Zero no Tsukaima:Volume9 Chapter8

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Chapter Eight: The Ball of Sleipnir

A week later, on the Day of the Void.

The Ball of Sleipnir was finally going to be held today.

It was supposed to be a day of rest, but the students of the magic academy were already all restless since morning. It was the same during breakfast.

"Who are you going as?"

"I'll try that."

It was all the conversations were about.

Guiche crossed his legs, as proud as a peacock.

“I wonder who I should become? But, for someone as handsome as myself, is it not better to just remain as I am? Don't you think so too, Saito?”

“Yeah, yeah.”

Saito replied idly, regarding Guiche as something that was little more than the breeze of a wind. Sitting opposite him was Malicorne, hugging himself.

“What should I do... If it remains like this, it looks like I'm going to have to become a beautiful girl."

“Just do that already."

“Sigh... What should I do. Isn't that a crime?"

“Of course it's a crime. I reckon that it warrants a death sentence."

“Haa... a death sentence... Ha... Ha"

Malicorne stammered as he held his trembling body together.

Imagining the fat boy acting in the manner of a young girl almost made Saito throw up his breakfast.

However... to get so excited over some masquerade ball, these people sure were easy to please.

It's only putting on a little disguise, did it really require so much thought?

Saito thought to himself, not knowing that they would be disguising themselves using magic.

It really only required a little bit of thought to realize that the Magic Academy would never hold an ordinary masquerade ball... but, being completely uninterested in the matter, Saito never considered this.

Siesta was cleaning the room when Saito returned after breakfast.

“Welcome home, Saito-san.”

“Yeah, I'm back."

Siesta was cleaning the room with a bright smile on her face.

“Today marks the day of The Ball of Sleipnir.”

“Is Siesta going too?” Saito asked.

“I'm going...because they are shorthanded..." Siesta replied shyly with her head down for some reason.

“I see..."

"So am I going or not?" Saito pondered.

Siesta walked towards Saito and looked into his eyes.

"Umm..."

“Ah, yes?"

“I've been reading a book lately." Siesta said as she pulled out a book.

“What's it about?"

"Siesta can read as well", Saito thought.

“Oh, I forgot Saito couldn't read."

Siesta blushed as she explained the story to Saito.

“The name of the book is ‘Housemaid’s Afternoon’.”

“Uh huh.”

“It is a story about a young maid serving in an aristocrat's residence. And the master of that residence is a man corrupted to his core.”

“Uh huh.”

“Every night, he would coerce the maid into doing unpleasant things with him."

“Unpleasant things?”

Siesta muttered something into Saito’s ear.

A pain tingled in his nose, and a torrent of a nosebleed flowed out. Five seconds later, he finally held it in.

“...What sort of book did you read?"

“W-What do you mean by that? It's from a girl in my dorm. She let be borrow it!"

Siesta blushed as she shook her hands.

So this is the stuff Siesta and the maids read in their spare time... but then again, the girl magazines in my world are pretty risque as well...

Saito accepted with his strange justification.

“Well...?”

“No… I’d hate it if a person like the master from the story were to touch me like that… but if it were Saito…”

“What are-?”

Siesta covered her blushing face with her hands.

“N-never mind! I was only joking!”

“O-of course…” Saito laughed.

Siesta tilted her head towards Saito, a curious glint in her eye.

“But… how about we give it a try?”

“Huh?”

“It’s just trying only.”

Shocked to a stupor, Saito remained planted where he stood as Siesta ran over to Saito with a look of distress, as though she had broken something.

“Ah! Oh no, I broke master’s cup.”

“…”

“It is Saito’s turn now.” Siesta said in a serious tone.

“What am I supposed to do?”

Walking up to Saito’s side, Siesta began to mutter with a slight whisper.

Pshhh~~ [--- Sound of nosebleed. Please replace with something better =P ---]

Blood spurted from Saito’s nose at that instant.

“S-Siesta?”

“Please punish me! I wish to be punished by Saito! L-Like this!”

With a cry, Siesta melodramatically fell onto the floor. Tilting her head up from the floorboards towards Saito, her face as red as a ripe apple. An intense aura of abuse and neglect seemed to emanate from her.

Siesta then gently lifted up the hem of her skirt, up the side.

“M-Master, please punish me as you see fit…"

What is that maid rambling on about… and what’s a guy like me supposed to do…

Only meaningless words passed through Saito’s lips.

