Zero no Tsukaima

Volume 21 3

Louise and the others, lead by Colbert rushed into the tower and ran past the corridors.

Lamp-like magical devices lined on the walls of both sides, the weak illumination showed doors along the corridor. Missing statues, drawings and other superfluous decorations highlighted the different atmosphere it had compared to the Halkeginia palaces.

A deep alarm echoed within the tower.

"Try not to make any footstep sounds. Don’t do anything on your own, and wait for my command." Colbert said softly. Beads of sweat slowly formed on his forehead. He had never felt this choking feeling of anxiety before.

They had sneaked into the enemy base without a map nor any information about them. Even though he had participated in all kinds of battles during his tenure as the leader of "Magical Research Experimental Group", this was is first time he had taken part in such a reckless mission.

Not only that, they were also fighting against elves.

Would they be able to leave this place alive? In the worst case, even if their plan were to fail, he should at least let the student escape with their lives... As he thought about this, his expression turned even more severe.

"Where are all the elves?"

"Well, for most of the places with high ranking people, they would be at the apex of the building." Guiche answered after hearing Louise ask softly. "That is the case with Halkeginia."

After walking for some time, they entered an empty space that looked like a hall in the intersections of the corridors. Colbert stopped moving, and waved his staff to block the students behind him.

"Jean, is there something wrong?"

"Elves."

The word made everyone take in a cold breath.

Elves dressed like guards appeared at the other end of the corridor.

The beings named Elves, were existences that could take on a thousand human warriors alone. There were three of those fearsome warriors before them.

After that, the enemy noticed them, and immediately unsheathed their blades before running towards them.

Colbert instantly cast a "Flame Ball" in response.

With flames stronger than what any Square Mage could output by four times, three spheres of fire, with twice the radius of a "Fire Ball", shot towards the Elves while dragging trails of flames.

Sounds of explosions thundered across the corridor and the air itself shook as the powerful flames ravaged the elves. A merciless attack, made in stark contrast to Colbert’s typical good-natured appearance. Louise and the others stood dumbfounded behind him.

"Couldn’t we have taken them as hostages?" Malicorne said.

"I don’t think guards would have any value as hostages, and also..."

Colbert turned grim, and shot a glare towards the flames in the other end.

"I don’t think we can afford to be merciful to the enemies we’re facing."

They heard a strong gust howl across the corridor, sucking the flames into a swirling tornado and removing every trace of fire.

There was not even so much as a burnt cinder on the elves.

"So that’s the power of ’Firstborn Magic’... What terrifying strength."

Colbert muttered. On the other hand, the warriors seem to be yelling in Elvish. It seemed to be something insulting, since they mentioned something about the "devil".

"Leave this to me."

Guiche stepped to the front pompously as he waved his rose wand. Seven rose petals danced gracefully in the air, before turning into seven Valkyries, holding short spears, who stood in front of the Elves.

"Charge, my Valkyries!"

Upon Guiche’s command, the Valkyries immediately rushed forward.

However, the Elves simply jumped to them with their weapons made short work of the Valkyries with a few fluid strokes.

"Hey, what the heck?" Guiche’s face turned green, and cold sweat rained down Colbert’s brow.

There was an unimaginable strength hidden within the lithe bodies of the elves. Maybe they enhanced their bodies within their weapons and bodies.

"I would recommend that we escape while we can."

"Agreed." Colbert concurred with Malicorne’s suggestion.

It was pointless for them to obtain a Pyhrric victory here. While Louise might be able to do something with her "Void" magic, they should not simply waste their ace here.

"There’s a path here."

Louise pointed towards a corridor at the side.

"Alright, you guys, leave now. I’ll hold them off."

Colbert waved his staff and summoned a monstrous serpent of flame in one swift motion.

A cold and emotionless smile that he would have never shown to the students appeared on his face. Colbert radiated an feeling that he would scorch anyone who touched him. Every one except Kirche felt goosebumps travel down their spine.

The colossal flame serpent, befitting of his title, "Colbert the Flame Serpent", whisked towards the elves like a whip.

The Elven warriors, strong as they are, did not tread forward as confidently as before, against the ferocious flame serpent. They might not have expected such a powerful Mage among the barbarians.

"Mr. Colbert!"

"Leave now! Quickly!"

After hearing Colbert’s uncompromising command, Louise and the others could only rush down the corridor hurriedly.

