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The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage

Chapter 24: Intermission

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It's not the first time she's out of the Zerbst territory. She had been to many different parts of Germania, accompanying her mother while visiting one of her many friends or to the house of her grandparents, or going with her father to meetings with other nobles, even going once to the imperial palace in the capital to speak with the emperor himself. She has gone on many vacations too, to different touristic spots inside the country, but it's the first time she's ever set foot in foreign land.

Ironic, when you think how her territory is one of the most crucial in the Tristain-Germanian border.

So, it's not surprising that her very first time outside of her mother country is visiting their next door neighbors, the members of House de La Vallière. She has heard many things in her life about them, about tristanians in general, from her parents and the other nobles and kings at the imperial court. None of them had been flattering. For young Kirche, so innocent and impressionable, the opinion of the adults around her was absolute, so without much questioning she had decided she hated that family and the country they were from, even before ever meeting them.

When her father came with the proposal of taking her to La Vallière, she had stomped down her foot and pouted and shouted that she didn't want to, but a single glance from her father, so rarely serious, along with his words managed to convince her.

"You are the heiress, Kirche, and my only child, now that your mother can no longer conceive. Therefore, one day you will be the master of these lands. I haven't brought you along to the meetings and reunions of the imperial court just to take you out of the house. I did it so you could learn. We, Zerbst, have a very important duty, as the bridge between our country and the Kingdom of Tristain. Just like we are the keepers of the border here, La Vallière are the keepers in their country. Therefore, whether you want to or not, one day you will have to deal with them, so you need to learn how to manage them and manipulate them to your advantage. The heir of La Vallière is around your age. While I'm dealing with his father, I want you to evaluate him. Don't forget; never stray your eyes from the enemy."

Because of that, she held herself back, taking little interest in the scenery as they crossed the border, and only stopped pouting and crossing her arms in childish rebellion when they were in front of their hosts; a tall man almost rivaling her father's stature, sporting a monocle and a long blond mustache, an imposing woman with cat-like eyes and a beauty that seemed ethereal, and a smurf who by all intents and purposes looked as affronted as she did.

Not like his parents looked any happier, but at least they managed to hide it better.

After much pleasantries and formalities, the two men leave to a private office, and soon after the woman does too, giving her son a meaningful look. Kirche knows, right then and there, they probably gave this boy the same speech as her father did her.

With an exaggerated sigh of defeat, she turns to look at the boy, finding herself frowning again at his image. She understands, objectively, that he is only a year younger than her, as that's what her father told her. Realistically though, he looks a lot younger than the eight years he's supposed to have. He's much shorter than her, the top of his head reaching the tip of her nose, and his reddish-brown eyes are wide and full of eyelashes curling like a small child's. His body too, seems much smaller than hers, though she doesn't know if it's only because of his body structure or because she herself is bigger than expected from her age.

Despite that, there's something about him. Kirche knows beauty when she looks at it, and though it pains her to admit it, it's a characteristic very much present in this family. He takes after his mother, making him way more beautiful than any boy has the right to be.

He looks like something she would love to squish.

A little disturbed by her thoughts, she clears her throat and crosses her arms, looking at him from below her nose, as if she's staring at nothing more than an insect.

"So, what do you do for fun around here? Doesn't seem to be anything interesting to do" she looks around contemptuously, before her eyes land on the boy again. He's frowning, clearly irritated by her words. Kirche smirks. "Oh, what? Are you angry? Don't be. There's no reason to be offended by the truth. Talking seriously though, it's such a bother having to come all the way here. The sight it's boring, the house is boring… and I'm supposed to somehow get along with you… more or less. At the very least tell me there's something fun to do while we wait for our fathers to finish their reunion. I've been in a bad mood ever since leaving my house. I need something to take my mind off the stress of coming all the way here to this place."

Louis, that's his name, flares up instantly, his eyes narrowing and his hands forming into fists.

"Let's not kid ourselves here Zerbst. I'm sure your father told you the same thing. We need to talk and familiarize with each other as one day we'll be the lords of our territories" he huffs, imitating her posture and this time looking at her as if he's the one superior. "And answering your question: we have plenty of things to do, in fact, I already have tea and appetizers prepared in the garden, so if you would be so kind as to follow me…"

Kirche puffs her cheeks, but walks behind him, a little interested in what he has to offer. Maids and servants are already there, waiting around a garden table lathered with sweets, a teapot and two cups of tea. He waits until she takes a sit before doing it himself, and only then the servants flutter around, serving them from the many delicacies there.