At the same time, Louise was quickly approaching by horse.

Saito hesitantly went to the shelf where the horse whip was hidden. Nearly fainting from all the blood rushing to his head, Saito could resist no longer.

At that instant, Louise opened the door.

In front of her eyes was Siesta, collapsed on the floor with her skirt pulled up and saying something about waiting for her master’s punishment; and Saito with the whip from the shelf in his hand. Louise promptly spun around, and landed a kick square in Saito’s crotch.

“The two of you stop this at once!”

Collapsing onto the ground with his hands between his legs, Louise planted her foot on his face, and ordered.

“Maid! Familiar! The two of you listen!”

“Yes!” Saito and Siesta answered back together.

“There better not be a next time! And an incompetent familiar you may be, but your master has a task for you.”

“W-what is it?”

“The Ball of Sleipnir is today, you know that, right?”

“Uh huh.”

“Do you know what kind of ball it is?”

“Well, uhmm… is it a masquerade ball?”

“That’s right. A ball where you ‘masquerade’ as your ideal. S-s-so, y-you must find me during the ball.”

“Huh…?”

What is the meaning of this?

Siesta and Louise glanced at one another.

‘’Huh—it looked like they were plotting something.’’

“Women sure are superficial…” Saito thought. “The war had only ended not long ago, and already they are engrossed in something like a ball. Shouldn’t they be more concerned about contributing to society or something?”

“The two of you…”

Saito sighed, removing Louise’s leg and pulling himself up, silently brushing off the dirt on him.

“Ehh? What?”

“Yes?”

“The two of you sit here.”

“What is it…”

“Listen up.”

The two of them looked at each other before they reluctantly sat on the bed.

For the two of them, her coquette tone meant that something was up.

“You two should be more concerned about this world and the people in it!”

Louise was shocked.

‘’It seemed that a desire to help the world had suddenly awaked in Saito. It is probably because of was Colbert’s . That teacher had always pursued his research for this same reason… Was he trying to succeed his dying wish? It seemed so.

And why he was so willing to pour everything into his duty in the Knight Corps.

In Louise’s view however, it was never his duty to begin with.

What Saito should be doing… is to find a way to return to his world.

‘’It is only after this can Saito seriously be consider about the matters of this world. If it he were to remain unchanged after that…. Plus, even if there is a way, would one be able to travel freely between the two worlds?’’

Her mind raced back and forth.

“To change the world through the Knight Corps? Are you a fool?”

Louise spat out, angering Saito.

“What? Why do you insist I’m a fool!”

“There are other things you should be doing!”

“Like protecting you? Didn’t I already tell you I’ll do that too?

“It’s not that!” Louise yelled.

“T-Then what is it…”

“It’s to find a way for you to return, of course. To send you home; to relieve your family.”

Idiot... but Saito had nothing to say.

“Looking at the you now, it just doesn’t feel natural. The matters of this world should just be left to the people of this world.

“B-but…”

“If we were to take the duty of the Knight Corps for instance, all there is to it is war, that, or protecting Her Majesty, the Queen. Sure, it is without a doubt a duty of utmost importance, but it is not one for you to take. Why are you so intent on this?”

… Saito lowered his head.

Everything no longer looked clear to Saito.

True, Saito had wanted to accomplish something.

Up until now, he had always lived a simple, ordinary life... And that’s why he wished to accomplish everything that he could. But, it would be too difficult to explain this to Louise.

Louise sighed.

“Regardless of what happens... you must attend the ball today. You haven’t forgotten what I said earlier, right?”

“Yeah, yeah.

Just went it seemed like she was done, Louise’s face began to blush.

“If you were to succeed…”

“If I were to succeed…?”

“Then… I’ll let you finish what you started that night back in Albion…”

Siesta glared at Louise.

“To use such seductive methods!”

Louise angrily turned her face away, and left the room.

Left where he was, Saito slowly collapsed… his nose spouting blood like a geyser.

“Keep yourself together, Saito!” Siesta urged as she tended to him.

* * *

When evening came, “The Mirror of Truth” was drawn out from the treasure vault onto entrance of the dance hall in the second floor. A black curtain was pulled around the magic mirror. No one could tell what form the person within would transform into.

