In her room, Louise was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees. Dressed in usual school attire, she wore a strange looking hat on her head.
It was the sweater she gave as a gift to Saito. It looked similar to a rather avant-garde art piece. Even though no matter how hard she pushed, she couldn’t get her head through the collar, she still felt more comfortable when wearing it.
Next to Louise was Saito’s notebook computer, his only personal thing. Because there was no power supply, the screen was completely blank.
Louise stared at the computer’s black screen. She remembered how, on the first day when Saito came, he showed the screen to her.
It was beautiful.
When thinking so, the back of her eyelids became hot again.
Saito… showed some scenery to me. Though I did not understand it, it was still beautiful and that mysterious scenery made me feel somewhat excited.
One by one, different thoughts, scenes, actions… were revived in her heart.
Louise looked down at the pendant on her neck. Held back tears started rolling down her cheeks.
Saito… he always defended me. Like this pedant hanging on my neck, he was always near, he became my shield.
When I was almost crushed by Fouquet's golem.
When I was almost killed by Wardes.
When I faced a huge battleship.
When Henrietta, who was deceived by the enemy and forgot herself, cast Tornado of Water.
And… when I was ordered to hold back the enemy back till I died…
Saito, with his sword unsheathed, stood in front of me.
Legendary Gandálfr, just as his name suggests, became my shield.
But did I treat Saito kindly?
No, I was always a stubborn, selfish, hard-to-please idiot.
“Idiot.”
Tears were burning.
“I was just caring about myself. Such an ungrateful, selfish, not cute me should have been left and ignored.”
Louise did not try to wipe away the falling tears, and quietly whispered to herself.
“Even though you said that dying for honor was nonsense… you did not come home with me.”
Her blaming words against Saito were now returning back at her. Her own words became a spear that scooped the wound in Louise’s heart deeper.
“Though you said you love me… you left me all alone.”
Louise muttered staring at the black screen.
“Without you, I cannot even fall asleep.”
Hugging her knees, Louise continued to sobVOLUME 8 ~ CHAPTER 4
-Knock knock knock- someone knocked against the door. Louise absent-mindedly opened her eyes.
“Who?”
She asked.
It was silent for a moment, then,
“It’s me. Me.”
Came the answer.
Hearing that voice, Louise instantly jumped up and ran. However… after some thought, she returned back and hid under the blanket.
Must be some kind of hallucination. Because of too much longing, she started hearing voices in her head.
“Please, open up. It’s me.”
The voice sounded again. Louise slowly stuck her head out of the blanket and watched the door.
“Are you the real thing?”
“And why would I be a fake? Hurry up and open it.”
Louise sprang to her feet. Like pink lightning she dashed to the door, dressed only in a thin nightdress, and hastily tore the door open.
The face that she saw many times in her dreams, now stood before her.
“Saito…”
Louise almost crumbled to the floor.
Smiling, Saito held Louise’s shoulders.
“Sorry for taking so long.”
“Id…”
“Id?”
“Idiot…”
Louise’s eyes were full of tears.
-sob- -sob- “I was worried so much… I was terribly worried if you were dead or not… waah, hic, waaah.”
Louise sobbed. Saito gently embraced her.
“Sorry… I’m really sorry. I desperately tried to escape, but finding a ship took time.”
Saito said in a very gentle voice.
“Why, why did you leave me and go alone?! Idiot. Idiotidiotidiot!”
Louise started hitting Saito’s chest with her small fists.
Interested, Saito proved.
“Well, I am not dead, right?”
“Such ingratitude towards me, abandoning me…”
“That’s not why.”
Saito said.
“Then why?”
Louise asked.
“Because I love you.”
Being told so straightforwardly, Louise’s cheeks blushed.
“D-don’t be silly. No matter what you say, love has nothing to do with it.”
“Your voice is trembling.”
“It’s not trembling.”
“You love me too, right?”
He said with great confidence. Louise sank her eyes down. Louise was weak against such straight words.
“Id-Idiot. Why would I be in love with you...”
“Your face gives it out, hey, it’s already red.”
“It’s not giving it out. It’s not red. I’m not in love.”
“You put such clothes on, wanting me to push you down, right? What. So shameless.”
Before noticing, she was wearing black-cat clothes again.