"The tea is one of my favorites. It's a brand only found in the southwest of Tristain" he says as he takes a sip. Kirche wrinkles her nose, gulping a little of the sweetened infusion. She's not much for small talk, and she can see clear as day he isn't either, since his conversation is forced and snappish at times, but he continues on, obviously enjoying he's bothering her so much.

She puts down her teacup with a clink. "What is this? A tea party? Come on! Is this the best you disgraceful tristanians can come up with?"

Louis smiles, though there's a twitch on the side. More delicately, he puts down his own teacup and folds his hands on his lap, leaning back to look at her still with those damn eyes of superiority.

"Why, it's not the only thing. In my free time I can read any of the many books from my family's library, I could also practice with the sword or the crossbow, go hunting, fishing, even tend to the garden if I feel like it… though personally, my favorite activity is horseback riding. Do you know how to ride a horse, Miss Zerbst?"

Kirche clicks her tongue, disgusted. "Of course I know how to! In fact, I bet I'm better than you are!"

"Doubtful, but we could try it out, later, though…" he fakes a pensive expression, further irritating her. "The reunions between our fathers tend not to last too long. Consequences would be dreadful otherwise, you see."

"Then let's go now!" she stands up, leaving the food behind. Louis shakes his head.

"Are you going to leave without excusing yourself? How unsightly. Well, it's not like it can be expected more from a germanian, moreover a Zerbst. At the very least eat what's on your plate, you ungrateful wench."

"Your passive-aggressiveness is starting to grate on my nerves" she says, lowering her face, hissing at him. Louis snorts.

"Says you who from the very beginning tried to pick a fight with me, unprovoked!" he retaliates. Like Kirche, Louis' behavior towards her was born from prejudice cultivated from childhood, though he was willing to disguise it for the sake of following his parents' orders of treating the Zerbst with basic courtesy. However, the endeavor turned futile once the girl first opened her mouth. "At the very least, as a daughter of nobility, you should know how to hide your animosity from others. There's no reason we shouldn't treat each other with basic respect-"

Kirche snorts. "Unlike you, I have no time or interest to pretend. I much rather be direct in everything I do or say. We obviously don't like each other; our families don't like each other, what's the point of hiding it?"

"Because in the future, we-"

"Are going to be the future lords of our lands, and blah blah blah… when the time comes, we'll see to it, but I don't want to have to stand you on the meantime" she raises her eyes, and for a moment is left stunned at what she sees. The evidence of wetness at the corners of Louis' eyes talk about frustration, hurt, and sadness. But why? There's no reason he should be hurt because she doesn't want to see him again unless strictly necessary. More likely, he should feel the same!

However, this new development actually makes her feel bad. It wasn't her intention to make him cry. She blushes, and her heart skips a beat at the sight of him looking so vulnerable and… cute.

The bubble snaps, she blinks, and then shakes her head after realizing her thoughts. What is going on with her? What is this brat doing to her?!

Angry, and more than a little perturbed, she redirects her emotions to something she has control over and is ten times less scary: petulance. "Besides, let's be realistic for a second, a dwarf like you, would someone like you ever become a real duke?"

A vein pops on Louis' head, the tears forgotten in his new rage. From all the things she could say, questioning his ability to become duke it's the one thing he can't tolerate, since it stems from root-deep insecurities, and his defense mechanism springs at once. He stands too, slamming his hands on the table, glaring at her with the most force an eight-year-old can produce.

"At least I'll be a duke someday! What about you? You're the only child of the Zerbst family, and a girl at that! When is your father going to stop kidding himself and get you married off to someone who will inherit your lands instead of you?!"

The next thing Louis knows, the entirety of the strawberry shortcake was thrown on his head. He retaliates by pouring the tea all over her dress and soon after the servants have to meddle to keep the two children from murdering each other.

Thus, a lifetime of enmity was born in that fateful day.

Pulling at the hem of her dress with nervousness, Sachiko looks up at the building standing like a separate portion of the academy. It's not the first time she's here, having come numerous times not only to visit Shiro but also Siesta while she was sewing the sailor uniform. The servants' quarters are located in Suori Court, the smallest courtyard of the academy, and few people wander in it except for the staff and the occasional noble.