Miss Chevruse [---Literally, Teacher Chevruse ---], wearing butterfly mask, stood at the side of the curtain.

“Noblemen and Noble ladies, tonight I’ll guide you into a world of fantasy.”

She enthusiastically introduced to the line of students. Louise, who was also in the queue, was pondering who to transform into.

Doubt began to creep into her mind.

‘’Will Saito recognise a changed me?’’

‘‘He should be able to…’’

It was Louise’s turn. She walked through the curtains. There was only a mirror within, roughly two meters high and installed on a simple frame, covered by a cloth. Miss Chevruse’s voice echoed from outside.

“Please listen well. You must think only of the person you most wish to become and not be distracted by anything else. This mirror will look into your heart’s deepest desires, and grant you that form. Once you’ve prepared yourself, please remove the cloth.”

Louise took a deep breath. ‘’Okay.’’ She lifted the cloth from the mirror.

A beautiful mirrored surface emerged from beneath, radiating all the colours of the rainbow.

The reflection that graced the mirror’s surface was gradually enveloped by the radiant glow.

The flowing lights suddenly disappeared, once again returning her surroundings to darkness.

However, it was no longer Louise in the mirror.

What had appeared instead was the reflection of a gentle, warm pink-haired twenty-three year-old lady.

It was the figure of Louise’s second sister, Cattleya.

Cattleya was the ideal of her dreams. Kinder than anyone else, her sister… Louise gently placed her hands on her breasts.

* * *

Walking into the hall, it was filled with all manners of people: heroes of legend, famous royals, renowned nobles… as well as matured gentlemen and ladies. ‘’They are probably the students’ parents.’’ There were even fellow students… but it was probably not the person.

‘’I didn’t think there would be so many Henriettas.’’ Louise smiled wryly.

It was only on this day, that it was practically impossible to tell who’s whom. To wish to dance with promised date, there was little else one could do apart from telling the other who you would become.

“Saito should be able to find me, right?” Louise muttered to herself.

‘’I think he should be able to recognise me, after all I took on Cattleya’s appearance.’’

Seeing that all the students were more or less present, Principal Osmond walked onto the platform.

“Greetings, everyone. I would like to welcome you all. Tonight, we hold a ball to help our new students deepen their relationships and friendships. It is, of course, anonymous. This is so that not one person should be afraid to be discriminated on the grounds of family, status or nationality. It is also to let everyone know that all is equal within the walls of this academy. And I hope you it will leave such an impression on you, as if it does not, it would become impossible for you all to study and develop harmoniously as one.”

Osman then made a dense cough.

“If you wish to introduce yourself to your partner, simply introduce yourself politely. Do not be caught up in the other’s appearance or status, or feel a need to introduce yourself in a dignified manner. Therefore, this is one step of the decorum in the noble’s code we do not need to follow.”

The congregated students nodded their heads.

“Because of the alarm it might cause everyone, it hasn’t been said… that Her Majesty, Queen Henrietta, is also here tonight.”

The hearts of the students leapt.

“Moreover, in the spirit of this ball, Her Majesty herself has also changed. Let’s all try to guess who Her Majesty is… I think this will be quite interesting.

The students grew restless. An opportunity to converse with the Queen like this does not come very often at all. There were already many whom were glancing left and right to spot any likely candidates.

Louise was surprised too. If you were coming, would it hurt to tell me first?’’ Louise fumed silently.

“Continuing… I would like to speak about the aim of this ball. Everyone listen well, you have all now become an image of your very ideal. I hope that in getting closer to achieving your ideals, you are not daunted by it, but rather am willing to study hard in the new term, so that you may one day become outstanding nobles that others will aspire to! That… is all!

The hall resounded with thunderous applause.

Principal Osmand, with a grim face, left and passed through the mirror, before returning. It was a young, dangerously-seductive young woman. Striking a pose, the woman declared:

“I’m Little OsmandXorius”

The students, still captivate by the speech earlier, fell into stunned silence in an instant, like a doused flame . The teachers silently grabbed both of Osman’s arms, and dragged him aside.

“E-everyone, make sure you enjoy the ball!”

The struggling Osmand was swiftly escorted from the hall.

Music began to play…the Masquerade Ball had finally started.

Louise looked left and right, but could not see anyone who could be Saito.

‘’ It looks like it’ll be a while before he gets here…’’ Louise sighed as she leaned against the wall.