“N-not true. I am just playing familiar. And I am only wearing these black clothes because that wasted sword said so.”
He grasped her tightly and laid her down on the bed.
“…Ah”
Even though she was complaining, a hot moan escaped her mouth.
Saito brought his face closer. Though she resisted, she closed her eyes.
“Awah, awah, awah…” Louise haloed, while Saito kissed the scruff of her neck.
“Fuah, fuah, fuah…” noise escaped through closed lips.
Louise held Saito closer.
What great confidence this guy has.
Did I want him to embrace me tightly like that?
Lies. Lies.
However, my body is not listening at all.
Her arms wrapped tightly around him, clinging as if her life would depend on it, seemingly enjoying the feeling.
For a long time, Louise laid there with her face buried into Saito’s chest.
Then…
“Really, you made these black cat clothes for this?”
Casually, Saito, stripped off Louise’s black cat clothing. The part which covered her breasts.
“S… S!”
In an instant, Louise covered her breasts.
With a shocked face, she looked up at Saito. Usually, this is where the bickering, hitting, kicking and shouting would start, yet now a sweet voice escaped her mouth.
“S-stop…”
She muttered, averting her eyes from Saito.
“Show them.”
Saito blankly said such bold thing.
“S-stupid… that… not. No…”
“Why? Didn’t you change clothes back then without feeling shy at all?”
“B-because… because, you were a familiar during those days…”
“And still a familiar.”
“T-that’s right, but now it’s different.”
“How is it different?”
Uuh… Louise faltered.
“A-anyway, it’s no good now.”
“Why?”
“Because, well…”
“Tell me.”
Saito repeated words like a spell. Louise, like bewitched by it, honestly told what she was thinking.
“…small.”
“Slightly?”
“Small. Wanted.”
Louise said while blushing.
“I know.”
“…really just a tiny little bit. But not much. Well you see, only because Saito would not hate me.”
“I do not.”
“You do. I know. You always look at other girl’s breasts. The Princess, the maid, Jessica… when you compare theirs to mine…”
“When Louise shows them to me, I will not look at others.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
He said with passionate eyes. Louise’s arm lost its strength.
Louise said in an embarrassed voice.
“Just watch. Just watch, all right? You won’t do anything else, p-promise?
“Promise.”
Saito gripped Louise’s hand and slowly lifted it up. Louise feeling so embarrassed that she could die, squeezed her eyes shut.
It felt as if eternity passed.
“…h-how are they? Small? Right? Average?
Louise demanded for his impression.
However, there was no answer.
“S-say something. Hey.”
She continued to urge him, yet there is still no answer.
Because Saito didn’t say anything, Louise became insecure.
Aah, I shouldn’t have shown him after all!
But in reality, Saito was just amazed.
“Louise.
“W-what… Idiot… why you haven’t said anything when I asked…”
“Louise.”
He called again. Louise shouted.
“Noisy! Idiot! Shut-up!”
Louise shouted, not noticing that it was a dream. Saito and Louise had similar… meeting in a dream.
“They are small anyway! Idiot! I will absolutely never reveal them again!”
In her room, Louise talked in her sleep.
“They are perfect, because I love you.”
Once he said so in her dream, Louise’s body lost the strength completely.
“You really love me?
“Yes.”
He said, smoothly and confidently…
Louise thought.
I should say it.
Say that important word to Saito.
But… even now she could not say it easily.
She still lacked courage when it came to that word…
Louise woke up.
“…that.”
There was no Saito around. And she was clothed in her nightdress.
“A dream…” Louise said in a dull voice.
Even in a dream, she couldn’t say that important word. Saddened, she sunk her face in her palms.VOLUME 8 ~ CHAPTER 9
As Saito was washing his face in a stream... Tiffania ran up, accompanied by a small girl.
“What’s wrong?”
He asked Tiffania, who ran out of her breath.
“The Louise-san of whom Saito talked about, had pink hair and was a short girl?
“Y-yeah…”
While trying to figure out what was so urgent about it, Saito nodded.
“She has long-hair, small chest, is cute, but a very rude girl?”
Dumbfounded, Saito nodded.
“T-that’s right… what’s wrong?”
“Then, it could be Louise-san after all…”
“Eh?”
“Emma, while picking mushrooms in the forest, saw that person, together with another woman with black hair, walking.”