The building in itself isn't incredibly big. The servants usually share rooms, with two or three sleeping next to each other, so besides bedrooms, a kitchen, the mixed baths and cleaning closets there isn't a lot to see. It actually looks more like an apartment complex than a dormitory. Still, it's cozy, with its brick walls and windows carved in wood.

This time, however, the usual homelike sight does nothing to calm her growing anxiety.

She shouldn't, really. It's like Louis said. If she explains correctly what happened then Shiro should forgive her easily, no? But the thing is, maybe she took too long? After all, it's been already a week since the incident with the love potion, and she has been pushing her obligation back every day trying to gather the courage to come talk to him. Why is she so scared? It makes no sense. She has fought numerous times in vast more difficult and life threatening battles, but the mere thought of Shiro hearing her story and deciding he doesn't want her anyway makes her feel…

"Sachiko? Are you here for Shiro?"

She screams, so deep was she in thought the voice behind her nearly gives her a heart attack. When she turns around, she sees Siesta looking at her curiously, but with a subtle smirk showing she finds amusement in her reaction. Sachiko pouts, raising her hands to her chest and squeezing the fabric above her heart.

"Siesta! Please don't scare me like that!"

"I'm sorry, I wasn't trying to, but I got curious since you've been standing there for almost ten minutes doing nothing" the information brings color to her cheeks. How long has Siesta been standing there? "So, are you looking for Shiro?"

Sachiko bites her lip, wondering momentarily if Siesta knows what happened, before dismissing that thought. Though they get along just fine, Shiro isn't that close with the freckled maid so as to tell her something as intimate as to what happened between them, not taking into account Siesta is a huge gossip. She sees little possibility of her knowing anything, in fact.

So instead she simply glances down, playing with her fingers in an act of coyness. "Y-Yes, is he here?"

"Well, last time I checked, he was supposed to" she says as she steps towards the building. "He finished his job for the day, so he's surely resting in his room right now… do you want me to call him?" she looks at her then, with a concerned expression that makes Sachiko feel even more nervous. She swallows, shyly nodding, not wanting to step inside the quarters and gather unnecessary attention. Siesta nods, but remains in place, staring at her a little more and getting Sachiko on her nerves.

"What?" she asks when she can't stand her eyes on her anymore. Siesta blinks, before shaking her head and giving her a soft smile.

"Nothing, I was just wondering if the two of you had a fight. Shiro's been in a bad mood ever since last week, and you stopped coming around the same time, that's all."

"We… did have a disagreement, but hopefully we can set things straight, now" Sachiko decides to answer noncommittally, wanting Siesta to hurry up and bring Shiro already. There's only so much pressure she can take in the day before she goes back to hide herself in Louis' room.

Luckily for her, Siesta accepts her answer, and with a nod and another smile, turns back towards the building and enters, leaving her behind. Sachiko waits.

It's nearly fifteen minutes when Shiro finally comes out. Sachiko holds her breath, once again twisting her hands on her dress, but she's surprised at seeing him with a completely calm face. She had expected him to look a little more bothered, to be honest.

"Did you call for me?"

Sachiko nods, expecting him to remain a distance, but he approaches until they're only a feet away, once again surprising her. She wonders for a moment at that.

Shaking her head, and deciding not to think about unnecessary things, she stills herself and takes a deep breath, before bowing down, her hair falling around her face as she closes her eyes hard. "I'm sorry for everything! It was a misunderstanding! I drank a love potion accidentally and fell in love with Guiche, and it's because of that I said all those things to you! I'm really, really sorry!" she explains quickly and without giving him time to refute or yell at her, but most of all, to keep herself from cowering and having her mind go blank because of nervousness.

She waits, her head still bowed, until she hears a sigh. Still, she doesn't look up, and it isn't until she feels a pair of rough fingers holding her chin and lifting her face that she opens her eyes and looks at his face. She blinks, one, two, three times.

Shiro… he's smiling. No, actually, more than smiling, he looks like he's holding back a laugh. But why would he be laughing at a moment like this? She doesn't remember saying anything funny…

"It's alright Sachiko, I know everything that happened, so you don't need to apologize" he says nonchalantly, too easily. Sachiko's jaw falls open.

"Huh?" it's her intelligent response. Shiro shakes his head, taking back his hand from her face.

