Zero no Tsukaima

Chapter 8: The Old Mansion of Orléans[]

By the time they finally crossed the country frontier and arrived at the old mansion of Orléans, it was well past midnight.

The twin moons could be seen from the openings between the clouds.

The old mansion of Orléans was illuminated by both the mist that drifted from the Ragdorian Lake and the light from the twin moons. It stood out strangely in the night.

“So this is Tabitha"s home...” Saito murmured.

Louise hid behind Saito"s back, and peeked at the mansion.

Guiche gulped, and grasped his artificial flower-like wand tightly.

Montmorency was checking Sylphid"s condition, on whom they were sitting. Sylphid, whose injury had not fully recovered but had flown them there anyway, was gasping for breath. Montmorency cast a Water spell on her..

“Sylphid, are you all right?”

“Kyui!”

From the gate, the driveway that was as wide as a horse carriage led directly towards the entrance hall. Trees grew luxuriantly on both sides, causing the darkened mansion to further emanate an ominous feeling.

“Well then, look out...”

Guiche said that, and Kirche stepped out quickly.

“O-Oi Kirche! Isn"t it dangerous!? We"ve got to start off with a strategy!”

“If the enemy comes out, then that would be convenient. If the enemy had laid a trap, the strategy would not work!”

Kirche headed straight towards the entrance hall, and opened the door wide.

Giiiiii~ Making a heavy sound, the door opened.

The cold silence drifted about the hall.

“n.o.body is here.”

With their respective weapons readied, the group searched carefully through the mansion. While walking down the corridor, Guiche noticed the wound on the wall.

“There was a fight here...”

A broken gargoyle rolled over. Kirche approached and examined the gargoyle that looked like a fencer.

“What"s wrong?”

Louise asked, and Kirche snorted.

“That girl"s Wind magic... did not have the usual power.”

“What do you mean?”

“Such destructive power is not from Triangle magic. It"s the power of a Square-cla.s.s.”

Louise and Saito peered at the gargoyle Kirche pointed at. It was completely sliced into half by wind blades or something else. Although she said that this was of a Square-cla.s.s, Louise still did not understand.

Saito could surmise nothing but “Its sharpness is awesome,” but since Kirche had pa.s.sed the verdict, its power should be quite strong indeed.

Tabitha"s footprints were under the broken gargoyle.

Lying deep within the place, there was a room.

Opening the door, the group went in.

That place was in horrible condition.

As if a tempest had broken out, the inside of the room was a complete mess. The furniture that was originally a bed was ripped apart, becoming feathers, wood, cloth, and fine fragments, scattered all about the room. Many cuts were on the wall.

The windows at the wall opposite the entrance were blown out; the outside could be seen.

Kirche meticulously started to examine the bed.

Pointing at a section of the bed, she called them together.

“Look here. At this point on the bed, looks like Tabitha had chanted a tornado-like spell.”

Indeed. With that point as its centre, hurricane-like cuts were inflicted outwards all the way to the wall.

“Uwah... What if the devastation of this room is...”

Saying that, Guiche gazed at the desolate room.

“Yeap. It is caused by that magic. Or rather, that has to be it.”

Guiche and Malicorne gulped. They imagined the power of that spell. Kirche whispered in a cheerful-like voice.

“Releasing such a strong magic, that girl still can lose? What on earth was her opponent like? Besides...”

Unnoticed, Sylphid had poked her head into the hole of the wall. The size of the hole was about the same as Sylphid"s head.

“You opened that hole? Sylphid?”

Kyui, Sylphid nodded.

“What was Tabitha"s enemy?”

Sylphid extended her front leg out on top of her head. At that gesture, Kirche recognized a certain word, and muttered,

“Elf?”

Sylphid nodded vigorously.

The whole group held their breath.

“Elf!” Guiche"s eyes bulged, and he trembled all over from fear.

“It"s a hard enemy!” Malicorne shouted.

“No way! Elf...”

As expected, Kirche bit her lips. Louise hugged her shoulders, worried.

“Oi, oi! Are elves that dangerous? You guys are always alarmed at elves...”

When it came to elves, Saito had known none other than Tiffania. He could not think of her being as dangerous as they said, but...

“Ask your sword. He should probably tell you how powerful elves are.”

Saito unsheathed Derflinger.

“Hey Derf!”

“You"d only talk to me at times like this, don"t you!?”

Derflinger answered in a sulky voice.

“Don"t say such things! Everyone is somehow frightened by elves but... Are they really that scary?”

“Scary!”

Derflinger answered readily.

“How-How could this be...”

“If the opponent is an elf, the odds are still against a Square Mage.”

Montmorency muttered with a troubled face.

