecturing teacher would stand at the lowest level, and the seats were arranged upward like stairs. When Saito and Louise entered, every student in the room simultaneously turned their heads towards them.

And then the laughing began. Kirche was there also, surrounded by a group of boys.

I see, so she really does have them wrapped around her little finger. She's being treated like a queen

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by basically all of those guys. Well, it's not surprising, with her impressive bust. I guess big breasts are big breasts, no matter where you go.

The familiars that everyone had brought along were a varied bunch.

Kirche's salamander was curled asleep under her chair. There were also students with owls resting on one shoulder. From a window, a gigantic snake peered into the class. One boy whistled, and the snake withdrew its head. Other than those, there were also ravens and cats.

But what drew Saito's attention the most were the creatures that would've been considered fantasy monsters back in his world. He was suddenly excited. All sorts of amazing beasts were milling around around him.

He spotted a lizard with six legs. That's gotta be... Saito tried to recall what little fantasy lore he knew. A basilisk! I've seen one in a game. There was also a huge eyeball floating gently in mid-air. What could that be? He decided to ask Louise.

"What's that freaky eyeball monster?"

"A bugbear."

"Then what about that octopus-thing?"

"Skua." (note: text reads as 'sukyua,' like 'skewer;' 'skua' is a type of seabird, but that's not relevant)

Louise answered him in a sullen voice, and sat herself down on a seat. Saito also sat down beside her. She glared at him.

"What?"

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"That's a mage's seat. Familiars are not allowed on it."

Begrudgingly, he lowered himself to the floor. I hadn't been allowed to eat breakfast at the table either. And this desk is really getting in the way. I'm not sitting here, he resolved, and sat back on the chair.

Louise glanced at him, but didn't say anything this time.

The door opened, and the teacher entered the class.

She was a middle-aged woman, dressed in a voluminous purple robe, and wearing a hat. She had a plump, round face that gave off a friendly impression.

"Is that lady a magician too?" Saito whispered to Louise.

"Isn't it obvious?" Louise hissed back.

The woman gazed around the classroom, and spoke with a satisfied smile.

"Well everyone, it seems that the Springtime Familiar Summoning was a great success. I, Chevreuse, always enjoy seeing the new familiars that are brought each spring."

Louise cast her eyes downward.

"My my. You've summoned quite a... peculiar familiar, Miss Valliere."

She remarked as she looked at Saito. The comment was fairly innocent, but the classroom exploded with laughter.

"Louise the Zero! Don't go around grabbing random commoners off the street, just because you can't summon anything!"

Louise's long blonde hair billowed as she stood up. She raised her cute voice in anger.

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Chapter 02 - Part 2.1

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Page 62

"No! I did everything properly! He was all that appeared!"

"Don't lie! I bet you couldn't even cast the spell of Summoning, right?"

The rest of the students chuckled.

"Mrs Chevreuse! I've been insulted! Malicorne the 'Common Cold' just insulted me!"

Louise banged a fist against the tabletop in protest.

"Common cold? I'm Malicorne the Windward! I haven't caught any cold!"

"Well your hoarse voice sounds exactly like you've caught one!"

The boy called Malicorne stood up and glared at Louise. Chevreuse pointed at them with the wand in her hand. The two suddenly jerked about like puppets on a string, and rigidly sat back down.

"Miss Valliere, Mister Malicorne. Please stop this unnecessary argument."

Louise looked visibly dejected. All that vivacity that she'd shown just earlier seemed to have evaporated.

"Calling friends 'Zero' or 'Common Cold' is not acceptable. Do you understand?"

"Mrs Chevreuse, I'm only called that a a joke. But for Louise it's the truth."

A few giggles broke out from somewhere.

Page 63

Chevreuse looked around the classroom with a severe expression. She pointed her wand again, and the mouths of the students who'd giggled were suddenly filled with lumps of red clay that nobody knew where they came from.

"You people shall continue the lesson in that state."

That put a firm stopper on any further outbursts.

"Then, let's begin the lesson."

Chevreuse coughed heavily, and waved her wand. A few pebbles materialised on her desktop.

"My Runic name is 'Red Clay.' Chevreuse the Red Clay. This year, I will be teaching you all the magic of the Earth element. Do you know the four great elements of magic, Mister Malicorne?"

"Y-yes, Mrs Chevreuse. They are Fire, Water, Earth and Wind."

Chevreuse nodded.

"And combined with the now-lost element of 'Void', there are five elements in total -- as everyone should already know. Of the five elements, I believe Earth holds an extremely important position. This isn't just because my affinity is for Earth, nor is it simply a personal preference."

Once again, Chevreuse coughed heavily.

"The magic of Earth is very important magic that governs the creation of all matter. If it weren't for this,

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we wouldn't be able to produce necessary metals, or process them. Raising buildings from large boulders and harvesting crops would also involve much more work. In this manner, the magic of the Earth element is intimately related to everyone's living."

Aha, thought Saito. So in this world, magic is the equivalent of science and technology in my world. I think I understand now, the reason why Louise is so proud to call herself a magician.