“Woman with black hair?”
“That person called her Siesta…”
“R-really?!”
Saito as shocked.
“Louise-san! Waah, she seems to be heading straight here! What to do!”
Louise?
Searching for me?
His chest was filled with various emotions. A huge desire entered his thoughts. It swelled like a balloon pumped with gas.
I want to meet her.
I want to meet her a lot.
Louise… his cute master, whom he protected for so long.
I want to meet her.
Tears started flowing.
That noble girl came to look for me.
Left alone at the tombstone, Louise lifted Saito’s parka up.
Then she gently pressed her lips against it.
“Saito… can you hear me? First of all, I’d like to thank you. All right?”
Of course there was no answer.
“When I was about to be crushed by Fouquet's golem… and when I was about to be killed by Wardes… you always saved me. When the Albion fleet attacked Tristain. When the Princess was reckless, when… I was ordered to stop Albion's army of 70,000 from advancing - you always stood in front of me. Even when I was selfish, demanding and bossy – you always protected me without fail until the very end. Even though I complained, you saved me.”
And… Louise continued to pour words.
“You said you liked me. Do you know how happy that made me? You said 'I love you' to someone like me. I am not pretty and I am not a girl to whom one says 'I love you', only you did.”
Louise closed her eyes.
“To you, I wanted to say those words. But in the end, because of my pride, I couldn’t say… those important words.”
Louise lifted her hand up to her chest and pressed it to her heart.
“But, I won’t say them here. I will say them once we meet again. Until then, I will never give up. Even if everyone says you're dead… even if the spells show you are dead… even if your grave stands before my eyes, I won’t believe it. I’ll wait for you for the rest of my life. But, even that won’t repay the thing that you did to me. I will call you back to life. Even if I’ll be called stupid, I will wait for you. With all my being, I will deny your death.”
Louise put on Saito’s parka.
“I am a mage. I have the power to turn words into reality. Therefore, I say - I won’t admit your death.”
Louise softly gazed at Saito‘s tombstone and said.
“We will meet sometime. We will meet for sure. I believe.”
Squating down on the back side of an oak, Saito heard the footsteps of Louise leaving. Next to him there, was Agnes, who helped to make the grave.
“Are you sure?”
Agnes placed her hand on Saito’s shoulder, who had his face buried in his knees.
Saito nodded.
“I am sure. I am not Gandálfr and I cannot protect Louise, so…”
“I see,” Agnes said…
And kept quietly patting the head of the silently sobbing Saito.
VOLUME 8 ~ EPILOGUE
Once the spell ended, Louise brought her lips to Saito’s.
Saito watched at her thin, but nicely shaped lips.
When you think about it… everything started from here.
Various adventures crossed his mind.
After this, a new adventure might start from here. With his hopes and fears in turmoil, Saito stirred a little. Seeing Saito acting this way, Louise asked him.
“You won’t regret it?”
Saito, gazing straight into Louise’s eyes, said.
“I have already decided it when I passed the gate.”
Louise nodded, and slowly pressed her lips against Saito’s.
At once… a burning pain hit his body.
“Guaaaaaah!”
Siesta tried to run up to Saito, who was rolling in agony.
“S-Saito-san!”
“I-it’s all right… it’s just the runes of the familiar being carved in…”
Both, Saito and Louise, said at the same time.
And at once the pain subdued.
Saito watched curves appearing on his left hand.
“Haah…” he moaned. Louise shut her eyes and pressed herself closer to Saito.
“D-did it fail?”
“No… it succeeded.”
Saito showed Louise his left hand’s top.
Gandálfr's runes were firmly carved.
Louise gently traced each rune with her finger. This character string… is a bond between me and Saito. While caressing them… the amount of time when they were separated, the despair she felt, she was overflowed by the feelings.
Though everyone were still there, Louise desperately clung tightly onto Saito… and buried her face below his chest. And stayed like that, not moving. Saito gently held Louise’s shoulders.
Everyone stared at the couple.
“Well, as I said, I need to sharpen my sword for the battle,” Agnes muttered.
Though Siesta lifted up her eyes for a moment, she gave out a smile in the end.
The innocent Tiffania blushed.
“Your left hand… don’t stress it too much… I can’t help but worry.”