"Yesterday, your master… Mr. Vallière" he says the name with a little too force to be natural, his mouth curling up a little in chagrin. "He came looking for me and explained everything that happened. Had the gall to tell me to better accept your apology when you came to see me" he snorts, not doing anything to hide his dislike. Sachiko looks at him, stupefied. Shiro sighs. "I… reacted badly and judged too quickly, but in my defense how in the world was I supposed to know you were affected by a love potion? Those things are illegal, you know?"

Sachiko nods slowly, glancing down, her brow furrowed in thought. Louis… talked to Shiro? How? Why?

"I can't believe… he actually came to talk to you…" she says, as if to herself. Shiro shrugs.

"I was as surprised as you yesterday, though I was also mad. But he said it was his fault that incident happened… and that you were taking far too long and that seeing you moping around all day was pathetic."

"Hey!"

"His words, not mine!"

Sachiko huffs, crossing her arms, but she still feels coy. Slowly she looks at Shiro, almost fearfully, and asks. "So… you're not angry at me? Are we alright now?"

Shiro simply stares at her, his eyes showing conflict that doesn't sit well with her. She opens her mouth to ask again but he stops her by putting a hand on top of her head, and then patting her there. Sachiko can only blink up at him in confusion.

"I'm not angry at you" he finally says, lifting a big weight from her chest. She smiles, but before she can cheer or clap her hands in joy, Shiro takes away his hand, this time frowning slightly and causing insecurities to take root on Sachiko's heart again. "Sachiko, can I ask you something? And please be sincere" she doesn't say anything, waiting for him to ask, her heart beating fast for some reason, feeling incredibly nervous at whatever might come out of his mouth. He sighs, his shoulders sagging as if defeated. "What do you feel for Mr. Vallière?"

The question takes two seconds to reach her brain. When it does, the only thing she can do is mumble an intelligent; "huh?"

"What do you feel for Mr. Vallière?"

He repeats the question, and the way it is formulated makes something foreign take control of her chest. What does she feel for Louis, not about Louis. The difference in wording is subtle but potent. But… why would Shiro ask something like that?

It dawns on her a second later. "Shiro… could it be you thought Louis was the noble I 'fell in love' with?" she asks, dumbfounded, becoming even more so at seeing color softly spreading on his face. She is left stunned momentarily. "Shiro… I, I don't know what to…"

"Just answer the question" he interrupts her, maybe a little harsher than necessary. Sachiko frowns, but opens her mouth to tell him that what she feels for Louis it's nothing more than camaraderie, maybe even friendship and some sort of loyalty, the last born from the bond they share. But before doing so, she halts unconsciously, her mind not allowing her mouth to form the words.

Louis… what does she feel for Louis? He's… difficult to read at times, but others, he's like an open book. He tends to come on too strong, but he's still refined and elegant, both in his manners and speech. He acts like he knows it all and becomes impatient when people don't do what he says immediately. But it's not like he looks for complete submission either. And he's intelligent, really intelligent. But most of all, when he promises something, he does everything in his power to keep that promise.

Sachiko thinks about Louis and everything she knows about him. She thinks of their interactions, when they can actually sit down and have a proper conversation. In the way he subtly shows he cares while trying to pretend he doesn't, and how, despite it all, he does a real effort to understand her and help her in whatever he can. Like now, with Shiro. Or back then, with the water spirit.

Or even before, when he didn't let her go alone to Tarbes when Albion was attacking.

She bites her lip, unable to come up with an answer. Apparently taking too long, Shiro sighs, and Sachiko's attention is snapped instantly.

"F-F-F-Friends! We're friends! Somehow… probably… most likely…" her voice becomes smaller with every new word. Shiro looks at her incredulously, but Sachiko stubbornly maintains his gaze, her face flushed and her hands in a vice-grip on her dress. Finally, Shiro nods.

"Alright… you two are friends."

"Yes! That's what we are!" she nods fervently, forcing a smile. His eyes narrow, so she quickly drops it. "W-Well, maybe not the best of friends, but after all this time, you know…"

"Yes… I know."

"So, I wanted to know, after all of this is cleared… are we still together?" she asks, feeling shy again, looking at him from under her eyelashes. Shiro winces, looks away, and then frowns.

"I don't know Sachiko, do you want to be with me?" he asks back. She fidgets, taken by surprise by the question and his tone.

"What? I, of course I want to be with you! I like you Shiro! Or could it be you don't like me anymore?" she says in a sad voice. Shiro shakes his head.