"Now everyone, please recall that the basic magic of the Earth element is 'transmutation.' While there will be people here who can already perform this from their first year, basics build foundations. So let's review it once more."

Chevreuse turned her attention to the pebbles, and twirled her wand over them.

She then whispered a rune, and they began to glow brightly.

When the light dimmed away, the pebbles had been changed into sparkling lumps of metal.

"Is that g-g-gold, Mrs Chevreuse!?"

Kirche leaned forward over her desk.

"No, it isn't. It's plain brass. Only Square-class mages are able to transmute to gold. I'm just..."

Chevreuse gave a self-important cough.

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"A Triangle mage..."

"Louise."

Saito poked Louise.

"What? We're in the middle of a lesson here!"

"What's all this about squares and triangles supposed to mean?"

"It's the number of elements that they can add to a spell, which also determines the level of a mage."

"Huh?"

Louise explained to Saito quietly.

"See, for example, you can use an Earth spell on its own. But if you add Fire magic to it, the overall power of the spell increases greatly."

"Oh, I see."

"Those who can stack two elements like Fire and Earth together, are called Line mages. Then, those who can stack three elements, like Mrs Chevreuse who combines Earth, Earth and Fire, are Triangle mages."

"What happens when you add an element to itself?"

"It reinforces that element and makes it stronger."

"I see. So in other words, you could say that teacher over there is a fairly powerful mage, because she's a Triangle?"

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Chapter 02 - Part 2.2

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Page 66

"Exactly."

"How many can you add, Louise?"

She didn't answer.

While they were talking, the teacher noticed them.

"Miss Valliere!"

"Y-yes?"

"Please refrain from private chatter during lessons."

"I'm sorry..."

"If you are so idle to be talking, why don't I have you demonstrate for me?"

"Eh? Me?"

"Yes. Try changing these pebbles here into a metal of your choice."

Louise didn't stand up. She simply sat there looking troubled and fidgety.

"Hey, come on! She's pointing at you!" Saito nudged her.

"Miss Valliere! Is something the matter?"

Mrs Chevreuse called for her again, but Kirche raised her voice in concern.

"Umm..."

"Yes?"

Page 67

"I think it would be better if you didn't let her..."

"And why is that?"

"It's dangerous."

Kirche answered plainly. The majority of the class nodded in agreement.

"Dangerous? How so?"

"This is your first time teaching Louise, right?"

"Yes, but I hear she's a hard worker. Now, Miss Valliere. Don't worry, just try it. You won't be able to do anything if you dread mistakes."

"Louise, don't!"

Kirche cried, her face pale.

But Louise stood up.

"I'll do it."

And with a nervous expression, she walked briskly up to the front of the room.

Chevreuse stood next to Louise and smiled.

"Miss Valliere, you have to visualise strongly in your mind, the metal that you wish to transmute."

Giving a cute little nod, Louise waved her wand. And she had never looked so adorable as in that instant she pursed her lips to begin chanting an incantation -- it was almost otherworldly.

Page 68

Even knowing her true personality, Saito was momentarily enamored.

Under the morning sunshine streaming in from the window, Louise's strawberry-blonde (note: originally was 'momoiro', peach-coloured) hair sparkled enchantingly. Her hazel eyes seemed like jewels, and her skin a flawless white. And a sculpted nose befitting of nobility...

If only her breasts were filled out more, she'd be perfect -- almost too good. But no matter how cute she is, that personality of hers is a real pitfall, Saito lamented.

But as he sat there pondering, the students sitting in front of him had for some reason hidden under their chairs. Don't they see how cute Louise is? Still, she doesn't seem too popular. Rather, she gets put down as 'the Zero' and is made fun of. Just look around here, there aren't any girls nearly as cute. Only Kirche rivals her looks-wise.

Closing her eyes, Louise uttered a short rune and flourished her wand.

The pebbles on the desk promptly exploded.

Louise and Chevreuse caught the blast full-on, and were thrown against the blackboard. People screamed.

Frightened familiars added to the chaos. Kirche's salamander suddenly woke from its sleep and stood up on its hind legs to breathe out a jet of flame. A manticore burst into flight, and smashed through a window to escape. Through the hole slithered in the giant snake that had been peeking in earlier, and swallowed someone's raven.

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The classroom was in a state of pandemonium.

Kirche stood up and pointed a finger at Louise.

"That's why I told you not to let her do it!"

"Jeez, Valliere! Save us some grief and just quit school already!"

"My Lucky got eaten by a snake! Lucky!" (note: the raven just before)

Saito was in a daze.

Mrs Chevreuse didn't move from where she lay. But seeing from the occasional twitching, she wasn't dead.

A soot-blackened Louise rose slowly. She was a miserable sight to behold. Her torn blouse revealed a slender shoulder, and her panties could be seen beneath her ripped skirt.

Still, what an amazing girl.

She didn't seem at all fazed by the discord in the room...

Pulling a handkerchief to wipe the soot off her face, she spoke in a weak voice.

"Looks like I messed up a little..."

Of course, that elicited a vehement response from the other students.

"This isn't 'a little!' Louise the Zero!"

"Your success rate is always ZERO!"

Saito finally understood why Louise was called 'the Zero'.