Derflinger muttered so silently that no one heard.
For a while, it will be very sensitive…
Tiffania, after saying, “Well, I’m sure you need various things to discuss,” hurriedly dashed out of the bedroom.
Siesta came up to Louise and muttered quietly in her ear.
“…Only for today, I will lend him to you.”
…And left as fast as Tiffania left the room.
When Derflinger tried to say something, he was gripped by Agnes.
“All right, you also have to go.”
Finally alone, Saito and Louise gazed at each other in silence.
While they were looking at each other… tears started to fall from Louise’s eyes.
“Louise.”
When Saito unconsciously hugged her shoulders tighter, even more tears started to fall from her eyes. Not wiping them, Louise opened her mouth.
“Th…”
“Th?”
“Thth….”
“Thth?”
“Th-thought I will never be able to meet you again…”
While looking straight at him Louise sobbed.
“I-I…thought I, gu, had something important to t-t-tell, you, gu, went somewhere…”
Her speech overflowed with her feelings.
“You didn't show up on the ship, you didn't show up in the bed, back at home… Do you know how worried I was?.. I couldn’t take it anymore… I couldn’t take it because…”
Louise was heavily pulling out words mixed with tears. Though she was incoherent and hard to understand, Louise’s feelings poured right into Saito’s heart.
“But y-you visited me in my dreams… you were gentle, and, and…”
“D-don’t cry…”
Saito hugged Louise tightly, encircling her head with his hand. Louise started to weep stronger.
“Cruel… You left me alone, cruel…”
“I won’t leave,”
Saito said.
“I won’t leave you any more.”
When he said those words… he remembered how it hurt him so badly as well, since the runes disappeared.
“Don't go anywhere again.”
“Aye.”
“S-stay by me.”
“Aye.”
Saito nodded many times.
The inside of his nose started to tickle.
That’s right, this is what I really wanted to do from the beginning.
Since I was not Louise’s Gandálfr, though I wanted to protect her… I misunderstood. I thought that not being a Gandálfr, I couldn't protect her.
But, I was wrong.
I can protect you, Louise.
Not someone else, me… I want to protect you.
As he thought this, something warm spread inside Saito’s heart.
This warmth made Saito more determined.
Some day, I might return.
But… not until I make Louise happy.
For the master who needs me so much, I will pursue her dreams.
When he was determined like that, everything seemed simple.
Louise was still crying.
“Y-you can look at other girls… You can touch them… You can k-k-k-kiss them, but… don’t go anywhere…”
Louise kept on crying for a while.
Louise, who finished crying some time ago and now had red and puffy eyes, was silent.
When he laid her down in bed, she laid down obediently. Yet, she gripped onto Saito’s sleeve and did not let it go. And pulled it down while biting her lips. So, Saito had to lie down next to her. Louise immediately placed her head gently on his shoulder.
He could smell the nostalgic aroma of Louise’s hair.
Louise silently drew her lips to Saito's ear.
“W-what?”
Saito asked looking at her burning eyes.
“Please.”
“Y-yes?”
“Till the morning breaks, be gentle.”
In the middle of this intimate… dangerous atmosphere, Saito stroked Louise’s head.
“…Ngh!”
Louise leaked out a moan.
Such an act from Louise made Saito almost die on the spot.
What I want to do, I cannot do. What about the others, who are in a room next to theirs?
So, Saito torn by such conflict, desperately endured… until Louise said in an angry tone.
“Hey you…”
“Eh?”
“You put your tongue in that maid’s mouth, didn’t you?”
It wasn’t really me putting it in, but Siesta…
But saying that makes no difference, at least when your opponent is Louise.
Oh no, he will be punched! Or maybe kicked!
Guard! Guard guard!
Saito frantically tried to protect his groin, after hearing Louise saying that in a sulky voice. Neither a kick, nor a slap followed.
Instead, a bullet of pink flew and knocked Saito down.
Louise, with a blush on her cheeks, lifted her moist eyes up to Saito and said in a sulky voice,
“I want to have the same thing to gloss over.”
Alright?
Not alright?
The switch was triggered.
"Alright."
Saito framed her face with his hands, and, in trance, pressed his mouth against hers.
“Nh…” Louise closed her eyes.