"No, of course not, I do like you" she beams, and that's all he can do before giving in, his shoulders sagging dejectedly. I'm going to regret this, won't I? But… his eyes sweep over her, her long silky hair, her petal-soft skin, rosy lips curved in a smile of joy, and her shining eyes, full of hope. I don't stand a chance. This is so unfair. "I want to be with you, too."

Sachiko takes a breath, and then hugs him, resting her head on his chest and humming contentedly.

"I'm so happy! I promise I won't hurt you again!"

Don't make promises you can't keep. He wants to say it, but he stays quiet, and returns the hug, softly caressing her hair and trying to swallow the knot forming in his throat.

Kirche wrinkles her nose, tired with the never ending lecture.

Professor Kaita is one of the youngest teachers in the academy, with long black hair and an average face, but his unfriendly manner and cold disposition make him one of the less liked among the teaching staff. Although he's a powerful enough mage on his own right, his arrogance not only with his colleagues but even his students, most of whom bear a higher status than him, has earn him a bad reputation throughout the high circles of society.

It wouldn't be a wonder if he couldn't get a job outside of the academy, and thus never rise up in status due to how badly the students see him.

And right now, it's one of the many times Kirche and all the others look about ready to get up and leave the classroom.

"As all of you should know, my runic name is Kaita the Gust, and I'm a triangle class mage. Now, would someone tell me what the most powerful element is?"

No one answers, already aware of what his intentions might be. Kaita frowns, obviously not thrilled with the cool looks from his students. His eyes scan the classroom, until they rest in the bored form of Kirche.

"Miss Zerbst, would you be so kind as to answer the question?"

Kirche holds back a sigh, and giving a brief glance in the direction Louis is seated, says; "wouldn't that be the void?"

"I'm not asking for legends, I want something realistic."

She raises an eyebrow, unimpressed with his snappish tone. Then, with a smile forming on her ruby-red lips, she says, this time more confidently; "well, in that case it's obvious it's the fire element."

"Oh, and why is that?"

She glares at the teacher, uncaring about respect while in class when the man is talking down at her like that. With a huff, she crosses her arms under her ample bosom and leans back on her chair. "Heat and passion can burn anything and everything, of course. When faced with fire, even wind would sometimes only feed the flames" her jab it's intentional, and she can hear a few of her classmates humming in approval.

Unfortunately, Kaita doesn't seem affected at all. "Is that what you think? Then, in that case, why don't you try and hit me with your best fire elemental attack?"

Kirche frowns, disliking that arrogant smirk. "Are you sure, teacher? It won't be a simple scald."

"Nonsense, give me your best shot. I recall you were quite adept at fire magic, or might that not be the case after all? Are the acclaimed Zerbst of Germania not all they claim to be?"

Flaring up now, she stands, taking out her wand from her cleavage. Her hair stands on ends, crackling as if flames were erupting from them. Under the astonished looks from her classmates and the calculating eyes of the teacher, she starts to chant. In merely two seconds, a fireball appears at the end of the wand, increasing in size until it reaches a meter of diameter. Tabitha and other classmates close to her run away from the heat and as she flicks her wrist in the direction of the teacher, so do the others in the line of fire.

However, with a few motions of his wand as if he's wielding a sword, the fireball scatters under an immense gust of wind, the force of which sends papers, chairs, and even Kirche flying.

Someone manages to catch her before her head hits the far wall at the end of the classroom.

"Stop trying to show off. The words of a mere teacher shouldn't affect you so much."

Her eyes snap open, and there she sees Louis, holding her by the upper arm and helping her stabilize. Kirche fights the blush creeping up her face, and simply nods, taking her arm from his grip. Louis doesn't say anything more and sits again, right in front of her.

Of course, he always sits on the last round, alone.

Kaita looks at her with a satisfied expression. "As you can see, the wind element is the strongest" he proclaims. Kirche huffs, and with a displeased expression goes back to her seat, head held high. "I'll tell you all now why. As you said, Miss Zerbst, wind can help feed the flames, but in reality, a strong enough wind can destroy everything with far more potency than fire could. Water, dirt and fire cannot find footing when faced with wind, and sooner or later, everything is left at its mercy" he announces. "Unfortunately, reality does not let me experiment this, but even void would probably not stand. That is the wind el-."

A snort is heard right before Kaita can finish his passionate speech, and in a second all eyes land in the sole boy sitting in the back corner.