* * *

When Saito had arrived at the assembly hall… the ball had already started. It was because he had to take of his horse that he was late. He had experienced how difficult it was to feed an animal, and wasted no short amount of time doing so.

As he walked past the curtain at the entrance, he did notice the mirror within… rather, it would be more right to say that he was completely unaware that the disguises were brought on by a mirror.

Saito walked into the grand hall, and was about to be questioned by the guard at the entrance before he noticed the Chevalier badge on Saito’s mantle and nervously saluted him.

It was dim inside the hall… it was difficult to see the faces clearly.

Saito remembered what Louise had told him earlier.

‘’I’ll let you finish what you started that night back in Albion.’’

They were such moving words…

To actually dare say such thing… if I were to not find her after that… Without any time to waste, Saito searched frantically far and wide for Louise.

However, she was nowhere to be seen.

For a masquerade ball, why are they not wearing any masks? Saito thought. However, there were a lot of strangers. Not one of them was a student. Only important looking people were dancing and chatting about.

At last, Saito found Louise standing near the wall.

As he enthusiastically ran towards her, she looked up and stared at him. Her face blushed deep red.

A promise is a promise. Saito also blushed.

“Finally, I found you. So about that promise...”

Louise looked hesitant.

“…Promise?”

She asked Saito.

“What, have you already forgotten?”

“I’m sorry, dear...”

“Dear? But you always called me…”

“Saito-san.”

“That’s right.”

Louise blushed even more. What is she...was she confused? Still, to feel so shy in such a manner made the normally violent Louise extremely cute.

“Wha...what you said a while ago, was it true?”

“What I said a while ago?”

“Don’t try to pretend you don’t know! You said it yourself, right?”

“…What kind of promise was it?”

Saito got irritated. For her to talk in an excessively polite tone...is this a joke? The orchestra began to play a violent melody.

“It’s so noisy…Lets go outside.”

Saito grasped Louise’s hand, and pulled her to the veranda.

“Ah!”

Although Louise gave out a shout of surprise, she obediently followed.

At the veranda, Saito said to Louise.

“You...to make such a joke about this. Were you even serious about it?”

“…I, I’m sorry.”

As Louise apologized, she somehow looked very lovely. Saito wanted to become a little nasty. He always wanted to punish her with a saucy remark.

“Unless you properly apologize, t-that is, to...”

Because Louise looked down and fell silent, Saito raised his jaw.

“…Ha.”

Louise stared at Saito, her eyes zeroed into his. That sort of gesture startled him. Unintentionally, they were drawing ever closer…Their lips drew close.

They tightly embraced each other. Louise thrusted her body.

Now Saito was pushed to the side of the wall. Not one shadow of a person was on the veranda. It would be awkward if someone saw them doing such a thing in this place.

Saito quietly tried to separate himself from her.

“Nn…!”

But, today, Louise was excessively assertive. His body was continuously and forcefully being pressed back to the wall.

“…Louise.”

Perhaps Louise must have been very lonely all this time. As he was thinking that, Louise lovingly, for the first time, wrapped her arms around Saito. Then he realized that Louise’s small hand was on his chest.

A while ago, Louise would never show or even pretend to show this type of affection.

Now this is a reward! Now that you mention it, even though I was hurt for a moment. But? in spite of that, is this really a reward? After all, Louise is to me...

“Louise.”

Saito strongly held Louise close. A hot sigh escaped from Louise’s mouth…and in that instant, he forgot himself.

* * *

Meanwhile… The guard stationed at the entrance of the hall questioned the suspicious figure that was made out in the shadows. The woman wore a thick robe. Long black hair could be seen from the opening of her hood. It was hard to tell if she was a teacher or a student.

“Who is it?”

“I’m here to attend today’s ball, I was sent from the royal palace.”

“Royal palace? Well…”

The guard began to look at the catalog, where all the attendees were written.

“I’m afraid you won’t see my name written on that list.”

Before he could question her, the woman abruptly removed a bell from her bosom.

“That’s…”

The guard had seen that bell before while patrolling the treasure vault…

“The Bell of Sleep? How…”

The instant he muttered that, the small bell was already rung.

Cling…the sound made a small clear echo.

The guard, was suddenly getting sleepy. If he were to fall asleep under these circumstances, he would be scolded for sure He thought, but was unable to fight against his drowsiness.