Taking the opportunity, his hand sneaked beneath her shirt and touched her breast. However, Louise Françoise did not show any of the resistance she had a while ago in the shallop.
Why doesn’t she?
Maybe this is a dream?
How do I confirm that?
“Ah, indeed. If one feels pain, then one can’t be sleeping!”
Well, to feel pain, I only need Louise to hit me.
Hm, what should I do to make her hit me?
Ah, say bad words!
Saito, lost in his excitement, said, pressing his hand against her chest.
“Is this a breast?”
The sweet atmosphere disappeared immediately.
It was as if someone chanted Dispel Magic and blew it off like smoke…
“Is it bad?”
Slap.
Louise’s palm slapped him.
“Yup…”
“Are my breasts bad?”
Slap slap.
Her palm continued to hit.
Slap slap slap.
“They are flat and no good.”
He muttered in a silent voice as Louise’s palm continued to slap him.
“Aaah…”
The pain helped him to realize that it was reality.
So, this was not a dream.
But…
“No, stop, I was wrong.”
Slap slap slap slap slap slap.
Weren’t there other ways to confirm whether it was a dream or not? He realized too late.
“Wait. T-they are small but firm…”
“Hold your tongue!”
Louise’s knee flew up.
As it hit straight into his belly; Saito fainted.
VOLUME 9 ~ CHAPTER 1
When Saito woke up, Louise was lying next to him, breathing softly.
Just yesterday he was able to see the pretty face of his master again.
Louise’s face under the morning light looked divinely beautiful, and that was somewhat arousing Saito.
They separated in January… and now after one month, Louise looked even more lovely. Louise moaned in her sleep and turned over in bed, and Saito felt stifled.
Her mouth opened slightly, and a thin trail of drool escaped from the corner of her lips.
Fuah fuah, her mouth slightly opened and closed from time to time.
Gulp. Her hand shot up and lightly rubbed the tip of her nose.
In short, she was a beautiful spoiled girl.
Yet… such gestures carried all of her loveliness.
After the separation she looked even more lovely. Indeed… Saito felt admiration. This, this… was "separation" magic. Aye, even no good gestures changed into charming ones – the ultimate magic.
Indeed…
The Louise last night must have also felt the effects of this "separation" magic!
But I… what did I do…
Saito blamed himself for last night.
Last night, was so intimate!
Louise’s eyes were filled with such feeling!
That’s why she said to me… "I want to have the same deep kiss too", and "I’m not angry when you touch my breasts"… it was a one-time miracle!
And yet, I missed my chance yesterday.
Saito decided to confirm if it was a dream, so he asked Louise "Is this really a chest?".
I am a dog.
I am a stupid dog.
A stupid mongrel…
Saito was suffering already, in the early morning.
No, Saito.
Can’t call yourself even a ‘dog’. Drooling this way over the cute Louise – you are a mole.
No…
Saito shook his head.
I am lower than a mole.
Look at Guiche’s mole. He’s cool. He dug a hole and saved us. Thus, I am lower than a mole… a mole cricket?
No, Saito shook his head again.
Mole-crickets are wonderful. Saito remembered reading in a book before: they… can fly, dig underground, and even swim. Ground or sea – they can conquer all.
I’m lower than a mole-cricket… lower than a bug… then…
I’m a water flea.
I saw it in the picture book, water fleas eat only various seaweeds.
That’s right… then I am a water flea… Saito thought he was suited for that name. Besides, he tactlessly blew his chance and wasted the special morning.
Getting depressed… Saito scolded himself.
What the heck are you saying?!
Saito should have more confidence!
I am a man who stopped an army of 70,000! And I cannot face a single girl? That’s unbelievable.
In this manner of encouraging himself, Saito gained some courage.
Since Louise just turned over in bed again, Saito put on a nice face and asked her…
“Are you awake?”
Then, Louise's body tensed and the upper half of her face peeped out of the blanket.
For some reason, her eyes were moist and cheeks were red.
Saito trembled.
…Is it the end?
“H-hey Louise.”
“…Whauahat?”
Louise asked while yawning widely.
Oh, Louise could make such a cute voice while not fully awake. Saito was impressed.
Now was the moment he had to show his courage.
“You… that, uhm… about me…”
Louise looked down biting her lip, wanting to ask something.
