Zero no Tsukaima:Volume9 Chapter8
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Warning: This translation is considered a PREVIEW Script.
Be warned that the degree of translation error may be higher than usual due to the translation method employed.
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Chapter Eight: The Ball of Sleipnir
The Day of Void was a week away.
The Ball of Sleipnir was to be held today.
Today was originally a holiday, but the students of the magic academy were restless all morning. Even at breakfast time, why on Earth did it turn out like this? Try something else! Was the conversation being exchanged here and there.
Guiche crossed his legs, as proud as a peacock.
“I wonder what type of transformation I will take? Although, I am magnificent, no matter what I transform into. What do you think?”
“Yeah…yeah.”
Ignoring Guiche’s self-conceitedness. Malicorne started to embrace himself. “What to do? Is it really me? To transform into such a beautiful girl.
“Is it alright to take this form?”
“Ha! Ha! What do you mean? Is it a kind of crime?”
“It is more of a capital punishment, rather than a crime.”
“Ha, ha….ha. Is that right…ha, ha.”
Malicorne trembled as he hugged himself.
To imagine this small, fat, boy as a beautiful girl. Almost made Saito vomit his breakfast.
However…, having the possibility to wreak havoc with their disguises, these guys are actually quite harmless.
In the short time of their masquerade, their personality didn’t change.
It was only able to disguise oneself by magic, Saito thought to himself.
If you think about it, one is free to disguise oneself because it is a masked ball in a magic school. Nevertheless…Saito was not interested in such things, the idea just didn’t seem to come around him.
After finishing his breakfast, Saito returned to his room only to see Siesta still cleaning inside.
“Welcome home, Saito-san.”
“Yes. I’m home!”
Siesta was happily cleaning the room with a smile.
“Today is the Ball of Sleipnir.”
“Will Saito also go?” after asking the question, Siesta lowered her head shamefully.
“Yes…because there are not enough waiters…”
“Is that so?”
I guess I ended up going after all, but when he was thinking, Siesta looked into Saito’s eyes.
“But!”
“Y-yes.”
“I read a book recently.”
Siesta said, abruptly presenting the book.
“What is it?”
Is this a book Siesta would probably read? He thought to himself.
“Ha, ha. Unfortunately I can’t read any of the letters.”
Siesta, blushed as she explained the story.
“It says, ‘Housemaid’s Afternoon’”
“I see.”
“It is a story about a I certain young maid, serving an aristocrats residence. The master of the residence is the main protagonist.”
“I see.”
“Every night, the housemaid, though it is not appropriate is coerced.”
“Not appropriate?”
Siesta began to mutter something on Saito’s ear.
The interior of his nose then felt very painful, as five seconds worth of nosebleed began to pile up. He endured it.
“…so what you’re trying to read is.”
“I-it’s a great story! Even that child who lives in this same room reads it!”
Siesta blushed, as her folded arms began to shake. Siesta actually reads such books in her spare time… Then again, even the girl magazines were extreme in my world. Saito strangely agreed.
“So?”
“No, I, Because of this, to think of such a master in the story…If it were Saito-san, I wonder if…”
“Yes?”
Saito asked back. Siesta blushed and covered her face with both hands.
“N-never mind! I was only joking!”
“I-is that so…”
When Saito laughed, Siesta stared at him curiously with the corner of her eye.
“However…it doesn’t hurt to try.”
“Try what?”
Saito stood up in blank surprise as Siesta ran up to him.
“Oh! Master-sama we should not do this!”
“…”
“It is Saito’s turn.” Siesta said with a serious look.
“What do you mean?”
Running up to Saito’s side, with a slight whisper Siesta began to mutter.
In a moment, Saito spouted a nosebleed.
“S-Siesta?”
“Please scold me! It has always been my desire for Saito to scold me! S-such a weird feeling!”
With a scream, Siesta purposely collapsed, then raised her eyes on him. Her face was somehow as red as an apple. A tremendous, teasing aura seemed to pressure Saito.
Then Siesta lightly lifts the hem of her skirt, just diagonal to his face.
“Beloved master-sama, please come and punish me.”
This has got to be a joke, for a maid to make such a remark…I won’t come…I mustn’t come!
Only meaningless words passed through Saito’s lips.
At the same time Louise was fast approaching by horse.
Saito involuntarily went to the shelf that hid the whip. Already he was unable to resist any longer as blood rushed up to his head.
At that moment the door opened, and Louise entered.
Tightly grasping her skirt, Siesta still eagerly waited to receive her scolding from her master. Saito was found removing the whip from the shelf. Louis on the other hand made a spinning kick between Saito’s groin.
“Learn your place.”
With his face stepped on by Louis, Saito collapsed while holding between his crotch. Then Louis said.
“Maid. Familiar. Listen.”
“Yes.” Saito and Siesta said at the same time.
“In any case, Familiar, your master has a command for you.”
“W-what is it…”
“The Ball of Sleipnir is today.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know what kind of ball it is?”
“Well, errr… Is it a masquerade ball?”
“It is. A ball where it is ideal to wear a mask. T-t-therefore you must absolutely come with me.”
“Okay…?”
What in the world, is the meaning of all this?
Siesta glared at Louis.
Haha, it seems these two are plotting something.
Women should be more peaceful, Saito thought. When the war ends, immediately these balls have become more of a delirious punishment. Shouldn’t we make more effort to contribute to society, are they not inclined to go to that direction?