Louis blinks, realizing what he has just done. Kaita glares at him, clearly annoyed.

"What is the matter, Mr. Vallière? Is there something wrong with what I just said?"

Louis doesn't say anything, but under the persistent glare of his teacher, he finally opens his mouth. "It's not that there's something wrong… I just find it strange, for someone to proclaim with such certainty the might of wind over void… when no one even knows what actual void was capable of."

"Actual void, as you said, Mr. Vallière, does not exist, and probably never did."

"We can't be sure about that."

Kaita sighs, shrugging his shoulders and raising his hands in an exaggerated gesture of exasperation. "We are not here to discuss religion and the what ifs myths turned out to be truth. The reality is evident. The Founder was said to possess the void, the only user known in all history, but what can it actually do? What was its dominion? Irrelevant questions which answers do not concern us in this time and age."

"Still…" Louis says, but closes his mouth. Kaita's eyebrows twitch and Louis has no other choice but continue under his glare. "I can't help but wonder what exactly wind could do against void… against the absence of anything… even the elements themselves."

"Interesting question, may I ask one of my own?" Louis slowly nods, apprehensiveness evident in his eyes. "What element are you proficient on, Mr. Vallière?"

At once, the tension in the classroom rises drastically. Louis doesn't say anything, but his face is suddenly gloomy. Kaita snorts, an unsophisticated noise he shouldn't be doing towards someone of superior status, no matter if he's a teacher or if Louis did it before him.

"Of course, I've forgotten. You cannot use a single element. Talking about their strength when you can't even wield a single one it's a waste of time, shouldn't you agree, Mr. Vallière?"

Huh?! Kirche bares her teeth in anger, and the rest of the class shift as well, a mix of annoyance and awkwardness spreading. Because, even though what Kaita is saying it's the truth, there's still an uncomfortable feeling in hearing someone of low nobility belittling someone of high nobility. At the same time, he's their teacher, so while class is in session, he's their superior. Louis can't rightfully put him in his place that way.

Then again, given his social position, he could do it anyway and get away with it. But then…

I wish you would say something to defend yourself… Kirche sighs mentally when she sees Louis lowering his head, and Kaita giving a smug smile. Louis is nothing but diligent, and while he's usually aloof with his classmates out of routine rather than submission, this time he truly lets the slight slide. Kirche sighs, and allows her body to slide further down the chair. At her side, Tabitha looks at her momentarily, her eyes showing the slightest of worry.

She shakes her head at her, before glancing back at the front of the classroom.

The Louis she knows it's someone who will always defend himself, someone who, despite his insecurities and flaws, does his best to stand with his head high and his back straight. It's not that she's truly in love with him, but there's something there, born from the moment he spilled tea over her instead of crying when she threw cake on his head. She likes that he challenges her, and that he's so secure and confident when the occasion rises.

But she knows, deep down, even if her feelings were reciprocated, there would be no real future for them. They're from different countries. They are the heirs of their respective lands. One day she will have to marry and give birth to the next generation of Zerbst, and one day he would have to marry and produce another heir for La Vallière. Realistically speaking, it's impossible.

And maybe because it is impossible, she likes the idea so much. If Louis actually felt the same, if they could one day marry, would she be so interested still? Would the lack of trouble in a relationship between the two turn her off? Or would she become disinterested like she does with every man that falls under her charms?

Then she thinks of all the times they met after that fatidic first day, about their competitions in horseback riding, in chess, climbing trees, about how he reluctantly taught her the basics of swordsmanship and how she actually tried to help him in magic. And the answer comes to her.

No. Sadly for her, even without any of that, she surely would still feel the same for him.

Louis throws his cloak at the bed forcefully, still fuming over what happened in class. He's used to it, truly, he is, but it always feels like a new slap every time someone like a teacher disdainfully remarks his zero ability with magic. Kaita is an ass, that's not the question here, but he's still a teacher, and Louis does have a sore spot for figures of authority who underestimate him.

It's like having the eyes of the court all over him again, like having King Henry look at him with pity, trying to explain to him in the kindest way he can why he can't consider him as a marriage prospect for Henrietta, like his mother and Eleonore training him and trying to force him to use magic, somehow, despite all evidence showing them it's impossible.