For Saito, the world seemed to stop.
Am I no longer needed?
Saito’s imagination was making Saito go mad in his head… Now determined, Louise started to squeeze out words.
The bitter words came out flying and hitting right into Saito‘s head.
“…Do you hate my breasts?” Louise asked.
Kaah, Saito sighed.
Oh, that’s what bothered Louise for a long time.
Saito last night asked her, "Is this really a chest?"…
…Aaah, aah, why did I say that!
“I-I don’t hate them!”
“Really?”
“Y-yeah…”
Louise then slightly rose up and sat straight in the bed.
Gripping the skirt of her shirt with both hands and with serious expression on her face, she asked Saito…
“The question changes then. Well then, which do you like more – big breasts or small?”
Saito began sweating profusely. To be honest, he liked big ones. It is not like small ones are horrible… but it was based on instincts.
It was a natural result of male biology. Big breasts suggest that the mother will have more milk to give. It would be filled with milk. Therefore, it can’t be helped. Thinking about future descendants, it was a basic instinct to choose a woman with big breasts… so it is not like I am bad.
Foolish quibbles turned inside his head…
Then Louise, looking at him with serious eyes, jumped into his vision.
Pinkish-blond hair and reddish brown eyes… beautifully shaped nose, coral colored lips… interweaving harmony. It was as if Louise’s loveliness was made by an artist.
Such beauty can suppress any instinct. This way, even small breasts become insignificant. No…
However, Louise would be obstinate even he said that. It seems, I guess, she would not be consented. Clearly she wants to hear that he likes small breasts over big ones.
But he liked big ones.
If he were to answer honestly, he would be taking all the negative responses from Louise on himself.
Then, should I lie – "I like small ones"?
But… Saito had no confidence that his lie would pass. Louise’s eyes were like a detective’s watching a criminal. A half-lie could not pass.
But, but…
Here, it was overlooking a man. A true man.
Saito's face cramped to the very limits as powers like the demons blotted up. However, Louise was merciless. She didn’t move a brow at Saito’s grimaces.
“Which ones do you like? Answer.”
Cold sweat was pouring down in waterfalls as he trembled.
Then the determination came.
Feeling like a president pushing a nuclear missile release button, Saito pushed the words out from the back of his throat.
“S-s-s-s-s-s-sss-small ones.”
“Really?”
Louise stared at him with eyes that screamed of blood-thirst.
I can’t be defeated here. Saito answered in a stiff voice.
“It’s true. Swear by Founder Brimir.”
With Founder Brimir involved, Saito yelled.
“I’ll kill you if it's a lie.”
The small, calm voice, expressed Louise's seriousness. Saito shook his head violently.
A long pause followed.
The air so thin between the two, that even a mosquito could break it.
She gazed at Saito's face… and nodded as if convinced.
“All right. I believe you.”
The tension in the air slowly started to disappear.
Loosing the tension, Louise’s face switched back to cute.
Louise hesitantly started to trace circles with her finger on the blanket.
Such a shy Louise was so godly cute that Saito instantly felt uneasy. Then Louise hesitatingly shut her eyes.
But, she gripped her hands that she placed on her knees into fists and ‘Nnnn, nnnn!’ moaned angrily.
Though it was hard to understand, was she trying to say she wanted a kiss?
Saito was troubled.
For now, he’d just go with the flow.
Saito brought his lips close to Louise.
Though Louise’s body stiffened when he took a hold of her shoulders, she did not really resist. Louise's sweet aroma reached his nose… and Saito gladly dived into it.
Lips touched.
Louise, far from getting angry, gave her body in.
Aah.
Last night, when Louise said, "I want to have the same deep kiss too," she was not lying at all, and acted upon her words. It was in there already.
Such a passionate deep kiss was not just a part of a "reunion."
Then, the conclusion would be…
Hah, hah – she is falling in love as well…
Thought Saito while pressing his lips against Louise’s, getting wild.
“Falling in love.”
This magic’s effect -
The girl with whom he was in love with, was falling herself.
The existence of such an event was unbelievable. This already was nearly like a legendary monster.
Suki-na-onnanoko-gajibunni-horeteru - the dragon with the long name. Aah, vigorously spouting a flame from it's mouth… the name of an ancient dragon that destroyed the pantheon.