“What!? Seriously!?”

“Their power lies in the magic they use. The "Ancient Magic," I haven"t witnessed it, but it is said that they could recite spells without even holding a wand. It is said that the elves are more skillful than any other race at handling the Ancient Magic.”

“Hey Derf. What"s this "Ancient Magic" thingy? It"s that right? The thing the Water Spirit is said to be using. Besides, didn’t you also say that you can move because of some "Ancient" stuff?”

“More or less. Ancient Magic is an art that existed long before the magic elements were being created; magic that controls the "power of life". The magic elements you people recite are displaying the effects of changing the "logic" according to the power of each individual"s will, but.... Ancient Magic runs alongside the "logic".”

“Explain in simpler terms.”

“The point is, the utilization of the power of nature which exists everywhere. Life force, wind, fire, water... every possible energy source. An individual"s will, or the power of nature - you don"t have to imagine which one is stronger.”

“Well then, the elf who captured Tabitha is someone who manipulates this strong Ancient Magic. Tell us of this power!”

“Perhaps the wind dragon knows more than me.”

“Sylphid?”

“Hey rhyme dragon, how much longer do you want to play dumb?”

“Rhyme dragon?”

Everyone present looked blank. Only Louise and Montmorency who had been studying hard gasped.

“How could it be... but haven"t rhyme dragons been extinct since a long time ago...?”

“If there"s one here, then they can"t have gone into extinction.”

“Hey Sylphid. I don"t really get it, but you"re that - rhyme dragon? What"s that?”

Sylphid gazed at Saito with her round eyes. After that, with a troubled-looking expression, Kyui kyui, she started shaking her head.

“It"s saying it isn"t.”

“Hey rhyme dragon. Your master probably ordered you to "never reveal your true ident.i.ty," but... now"s not the case she was referring to, isn"t it? Your beloved master has been captured. It"s sort of an emergency. In your easiest way, tell them the dreadfulness of the "Ancient Magic".”

In a troubled face, Sylphid started shaking her head even more rigorously.

“Kyuikyui! Kyuikyui!”

After that, as if she had an idea, she closed her eyes, and opened her mouth wide. Standing right in front of her, Saito leaped back instantly.

“Wh-What are you doing?? You want to eat me!?”

In a desperately close voice, a sound different from Sylphid"s cry was squeezed out of her throat.

“I"m not eating you! Kyui!”

Except Derflinger, everyone present opened their mouths wide. Rooted to the ground, Malicorne screamed.

“The dragon! The dragon spoooookkkkkeeeeeeee!”

“So I cannot speak? That"s enough! Onee-sama instructed me not to speak, so I had controlled it all along! But that sword over there spoke as well! Kyui, kyui!”

After that, Sylphid started sobbing in a sorrowful voice.

“Aaahhh! I"ve broken my promise with Onee-sama! I"ve promised never to speak out! Kyu~~i! Kyu~~~i!”

Guiche and Malicorne were screaming about anxiously, but Louise and Montmorency, who more or less already knew some details about rhyme dragons, and Saito, were relatively calm. Saito was astonished as well, but he coped with it composedly. So what if this dragon can talk?

Even the lump of water and the owl spoke. By then, Saito was no longer very surprised by this speaking dragon.

“What"s a rhyme dragon?” He asked Louise.

“They"re legendary dragons of the ancient times. Possessing high intelligence, excelling in languages and senses, manipulating Ancient Magic... powerful mythical creatures!”

“Ehh? You"re that great?”

Saito gently stroked Sylphid"s snout. In a happy voice, Kyui!, Sylphid purred.

“Hey rhyme dragon. Show them a little of the greatness of Ancient Magic.”

In a mischievous voice, Derflinger asked Sylphid.

“We don"t call it "Ancient". I want you to call it the "power of the spirits". We have only borrowed it for a while.”

“Well then, show them a little of this "Power of the spirits" thing.”

Sylphid sighed, and began chanting. Instead of runes, spoken incantations could be heard from her.

“O wind which clothes me, change my shape!”

Wind coiled about Sylphid, and turned into a blue swirl.

Taken aback, everyone stared at Sylphid. The blue swirl shone, and vanished in the blink of an eye.

Upon that... Sylphid which was supposed to be there had disappeared. In her place was a young lady around 20 years of age. A beautiful lady with long, blue hair.

Or rather, that person was...

“You! Aren"t you that Irukukuu!?”

“Uwah! You are Sylphid in disguise!?”

Saito and Guiche jumped back in surprise. Introducing herself as Tabitha"s dutiful younger sister, she was the woman appearing in front of Saito and the others now.

“Oh well, it"s more or less that feeling. If I borrow the power of the spirits, it is a piece of cake to even take your human forms.”