Leaning against the wall, he collapsed to the floor, breathing in sighs as he slept.

“Even if you call the royal palace…this is not Tristain.”

Confirming that the guard was fast asleep, the cloaked woman passed through the curtain. Before her eyes was the Mirror of Truth, and she smiled as she gazed upon it.

Lifting the cloth, she quietly touched the Mirror of Truth.

Then, the mirror began to shine. At the same time, the cloaked woman began to shine as well.

“I do not recognize this face, but it will have to do.”

The woman’s ancient runes began to shine…and started to mutter a strange spell.

* * *

Saito breathed through Louise’s lips.

Ngu…, mugu…, this is crazy! Standing on the tips of her toes, Louise entwined both her arms around Saito’s neck.

Louise was unusually assertive. For such a thing to happen... and to treat me with such affection....

Instinctively, he slipped his hand to Louise’s flat chest…

“…What the?”

Saito immediately stopped.

Her chest was not flat.

Perhaps one could say it was huge.

It was full and soft, a warm lump under Saito’s palm. The shape had completely changed. Each time he grasped it, Louise’s hot sigh would begin to rise.

“Hey, When did it grow so much…”

As Saito opened his eyes, he gasped in surprise.

He was in the presence of the..

“Princess.”

It was Henrietta. What the heck, did they change places with each other? Or perhaps, I should say, was it the princess I have been embracing until now?

From the hall, the student’s excited voices could be heard.

“What the-? The magic was broken?”

“But the ball hasn’t ended yet!”

Saito finally understood. In this ball, a person can somehow magically disguise himself. This was the true purpose of the ball. Henrietta most likely took Louise’s shape.

“But why did you choose Louise?”

As he asked, Henrietta lowered her head shamefully.

“In this ball, one can change into the person’s ideal form.”

“Ideal form?”

Suddenly, he realized something.

“So it was Louise?”

“Yes. I always envied that child...a child who does what her heart desires. A heart not tainted by anyone, a child pure of mind… Virtues I do not have. I have always envied everything about that child…”

“…”

“What kind of person am I, who can only shake and quiver, while that child carries out justice by herself? I find that to be very enviable about her. If I even had one-tenth of her courage, I would probably have not committed those mistakes.”

“Mistakes?...Princess, you have done nothing wrong. Even if you have committed some mistakes, it wasn’t your fault.”

Henrietta somehow looked defeated. I want to comfort her somehow, Saito thought.

“No, I went to war in order to take revenge for myself. Because of that, many people died.”

“There was nothing else you could have done. It was war.”

“Everyone died.”

Saito remembered. The expedition army, most of them were nobles and mercenaries. Not one citizen was taken in.

“Even if you say so, but still…weren’t you the most reluctant one? Everyone else desired for something different. Some did it for the money, others did it for honor. But these were not things the princess worried about.”

A cruel expression perhaps, maybe even the dead would lash at his words, Saito thought. I guess there are different circumstances. But most of the soldiers were mercenaries, most of the officers, were nobles who wanted only honor.

Henrietta fell silent.

Saito quickly changed the topic, and mentioned Louis.

“Then, what went wrong today? Did you come to meet Louise? I’m looking for her too. Where the heck could she be…”

Henrietta shook her head.

“I came to meet you.”

“…Me?”

“I don’t understand why. But...when I hear your name, when I see your face… my heart trembles. At first…”

Henrietta looked up. Her eyes were moist.

“Do you remember it? The evening we spent at that cheap hotel in Tristania.”

Saito nodded. Saito remembered that transpired with Henrietta at that time… their lips had touched twice. Even now, he remembers it with a throbbing heart.

“That evening…, if you recall, I felt so much pain in my chest. That pain, in time, steadily kept increasing. I noticed that, from that pain, there was something whirling in my mind, but I didn't know how to handle it.”

“…”

“With all this pressure and anxiety inside... only when I felt your warmth, was I healed. When I found your name on the list of soldiers who were killed in action, the sadness was too much to bear. And when I discovered that you stopped an army of 70,000, you have no idea how far you fought to save us.”

For someone like Henrietta to directly show her feelings like this... Saito was perplexed. For quite some time, he thought ‘she’s so frail’.

Henrietta has shone herself to be a very frail person.

Louise had a different kind of charm.