Colbert summoned another flame serpent as he backed off. He was not planning to fight the enemy to the end here, since the enemy in question was the Elves.

Colbert sneaked a peek at the ceiling of the corridor before scheming coolly.

"I would have to lure them deeper into the corridor first."

The two flame serpents intertwined without any intention of letting their prey go free. One of the Elves seemed to have gotten tired of the battle that was going nowhere, and started chanting something. No matter what kind of spell that was, there was no way he could win after the spell chanting was complete. Spells of a smaller scale would have no effect against the powerful "Firstborn Magic"

"I’m not going to let you do that."

Colbert extinguished the flame serpents and immediately began casting the spell for "Flame Ball".

He aimed the three of them at the cracks in the ceiling.

The ceiling exploded before crashing down with a deafening noise and burying the Elves under it.

The cracks were created when the airship rammed into the tower. Colbert stepped back while masterfully controlling the flame serpents to lure the Elves right under the cracks.

After that, Colbert waved his staff, and cast the earth magic, "Alchemy" on the pile of rubble. It hardened, and became a huge block of brick and mortar.

The Elves had already used "Firstborn Magic" to enhance their bodies, so being buried under the rubble would probably not kill them. However, it should stall them for a while.

"I have to move fast."

Just as Colbert was about to chase after Louise and the others, the pile of rubble, which should have been solidified by "Alchemy", began to distort itself, like it was alive.

To prevent the guards from the lower levels from reaching them at the top, Tabitha, who had split from the group, descended on the terrace that had been destroyed by the cannon of the "Ostland".

She used the "Air Hammer" to destroy the glass window and entered the tower. She purposefully made a huge din to attract the attention of the guards.

The place that Tabitha had entered was a round space that was illuminated by magic. It looked like some sort of hall. There was a towering metal door at the deepest end.

The metal door suddenly opened with a bang.

Three armed Elves appeared.

Tabitha immediately cast the "Windy Icicle" spell towards them.

Five sharp pointed arrows of ice sped towards the elves.

However, they did not even reach their target before they were repelled by the strong gusts, not unlike a tornado, around the Elves.

It was the wind "Firstborn Magic", but that was within Tabitha’s expectations. She intentionally used less powerful magic to confirm the numbers of enemies.

Tabitha determined that... there was no one among them who could use the terrifying spell, "Reflect". As expected, even among the Elves, only a select few could use such a formidable "Firstborn Magic".

Tabitha cast the "Blade" spell on her staff, and swiftly slashed at the trio.

The elves were stunned for a moment. They generally assumed that... the barbarian Mages only could cast spells with exaggerated hand motions, which made them extremely vulnerable. Therefore, an assassin-like Mage who attacked nimbly and cast spells while not letting the enemy see their lip motions was a never before heard enemy for them.

The vacuum blade extending out of the staff cut open the "Wind Shield" and the uniform of the elf who looked like the team leader.

The elf looked shocked. Tabitha twirled her staff rapidly and cast a "Javelin" at point blank range.

The huge ice spear slammed straight into his chest plate and knocked the elf who looked like the team leader far away.

"First, one down."

Tabitha calmly counted in her mind as she withdrew her staff.

Tabitha’s original style of battle was to use a variety of long range spells to suppress the enemy. Using the "Blade" spell in hand-to-hand combat was not her forte.

However, she would not have any chance of winning against the Elves if they were able to use the powerful "Firstborn Magic".

As such, the only effective way was to take the first strike. She would use the condescending attitude that the Elves had towards barbarian Mages, and defeated them while they were still confused.

As she continue to channel magic into her staff, she felt as if her heart was slowly enclosed by ice. As she focused her concentration to the maximum point where she attained perfect tranquility, the world around her slowed down to a snail’s pace. She even managed to see each of the surprised expressions on the Elves.

"This should do."

This was what she wanted, that feeling from before. If she was unable to retrieve this cold, absolute-zero heart, she would never be able to win against the Elves.

Just like when Tabitha the Snowstorm still had the title of the "Seventh" knight of the North Parterre.

Suddenly, Tabitha felt a faint presence behind her. This was something akin to the sixth sense, a product of training her intuition during her long years of working in the shadows.

Tabitha quickly ducked down before a blade of light nearly sliced through the air above her head. As she turned around, Tabitha went around the elf behind her and cast a "Javelin" at him. She confirmed that the Elf was knocked away at a corner of her eye, before slashing the other Elf. However, the enemy was no pushover, so not only did he manage to dodge the invisible blade, he also managed to cast "Firstborn Magic".