Magnificently... she turned into a human"s form. As expected, she could not transfigure her clothes as well, so her figure was like that of a newborn.

A newborn.

Naked.

Kiching! Louise shot a glance at Saito. The other day, because she dropped down crashing through the ceiling of the shed, you couldn"t truly appreciate her right?

However now she knew her opponent was Sylphid. If this was the case, restraint should not be necessary. Blushing furiously, Saito and the other guys had their eyes fixated on Sylphid"s body.

As if expressing the hugeness of her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, Guiche moved his hands in a bowl-shape in front of his chest.

Shaking his head, Saito sketched a bowl of bigger diameter than Guiche"s.

The instant Malicorne joined in the meeting and nodded a big yes at Saito, Louise"s high kick landed squarely on the back of Saito"s head. He tumbled forwards, and at the same time, the water torture spell that Montmorency had completed, was cast on Guiche.

Louise spread the outer coat of her unfashionable dark green dress on Sylphid.

“Wear this.”

“Ehhh~~~, it"s stiff, I don"t want! Kyui.”

“Don"t "kyui" with me. Wear it.”

Being glared at by Louise"s demon-like eyes, Sylphid put it on reluctantly. Because Louise"s size was small, her b.r.e.a.s.t.s became lively wobbling about, displaying their fine quality. Noticing Saito who had fallen onto the bed secretly gazing at Sylphid, Louise kicked him from behind between his legs.

He yelled and rolled on the bed and Louise sat down on his back with a thump.

“I know how great "Ancient Magic" is.”

Montmorency nodded as well.

“Uh-huh. For such a big body to become so small. Moreover, no matter how I look at her, what a fine human being indeed. What a great achievement. Something impossible even by a water element user, regardless of how powerful she is.”

Triumphantly, Sylphid purred, “Kyui kyui!”

Revealing her true form and becoming able to talk, it became easier for Sylphid to convey her thoughts, but... Sylphid did not know much about the details.

“That"s why I thought it unnecessary for me to talk.”

Anyway, Sylphid"s explanation was as follows:

There was an elf here.

Tabitha recited a super cool snowstorm spell. (The markings on the wall and the bed were made at that time.)

With a ridiculously composed att.i.tude, the elf did not even try to avoid it.

An amazing event occurred next. The instant the snowstorm appeared to have wrapped around him, it was repelled, and attacked Tabitha instead. Tabitha had fallen by her own magic.

In a fit of rage, Sylphid broke through the wall and attacked him, but she was quickly defeated too.

She did not really know why.

“That"s about it.”

As if saying “what to do next”, she turned her b.r.e.a.s.t.s away. It was quite crude a report, but, oh well, they could understand the general picture.

“Which is to say, whether he used the Ancient Magic or something else- even this itself is fishy.”

Louise commented, and Kirche nodded too.

“Coming from you, that is quite a good a.n.a.lysis.”

“What?do?you?mean!?”

At Louise who glared at her, pointing at the bed and the wall, Kirche said.

“Apart from Tabitha"s magic, no other offensive magic was used here. What Ancient Magic did that elf actually use, I wonder. Was that really being used?”

Everyone present fell silent. It was as if the reasonless terror crushed them.

Using unknown magic, an unknown enemy...

A dread different from that of the Albion army.

If the enemies are mages, there should be a counter attack against them.

If the enemy is an army, there is also some room for negotiations.

But... elves are different.

Rumour or legend says that, whichever Tristanian who walks alone, the chances of them meeting one is practically none in these hundred years.

“Hey, who took Tabitha away? We know how he fought, defeated and captured her, but we must find a clue to their destination and talk with them. Anyway, let"s find that clue!”

Saying that, Saito tried to leave the room, but no one else apart from Kirche moved.

“What"s with you guys!? Aren"t you all afraid?”

“The e-elf is... umm, a really serious problem, I think.”

Guiche lowered his head and muttered.

“It is said that those people eat the humans they capture! Killing women and children without mercy! They"re not just cruel, but also terribly strong. Apparently, they can destroy a small country overnight with only 10 people.”

“What"s your problem!? That"s enough! Is there actually anyone who could travel all the way here and get cold feet!? Why did you come all the way to Gallia? Isn"t it to save Tabitha? Won"t all our troubles in arriving here be in vain? Didn"t teacher sacrifice himself to be the decoy and let us off??”

Despite that, Guiche, Malicorne and Montmorency still did not move. With troubled-like faces, they were just fidgeting.

At that instant.

From the gap of the door to which the corridor led, a shadow appeared.

Saito quickly grasped Derflinger and readied it. Next, Kirche released her magic without any restrain.