He throws himself at the bed, his arms spread over the mattress, his eyes staring at the wood ceiling with eyelids half-closed. He's tired after the emotionally stressful day. Being the last day before summer vacation officially starts, the teachers apparently decided to collectively swarm them with lessons and homework to keep them occupied during the holidays. It's not something Louis is overly worried about. He could probably finish it all in one day, and besides, he knows it's an excuse they give to appear as if the academy it's doing its job and not giving an easy time to the students.

He sighs, covering his eyes with an arm, dreading the moment he has to go back to his home. The luggage it's already done; the bedroom clean and everything it's in its place. The only thing he has to do is make the bed once he wakes up and then he only has to wait for his family's carriage to come get him and Sachiko. The thought, though to anyone else it would be one that fills them with joy, it only leaves Louis with a sense of anxiety.

Just a few days before, he received a letter from Eleonore.

"…evaluate your progress in magic…"

"…went to Albion without father's permission…"

"…Wardes' lands are now under the care of our family…"

"…told you summoned a human as a familiar…"

"…father and mother are eager to meet it…"

He grits his teeth, recalling bits and pieces of everything that was written. Not only he has to present Sachiko to his parents and have their eyes weighing on him with unfulfilled expectations, he also has to come up with an explanation for the reason he went to Albion with Wardes, while the civil war was at its highest point.

He could go with a vague truth; he went under Henrietta's orders to accomplish a mission she gave specifically for him. They wouldn't question what the mission entailed, they are nobles after all, loyal to the crown, but they would recriminate him for not informing them as soon as the mission was over, and more than anything, they would suspect the mission had something to do with the ongoing war with Albion. And though at one point he has to inform them of his intentions to participate in it, he was hoping he could do it in a letter, days before he departs to the front lines, when there's no time for them to stop him.

He pulls his arm away and sits up slowly. There's truly no escaping, is there? Not only from that conversation but also from them meeting Sachiko. What would they think of her? What would they think of him for summoning her? He hasn't taught Sachiko any manners expected for the house of a noble. She can't behave like she usually does with him while they're in private. There is etiquette, and codes, and his mother and Eleonore are going to hate her when she inevitably oversteps her boundaries, and his father is going to look at him with that face he always makes when he commits a mistake, and Cattleya…

Well, Cattleya would probably find her interesting. Maybe she'll want to keep her as part of her animal collection?

He shakes his head, dismissing such ludicrous thoughts, when the door to the bedroom opens. He immediately turns around, and sees Sachiko entering with a smile that goes from ear to ear and light steps.

The remaining of his good mood disappears.

"Finally got the courage to speak with that servant?" he asks, gruffly, annoyed. She looks at him, and if possible her smile widens. His mood takes another nosedive.

"Yes! We talked, and now we're in good terms again!" she skips all the way to the bed, sitting next to him and leaning her face closer. He backs away, feels a small rush going to his head at her proximity, but she continues as if she hasn't noticed. "By the way, thank you for explaining everything to him for me, but you really didn't have to, you know? I could have done so myself."

"Hmph, really? When? Next year?" he asks mockingly, roughly pushing her face away from him with a hand. Sachiko complains, rubbing her cheek with a pout while Louis stands up, hiding his blush from her. "Really, I don't know what you were so scared of. It's just talking, it's not like you're going to die if you hear something you don't like."

Says the boy who prefers to get a limb amputated before saying what's really on his mind.

Sachiko huffs, crosses her arms and gives him a look. "I know that… doesn't make the moment any less scary" she sighs, and then another smile erupts on her face. "But anyway, the good thing is that the misunderstanding is cleared, and…" she fidgets slightly, her tone changing in a way that makes Louis turn to look at her, an eyebrow raised. She's blushing, biting her lip and glancing down as if embarrassed. It makes him sick to the stomach. "Shiro said… since tomorrow summer vacation starts, I mean he invited me to spend some of the holidays in Tarbes, and…"

"Absolutely not!" Louis answers immediately, no even having to think about it. His face is pale, as he can already imagine the questions, the raised eyebrows, the looks of his family when he comes back home, alone, no familiar in sight. "My parents are already expecting you. I can't go home without you! What am I going to say when they ask where is my familiar? That she's off playing with some guy in a commoner village instead of beside her master?! That I can't even control her enough to keep her from wandering?!" this time he shouts, the mere thought getting the better of him. Sachiko's eyes widen in surprise, before she narrows them, and stands up.