Slowly, the couple separated their lips… and gazed at each other.
Shamefully, Louise averted her face.
“Stop staring so much… S-stupid. D-d-dog…”
“Forgive this dog.”
“Stop apologizing. Dog… Stupid dog. This dog’s habit, to look at it's master with such eyes…”
Louise pouted her lips, saying it in a voice that seemed to cry; Saito, before thinking what he was doing, unable to endure it any longer, jumped in and pushed Louise down.
“Kyaa!”
He started to kiss the scruff of her neck, sending shock waves through Louise’s body.
“Sorry. I can’t take it anymore.”
While muttering ‘uwah‘ and ‘noyh‘, he pushed his hand through the gap of her shirt, Louise brushed his hand away.
“Louise…?”
Louise said in a tiny, tearful voice…
“Not when it’s bright,” She said.
From the outside of the window, the brilliant light of the sun streamed in.
Holding her shirt, Louise did not stir.
“When, when the night comes, all right...?”
Saito heard while trembling.
“A-a-after consulting with God and mother.”
Louise answered, trembling as well.
“How will you hear it?” Saito asked Louise in a stupid voice.
“In my mind! Mo! They can‘t tell me that! Don‘t you know! Stupid! Stupid idiot!”
She grabbed the pillow and started hitting Saito with it.
With these words, Saito, who understood, stopped asking anymore.
Only then did he notice the blood running from his nose.
The two moons were shining upon the forest… night came to Saxe-Gotha’s forest.
Trembling, Saito looked up at the night sky from the window in Tiffania's house.
Since the day he was born, he never was so impatient for the night to come.
Finally, Louise and I will unite.
Louise clearly had this in mind when she said in the morning, “When the night comes, all right...?”
After cleaning himself with water, Saito went to the bedroom.
When he slowly opened the door, he saw Louise, in the background of the moonlight, brushing her hair.
The hair that Louise brushed was sacredly bathed in the light, creating an otherworldly sight. The light of the two moons emphasized the beauty of her hair. Saito was breathless.
Noticing Saito standing in the doorway and watching her… Louise muttered as if talking to herself.
“Is something wrong?”
“Nothing…”
Saito shook his head. The tension from inside felt dry.
When Saito approached, Louise started to tremble.
“Scared?”
When Saito asked this natural question, Louise shook her head.
“…I made a promise with the Princess back then.”
“Promise with the Princess?”
Seems like Henrietta and Louise promised each other something.
“It is so.”
Louise turned to Saito. There were traces of tears remaining on her cheeks.
“That… we would tell each other before it comes to this…”
“Louise…” muttered Saito, who came closer and sat next to her. Louise cast her eyes down and covered herself with the sheet.
“That… ne? Uhmm… ne?”
With the eyes of frightened kitten, Louise looked up at Saito.
“I broke my promise with the Princess…”
Unable to hold back, Saito embraced Louise.
“Louise! Louise!”
Louise laid down in the bed. Her chest, dressed in a white shirt as always, was moving up and down from the excitement and fright. Giving in, Louise closed her eyes and placed her hands up on her chest like praying.
“Louise, I… I!”
And the moment he let out his shout…
*Knock* *Knock* someone knocked on the door.
VOLUME 9 ~ CHAPTER 5
In the room, Louise who had been dragging him all along, thump!, chucked him onto the bed.
Saito came to, and shouted angrily at Louise.
“What the hell are you doing?”
Louise's cheeks puffed, and she folded her arms.
“There's no problem being enthusiastic about it. I thought it's good for you to let you do as you please, but...”
“But what?”
Louise became silent.
“What's the problem?”
At his inquiry, huhh... Louise let off a weak sigh, and slipped into her bed.
“...Damn. You just carry on with your busy life.”
Saito was hit by those words. Evidently, because he was too busy lately and did not care about Louise, she was sulking now.
That was inevitable. His recent self was somehow full with fervor.
New position, new events which he had not experienced before...
Such things made his heart beat in excitement. Naturally, the time he spent with Louise decreased as well; nothing could be done about that.
Besides, those guys who attacked us the other day...
“Those guys who attacked us before this... it would be troublesome if they strike again right? Isn't it good to have more allies now?”
Well, that's true, but... Louise pursed her lips.