A huge fireball struck the door, which flared up showily.

“Please stop! Please stop!”

The shrieks of the person down the corridor could be heard. As if the voice was familiar, Kirche"s eyes became round.

“Percerin? Aren"t you Percerin?”

“Oh my oh my, isn"t that the voice of Zerbst-sama?”

Peeking timidly was the old butler of the Orleans mansion - Percerin. Upon seeing Kirche, he started shedding tears.

“It is an honor to be able to meet you again.”

“What on earth has happened?”

Kirche asked. Crying, Percerin began his story.

“The day the good-for-nothing king"s army turned up was that night, three days ago. Ah, I was a coward. Right after seeing the commissioned officer bearing his wand, and scary wand-bearing troops, I was frightened immediately. Forgetting even to protect Madame, I hid in a small room on the other side of the wall. Even after the king"s troops left, I was still afraid, and did not leave the small room. That"s because the scary elf was in the room.”

“Madame is Tabitha"s mother”, Kirche explained to the others.

“The king"s troops made Madame fall asleep with a weird spell, and took her with them. I was terrified and hid inside the small room the whole time. The next day, Charlotte-sama turned up, and confronted that elf. Aah! Charlotte-sama"s magic at that time! Its power was something I have not seen nor heard in the 10 years I have been serving here! Even I, who was hiding on the other side of the wall, was practically frozen. The force of the wind seemed to be blowing the entire mansion off! And yet, whether the elf received Charlotte-sama"s scary magic...”

“We know. That elf took Tabitha away, right?”

“Yes. I am sure of it. The wind dragon had fallen as well. Carrying Tabitha in his arms, he took her away. Aah, if only these old bones of mine could use magic! No, if I were at least of an age when I could wield a sword! I would never have handed Madame and Miss over to the king"s army!”

“Do you know where Tabitha was brought to?”

Percerin shook his head.

“I do not know...”

“I see, that"s a shame.”

Kirche and Saito dropped their shoulders.

“Great. So we can only look for her on foot?”

“Let"s proceed to Lutéce and look for every informer.”

Percerin then spoke to the two who were discussing.

“But I know the place Madame was taken to.”

“Eeeh??”

“The troops who kidnapped Madame talked about it. “Carry her all the way to Alhambra Castle, huh? Geez, isn"t that on the other side?””

Kirche grinned from ear to ear, and shook Percerin"s hands.

“Zerbst-sama?”

“That"s very helpful! There"s nothing to be ashamed of. You couldn"t be a knight, but you have brought us some great information!”

“But... Charlotte-sama"s location is...”

“The same. No reason for it to be different.”

“What"s this "Alhambra Castle"?”

“A castle located at the far east of the Kingdom of Gallia. Isn"t that a famous old battlefield?”

“Is it that plot of land over which there were formerly countless quarrels with the elves? My ancestors who joined the holy land liberation army were killed by elves there.”

Guiche said in a frightened voice. Continuing, with the same tone,

“My ancestors were the same. Joining the last holy land liberation troops, they were defeated badly by the elves, and retreated. My ancestors told us: “Even if you make the n.o.bles in Halkeginia your foes, never make the elves your enemy.””

Frowning, Montmorency started speaking as well,

“Well, there were a few cases when the Halkeginia n.o.bles had won the war against the elves... An example would be the Battle of Toule . Gallia and Tristain combined forces, clashed into the elven army at the east side of Sahara and won. However, during that time, their army numbered 70,000.”

“Didn"t the elven troops number only 2,000?”

“Apparently, the real figure was 500. They were too anxious, so the figure reported increased a few times,” Guiche corrected Malicorne"s words.

“In other words, to defeat the elves, an army with 10 times their might is necessary.”

Amazed, Kirche asked,

“Wasn"t it already decided that we"re going to confront the elf?”

“Exactly. It is just as Kirche said. We already know the location... I"m going!”

The other four stared motionlessly at Saito and Kirche who had stepped out... and then helplessly chased after them. In a delighted tone, Sylphid purred Kyui, kyui as well, following them.

Percerin gave a full bow at all of them.

“Please! My lords and ladies! I beg of you, please save Madame and Miss!”

Being entrusted with that, Kirche waved her hand.

Louise gazed anxiously at Saito who had stepped out quickly.

If it"s Kirche, I can understand.

Aren"t those two close friends?

But, Saito was not like that. Although Tabitha saved us from danger for countless times..."

Putting that aside, Saito"s courage...

Although the others said how scary elves are, he did not show even a tinge of fear.

As I thought, that courage was Gandálfr"s.

Saito turned back.

“What"s wrong, Louise? Let"s go.”

Shaking her head, Louise shook off her uneasiness, and went after Saito.