It seemed like he was being crushed by Henrietta’s charm... Saito turned his face away, trying to push the thought aside.

“To be seen with you in this place... is quite a serious offence. I am a princess after all, so I think it’s best if we keep quiet about this. I’m sorry.”

Then Henrietta pushed Saito conversely with a jerk, pushing him between the curtains, concealing them both.

“Princess.”

“I understand. But…only for awhile, I just want a moment of peace. Is it wrong? Is even having a little bit of time for myself not permitted to me?”

“…”

“For a short while… just this once, I wish to relax. If possible...at your side… even if it's only for a moment.”

Henrietta twisted her face, grimaced and shed her tears. The once courageous queen, who was now in tears, struck Saito from the bottom of his heart.

Henrietta, who was shedding her tears right in front of me, she looked more beautiful than anyone.

Compared to Louis, she was visibly more beautiful.

Henrietta again lifted her face, slowly edging closer to Saito’s.

Somehow, Saito couldn't refuse her lips. Nothing else came to mind.

They kissed, a kind of kiss that searched for each other's lips.

Henrietta entrusted her weight to Saito, forcing him into the wall. Henrietta breathed out a small sigh as she parted her lips against Saito’s, not knowing that someone was watching them.

“Princess…”

But as Henrietta kissed Saito’s neck, a sudden flash of lightning and heavy electrical currents began to appear.

Henrietta instinctively held him close. At that very instant…

In the small opening of the curtain, Saito saw pink hair.

Under the hair were reddish-brown eyes.

“Louise…”

He felt all his blood being pulled away from him. Slowly, he looked back at Henrietta.

Louise began to tremble as she saw them under the cover of the curtain, then burst into tears.

She ran, with both of her hands covering her face.

Saito ran after her. He stepped out of the curtain, knocking against the other students.

“Hey, that hurts!”

“Sorry! Excuse me! I’m in a hurry!”

However, Louise disappeared in the crowd of people. She was nowhere to be found.

There was a ruckus in the hall.

What the hell?!

Did the Mirror of Truth’s magic backfire?

Next, Henrietta, with a pale face, came out under the covers of the curtain.

The student’s at once shouted, “Her Majesty!”. She could tell from her eyes that Saito went to search for Louise. Then, she immediately ran away.

* * *

Dashing out from the tower, Louise ran away from the academy in the stillness of the night.

Filled with surprise and sorrow, Louise was confused.

Saito and the princess?

Why?

Louise witnessed everything. As she approached…from the small opening of the curtain, she found Henrietta’s face beside Saito’s.

But as she recalled this, tears instantly began to fall. The two of them looked so feverish...just like lovers about to make a vow, and then…their lips began to draw near, just like the lovers of old.

“Since way back then, they already had such a relationship. All this time I was deceived.”

For Henrietta, to betray my trust to such a degree…Louise believed in nothing anymore. I see now, she thought. This was the reason Henrietta knighted Saito as a Chevalier and made him the knight’s commanding officer. It was for the sake of their love.

In Tristania, some time ago…Saito said that he and Henrietta kissed. At first, she was angry ...but because she thought it was only for the sake of duty, she didn’t worry about it that much. However, that was a mistake.

Perhaps, from that time, those two continued their relationship.

“It’s so cruel! It’s so cruel! It’s so cruel!”

Louise shouted many times.

She was betrayed all this time.

You said you loved me. It was all a lie!

Louise just couldn't accept it…for a long time I believed him. he promised me, the time we spent together, the sweet kiss…all this time everything was a lie.

I have always valued those moments and I waited, all those memories that I have ever cherished…, only to discover it was a complete lie.

Moreover, her friend…, Louis had always held Henrietta in the highest regard. Only to be betrayed twice. Louise couldn’t bear it any longer.

In any case, he was not there.

She passed and dashed out from gate of the academy.

[Flashback]

Where was he? After the Mirror of Truth’s magic disappeared, there was now a lot of commotion in the hall. Still, he wasn’t there. No one blamed anyone to be at fault.

[End of Flashback]

A gradual slope that descended into the highway, there Louise ran.

“I don’t want to be here.”

Such emotions dominated her heart.

I want to go far away.

I want to go to a far away world where no one knows who I am.

For a long time, she ran...

Now Louise kneeled and out of breath. There lying down with her face on the ground, she cried.

---

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