“But during the other time, you managed to win by your own.”
“That could not be told at all!”
Saito bellowed angrily, but Louise was more displeased with his not spending more time with her than that incident.
“Which means that you can't spend time with your master, eh?”
Louise kicked her legs around under the blanket, and complained.
“Why the displeased look?”
“Nothing... but that means that I don't have to call you master now.”
“Why!?”
“Well, I'm a noble now right!? We are equal now right!”
“Haaah? What the heck are you talking about!? I've said it already! Don't confuse a mere 'Chevalier' with the Duke de La Vallière's position! We've only risen from the status of a human with a dog to a human with a MONKEY! That's all! Don't get the wrong idea!”
Louise combed her hair up and declared.
“Ah, I see...” Saito was further unamused.
And he had been thinking for a while that he could be equal to Louise. Looks like that wasn't the case at all.
Saito became quiet, and looking bored, Louise crawled into her bed... and pulled the blanket over her head.
Louise was not seriously thinking that they were "not equal". In other words, she did not care about the difference in their social status. Saito is Saito. That's all that matters.
It was simply that she did not know her feelings, and felt that Saito who was engrossed in the knight corps was a little unforgivable; at which she unintentionally insulted the Chevalier title.
At Saito's silence, Louise poked her head out from under the blanket.
“...”
Like a rabbit, the face which was peeking out from the hole stared at Saito, after which it slipped back in again.
“Think about what you should do to improve your master's mood.”
“Although you say that.”
Seemingly troubled, Saito scratched his head. From the bed, Louise extended her hand, with a finger pointing up
“Hug me tightly? A-And whisper at my ears 'I would like to serve you.'...or something like that.”
What do you mean by “Hug me tightly”!? Saito was a little angry inside.
So you want to tie me down using that bait...? He was thinking that, but not unwillingly, he still hugged Louise from on top the blanket.
Under the blanket, Louise became quiet like a cat.
VOLUME 9 ~ CHAPTER 9
On top of the Flying Serpent, Saito adopted a stance as if crouching on top of a surfboard.
He approached the gargoyle in a furious speed.
He timed it properly.
Precisely a second before the collision, Saito leaped from the top of the Serpent, and sliced through the arm which had seized Louise. Just like that, he caught Louise in the sky.
Almost simultaneously, an explosion occurred behind that Serpent, and the gargoyle whose arm was sliced through was blasted into smithereens.
They were lifted up by the blast... but Saito did not part with Louise.
Fragments shot into his body, sending intense pain to him.
In spite of that, Saito did not let go of Louise.
They were blown upward by the explosion until they reached the apex, and then dropped due to gravity.
There were traces of tears in Louise's eyes.
Gazing at that, Saito began to think of thoughts which pressed hard upon his heart. Has she broken free from the magical hypnotism due to the gargoyle...? Those eyes opened quickly.
“Yo, yo...”
Saito said, and...
“Release me!”
Louise began to struggle.
“I-idiot! We are falling down now! Don't struggle!”
“I don't care! That's enough, let me off! I hate you the most!! Just die! I hate you and Princess the most!! Both of you lied to me together! Definitely unforgivable!!”
“I've said already, that was what it turned out to be...”
Even though Saito tried frantically to sooth her, Louise was still bawling and struggled with her hands. Perhaps she would be accidentally released like this. It would be terrible if they were to separate during the fall. I must somehow sooth her.
“I hate you! Let me off! That's enough!”
Looking at the bawling Louise... Saito knew that he could not make her understand through words.
Wh-What should I do...?
He could not help but to be troubled. Saito looked straight at Louise, and said.
“I love you, Louise. Only you!”
“Liar! I don't believe you! I HATE you!”
Louise increasingly ran amok.
There is no other way. Damn, if things become like this...
Saito hugged the raging Louise tightly. Louise was kicking and struggling, but he pressed his lips hard against hers. Louise who had been struggling for quite a while... eventually, ngu... she murmured, and became quiet.
But we'll die if we continue dropping like this! ...While he was thinking about that, buon! Its voice could be heard, as Tabitha's Sylphid scooped them up.
Hugging the still weeping Louise, he looked up to the sky...
Under the moonlight, traveling grandly in the sky, the Ostland on which Colbert and Kirche were riding could be seen.
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