"Hey! I don't mean the entirety of summer vacation!" she retorts, equally angry. "And what do you mean control me? You don't control me! This is an equally beneficial relationship! I give, you give, and we do it willingly! That's how it works, not with you controlling me!"

"That's not what I meant! Listen, one thing is the relationship you and I have in private, but another is what it's supposed to be in the eyes of everyone else. And my parents, they definitely…!"

A small tap against the window completely derails their attention from the discussion. They both turn at the same time, and right there, on the ledge of the window outside there's an owl, tapping with its peak against the glass. Louis' eyes widen.

"It can't be…" he opens the window, and receives the scroll tied to the owl's leg. Once he has it secure in his hands, the owl flies away, and Louis opens the scroll, his eyes reading over the content. A sour expression rapidly takes over his features, and the sight of that completely deflates Sachiko from her previous bad mood.

"What is it? Who is it from?" she asks, walking closer to him. Louis sighs, rolling back the scroll and putting it inside his pocket.

"It's from Henrietta" the name dampens Sachiko's mood once again, but she does her best not to let it show on her face.

Henrietta… the queen of Tristain. The events that took place just a week ago are still fresh in her mind. Despite knowing the real nature of what happened, she can't help but feel bitterness in her chest every time she recalls that tornado aimed right at them. Manipulated or not, Henrietta still tried to kill a dear friend from her childhood only to be with the revived corpse of her lover, even though she knew fully well the consequences that could bring to Tristain. Regardless of her reasons… Sachiko just can't bring herself to forgive her.

But it's not like the forgiveness of a low familiar has any importance to a high queen such as her, right? Sachiko knows she must feel guilty every day, and that should be enough to calm her anger.

"You know she's been depressed ever since that night, no?" Louis continues, ignorant of the dark thoughts going on in his familiar's head. Sachiko simply nods, looking away as Louis walks towards his wardrobe. There, he retrieves his luggage and takes it over to his bed. "Well, it seems she can't mourn forever. We're in the middle of a war, and she has many things she must do" he sighs, opening the luggage and taking out a few things. "And that includes us. We've just gotten a mission from her."

"Well, she is the queen, so of course she doesn't have the time to…" and then the words register in her mind. "Wait, we have a mission?"

"Yes" he closes his luggage again and pulls it over his shoulder to test its weight. It's much lighter now, and with a nod, he puts it back down. "Henrietta wants me, as a member of the court and her most trusted ally –her words, not mine– to undergo a secret mission in the capital and gather information in town. In other words, she and Cardinal Mazarin fear Albion secretly eliciting discontent throughout the population now that they can't invade Tristain with their fleet destroyed, and want me; and you by extension, to monitor the situation in town and inform of any irregular activity or rumors. Of course, to do this, I'm required to hide my status as a noble and pose as a commoner" he explains briefly.

Sachiko blinks, looking at him for a moment, with Louis steadily returning her gaze. After a few more minutes of this, he sighs, sitting down on his bed again.

"That means going to my house or Tarbes it's impossible now. Prepare your luggage, we'll need fewer things now since we'll have to get a job and be as inconspicuous as possible, and after that we can go to sleep. I'll write a letter to my family telling them I won't be able to spend the summer with them. I can give it to my chauffer tomorrow when they come pick us up, since now it's too late to send word not to bother, and meanwhile, we can go to Tristania on coach. Good thing too, since the academy wouldn't lend us a horse right before summer vacation starts."

And with that he stands up and does just as he said he would. Sachiko keeps staring after him, her mind quite not catching up with the situation yet.

She opens her mouth. "So… I can't go to Tarbes?"

Louis snorts, looking at her irritatingly. "Didn't you hear anything I just said?"

And with that, Sachiko's very first summer in Halkeginia begun.

A/N: Oh, hi there! So, I was planning to go on with volume five immediately and leave the fight between Sachiko and Shiro as a simple 'yes, they made up, yei!' but halfway through the next chapter I couldn't stop thinking about it and how it didn't sit that well with me just leaving it as a side comment, so I wrote this one from scratch. Also, good timing to start developing Kirche and her infatuation with Louis, no?

To that guest reviewer who asked me not to overlook Henrietta's, ehm... less than proper approach to Louis when they were children, don't worry! I so do plan to develop what happened between Louis and Henrietta then, no way I would put something like that just for it to be ignored!

Next chapter... mademoiselle will appear. Look forward to it!