“…And if I would oppose you, you’d knock me down and take it?”
“Not so harshly.”
“Stop joking!”
She pointed her wand and unleashed a small explosion towards the woman with robe.
Yet, it was also a gargoyle.
Another one opened its mouth.
“This is a doll, not a gargoyle. It’s a special ancient magic item that can take the shape of a person, whose blood they get to drink. This ability… Was used by kings in ancient wars. Some noble historians compare it to a play. Well, we want to thank you.”
Gargoyles approached slowly.
“They are not very useful against swordsmen and soldiers. But because of their usefulness against mages, in history, they are feared as ‘mage killers’.”
“Ku!”
Louise again unleashed Dispel Magic at the approaching beings.
However… it was a futile attempt of resistance against such overwhelming numbers.
A Void spell's power is proportional to the time it takes to cast. Yet… she couldn't make long chants. During casting, a mage is defenseless. She would be easily caught by an enemy.
“So, what do you say? Join in the war game! Just think about it! How long can you keep doing cancellation spells? Here!”
All the gargoyles turned into swordsmen.
There was nothing she could do about it; Louise ran away.
“Aahaha! Strange! Are you really a Void user? Without your Gandálfr, you can’t even chant a spell!”
Louise ran, trying to escape back to the forest. Behind her, Myoznitnirn's magic dolls followed her. Seems like they wanted to tease, or maybe measure Louise’s ability, since they followed Louise at her own pace.
Her feet stumbled on a tree root and Louise fell down.
“Hurts…”
From the other side, thick shadows and damp footsteps of gargoyles stepping through the forest soil echoed.
Fear struck her.
Yet… with her mind stricken with terror, what escaped her mouth was not a Void spell, nor a prayer to God, but…
“Saito!”
The name of the familiar that no longer existed in this world.
In a weeping voice, Louise cried,
“Help… Help me Saito…”
Damp footsteps echoed closer.
The rational part of her mind denied Saito being alive.
Abandon this belief… Saito is dead.
Give up.
Give up, Louise.
Your familiar is dead!
Louise bit her lip.
“So what...”
She knew that already.
Louise screamed in crying voice.
“So what! Sowhatsowhat!”
She could not allow her mind to whisper about his death.
“Everyone keeps telling he is dead, dead, dead… I KNOW that already! He’s dead!”
Louise stood up.
And began to utter an incantation.
The ancient words escaped Louise’s lips. It was a common magic spell, that everyone can use.
“I, Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière…”
She knew.
This was not a spell one should cast at a time like this.
What should have been recited were… Void spells.
However, she decided to believe in it.
And to trust in it.
With her life at stake… she placed her trust into his name.
Louise decided deep inside…
She believes.
Because, I still have not said those words.
Louise recited the spell to meet Saito and shouted.
“In the name of the great Five Pentagon Powers! Following my fate, summon a familiar!”
Louise lowered her wand.
In front of Saito, who was sitting, holding his knees… the gate opened.
The gate that he saw in Tokyo some time ago.
Saito stared with a blank surprise all over his face.
“This…”
Derflinger said in a casual voice.
“…Haa, seems like your fate is to become that lass’s familiar after all.”
“But…”
“Well, Contract Servant doesn’t necessarily succeed.”
“It’s not the time for such talks.”
Agnes said pointing at the gate. Louise's scream echoed from the inside.
“Come! Come come! Help! Noo!”
“…So, what are you going to do now, partner?”
When Derflinger was finishing saying that… he was pulled up by Saito.
“Mo, so be it. But mate, it is your life tha-…”
Saito grabbed Derflinger, who was still muttering, and jumped into the gate.
On the other side of the gate, in the darkness, gargoyles appeared.
But, Louise was not trembling.
She was engulfed by a warm feeling.
He will come.
Saito will come.
Because I am about to die… Saito will come and rescue me.
Encircling Louise at the gate, one of gargoyles raised a sword.
At that moment… the gargoyles upper body crumbled down.
The first thing that caught Louise’s eyes was Derflinger.
Then, she saw the black hair she had seen so many times… Louise felt the tears that she was holding back for so long start to flow.
The moment when Saito came out of the gate, he was greeted by the sight of a fencer lowering his sword. Fearlessly, Saito avoided the swing and thrust Derflinger forward.
Taking his chance, he pierced and cut down the fencer.
From the back… he could hear nostalgic sounds of Louise crying and snarling at the same time.
“W-w-w-where were you!”
Though Saito wanted to calm down Louise, the only words that came were “Wa-was away for a bit…” - truly pathetic response.
Louise started pouring out words in a frenzy.
“You are my Gandálfr! Don’t go anywhere and protect me! D-defend…”
Ignoring his feelings, he said…
“Shut up, stupid!”
“Who are you calling stupid?!”
“It's all right now, so calm down.”
“What was that?!”
From the darkness, Myoznitnirn, Sheffield's voice rang.
“Hey, hey. Gandáflr showed up? Aren’t you a little late. Where were you loafing?“
“I'm not Gandálfr.”
“Then who are you?”
“A free earthling.”
“What? And I thought that I was able to meet a companion… pity.”
Hearing this exchange between Saito and Sheffield, Louise shouted,
“W-what do you mean?!”
“As I said. I am not Gandálfr now.”
“Ha? Why?”
“The runes disappeared because I was close to death.”
“Are you s-s-ss-stupid! Why did you come through the gate!”
“Shut up. I am not protecting you because I am Gandálfr.”
“What other reason?!”
“I protect you because I love you!”
Louise's face crimsoned. Even at such time, Louise blushed furiously.
She coughed to clear her throat and said…
“Th-then, anyway… lets do the Contract Servant again…”
“We don’t have much time for that. Just chant the Void spell and do not worry, I will win somehow.”
“What are you saying?! Not being a Gandálfr, what can you do with gargoyles as your opponents…”
“Gargoyles?”
“Magic dolls.”
“I see. So they are not human. I won’t hold back then.”
The crowd of gargoyles closed in.
For a while, they were eying them.
Saito set up the sword.
“It’s all right, entrust me with your life.”
Hearing him say that in such confident way… Louise bit her lip. And rubbed her eyes.
She was happy.
Concentrating on her wand, Louise began to chant the spell.
Hearing the nostalgic Void chant from behind him, Saito faced the direction from which the enemies were coming.