“You two…”
She said with a mixed sigh, Louis removed her foot. And Saito stood up, calmly patting away the dirt from his clothes.
“Ehh? What?”
“Yes.”
“For the time being, both of you sit over there.”
“What?”
“Listen up.”
The two of them looked at each other before they reluctantly sat on the bed.
For the two of them, her coquettish tone meant something was up.
“Don’t you think the world will benefit more if we did more good things for the society.”
Louis was amazed.
Somehow Saito, for the first time wanted to change the world. Perhaps Colbert’s death was the cause of all this. That teacher, always brewed trouble with his research…Was he trying to succeed his dying wish, it is likely.
That’s why he became so absorbed about the knight corp.
However, if Louis had any say about it, it was not Saito’s job to do so.
Saito’s job,…for now, was finding a way back to his world.
For the first time, he was seriously thinking about the welfare of this world… After all this. Even if there was a way of solving it… Her mind was going back and forth.
“The knight corps, will change the world? Isn’t that stupid?”
Louis said, and to her own amazement, Saito got angry.
“Even if that was the case! Somehow you always make a big deal out of this!”
“The person you should be protecting is me!”
“Protecting you? So it’s okay to leave them unprotected, is that what you are saying?
“It’s different!”
Louis shouted.
“W-what…”
“Don’t you think, you should find a way to go back home. Your family will be relieved, if you go back.”
Idiot…Saito just couldn’t talk back.
“It’s just so unnatural of you.”
“H-however…”
“It’s okay if you join the knight corps, we are at war after all. We must protect the princess. But as for changing the world…it’s not your job. Why must you become so absorbed with such things?”
As Louis said this…Saito looked down.
For Saito it was all vague.
At any rate Saito, just wanted to help.
He lived without concern, until now…He just wanted to do everything that he could. However, it was difficult to explain to Louis.
Louis sighed.
“Anyway…You must attend today’s ball properly. And don’t you forget what I just said awhile ago.”
“Y-yes.”
Louis had nothing further to say, began to blush.
“T-then?”
“Then?”
“Also…let’s not continue what happened in Albion the other night.”
Siesta’s eyes were suddenly aimed at her.
“Doing something fishy again!”
Louis turned her away from her angry face, and went out of the room.
Saito collapsed….and sprouted a geyser of a nosebleed.
As evening came, “The Mirror of Truth” was drawn out from the treasure vault and was placed at the entrance of the dance hall in the second floor. I black curtain was pulled, surrounding the magic mirror. So now, it has reached to a point were you wont know what one will change into.
Teacher Chevreuse was standing next to the curtain. Wearing a butterfly shaped mask.
“Ladies, tonight you are guided to the world of fantasy.”
Teacher Chevreuse, induced the students who were lined up in high spirit. Louis also lined up in the row…and thought on what to transform into.
Somehow an image began to appear.
Will Saito disguise himself as a woman?
Louis muttered to herself.
It’s my turn, Louis passed under the curtain. There was one big mirror there. Even her relief was not imitated. Installed in a simple frame, the full length of the mirror was approximately the height of two men. A cloth was placed above.
Outside the curtain, Teacher Chevreuse’s voice was heard.
“Isn’t it nice? To imagine your ideal form. Suppose we were to deceive others? This mirror looks deep within our heart and mind… And designates you to that form. So prepare your heart and take away that cloth.”
Louis took a deep breath, “Okay.” With that answer…she lifted the cloth.
It was beautiful, as colors of the rainbow appeared on the mirror’s surface.
Her reflection appeared…covering her in a rainbow of light which overflowed from the mirror.
She was unable to see because of the flowing light…Unexpectedly the light disappeared, and everything returned to darkness.
However, Louis was no longer in the mirror.
Instead a kindly 23 year old, with pink hair appeared, she had changed into a woman.
She transformed…as Louis’s second elder sister, Cattleya. Louis’s assumed ideal form was Cattleya. Gentler than any person, she became her elder sister… Louis quietly raised her hand on her chest.
When she faced the hall, various people overflowed in the scene. Heroes of legend, great men of old, celebrities in court…Suddenly an elderly lady and gentleman were visible. Could they be my parents? Though the classmate’s appearance was visible, they were probably not the person’s in question.
Because several Henriettas appeared as well, Louis smiled wryly.
This is the only day, no one knows who’s who. When you want to dance with a specific partner…, of whom they took shape, they must inform you in advance.
“I wonder if Saito understood.” Louis muttered.
After all, She was in Cattleya’s appearance.
Making sure the students were all gathered…Osman then appeared on the platform.
“Greetings to all. Today, in this ball to deepen our friendship with the new students, we took an anonymous appearance. As Family, Position, and Nationality, is not restricted in title. Everyone in this education institution is equal. I strongly impress, that it is not, impossible to learn as one.”
Osman then made a dense cough.
“When someone wants to get to know their partner, politely introduce yourself from here. You do not need to get caught up in your partner’s appearance or position, 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.”
All the students who gathered nodded together.
“Though all of you have become silent, Please do not be surprised…That Henrietta her Majesty also came to today’s ball.”
The hall resounded.
“Moreover…, following the outline of this ball, it is possible for her to precisely take any form. Who is her Majesty? Guessing her identity will be quiet an amusement?”