Tabitha saw that and could not help but panicked a little.

To fight "Firstborn Magic" head-on with Mage magic... There would be no chance of winning.

Tabitha chose to chase after the enemy to attack before he could, but this was just what he wanted her to do.

Warning bells rang in her head as she felt as if she stepped into a swamp.

Tabitha immediately cast "Flying", but she was slower by just a hairbreadth. A hand emerged of the earth caught her leg and slammed her into the ground.

The warrior yelled something loud in Elvish, and slashed downwards.

Tabitha hastily turned over and parried it with center of her staff. As the blade closed in on her eyes, the blue pupils of Tabitha began to shake uncontrollably. Fear slowly crept into the core of her frozen heart.

There was no one else who knew about what terrible things the Elves could do than Tabitha. When she went to her old mansion in Orléans to save her mother... Tabitha could not do anything against the Elves.

The blade before her eyes was just barely above the tip of her nose. "Is this the end..." Tabitha closed her eyes, as if she had accepted her fate.

Just then, a face appeared in Tabitha’s mind. It was the face of the young man that Tabitha had admired secretly in her heart.

Suddenly, the young man’s appearance merged with the main character of the book that Tabitha had read before.

"The Hero of Ivaldi."

He was the hero of the legendary story that Tabitha had always yearned for since she was young.

"At the time, I was a princess who was saved and liberated by the hero. However, this is my turn. I will be the one who will save that person, the ’Hero of Ivaldi’."

"I cannot, die here."

Tabitha closed her eyes and started to chant a spell.

"Rakus Wotale Isu Yise Hagaras"

Tabitha’s staff began to shine, and from that beam of light, a powerful wind howled into existence.

The Elf looked a little shaken. The prey, driven into the corner, rebounded with even greater strength.

He increased pressure on the blade as he saw this, trying to cut both Tabitha and her staff.

However, there was no longer any fear in Tabitha’s mind, as she continued to chant the spell with a frigid voice.

The surrounding air instantly froze in the freezing hazy gusts. The frozen air turned into threads, swirling in between the both of them.

The Elf’s eyes opened wide as his face turned into a shocked expression. It would be impossible for her to escape unscathed if she used this spell at such a close distance.

However, Tabitha froze every feeling of fear she had in her heart, and finished chanting her spell.

-- "Blizzard"

This spell, that was originally just a Triangle spell, reached the power of a Square spell. Countless blades of ice rampaged mercilessly across the hall, slashing through everything it touched.

The immeasurably powerful tornado of icy blades lashed out at Tabitha’s petite body, and threw her against the wall.

Tabitha gingerly opened her eyes and looked around, only to find a Elven warrior lie before her, the armor on his body completely shredded apart. It might have been that he stepped back to dodge the spell, causing him to take even more damage than Tabitha who had been in the eye of the storm.

Tabitha struggled to get on her feet.

After defeating the three Elves... How many more of these tough opponents would she has to face?

Tabitha cast the "Night Vision" spell on herself as she arrived at the passageway outside the hall. Even if she was not able to defeat the guards from the levels below, she had to try to stop them in their tracks.

Just then, she heard a set of footsteps in the passageway behind her.

She determined that there was only one person from the footsteps, and that the other person was walking towards her slowly.

Tabitha raised her staff.

The silhouette of an Elf with a long cape emerged from the darkness.

Sweat drops appeared on Tabitha’s forehead.

This was because the aura shown by the other person was obviously different from the three Elven warriors just now.

"He’s very strong."

Tabitha’s intuition, as a warrior who has fought in countless battles, told her that.

The elf stopped moving after noticing Tabitha’s presence.

Tabitha immediately cast "Windy Icicle" towards her opponent without another word. However, the icicle spear turned around and lunged towards Tabitha just as it was about to reach the elf’s chest.

"Reflection".

Tabitha used her staff to knock away the icicle spear and instantly casted "Blade" as she rushed forward.

The elf with a long cape slowly lifted his hand, seeming to be casting "Firstborn Magic".

Tabitha knew well that she would not be living for long if she allowed her opponent to complete the spell.

Just as the vacuum blade rebounded, Tabitha’s body was also thrown far away.

"It’s useless. No blade can cut through my ’Reflection’."

Blue pupils stared into Tabitha, who was lying on the ground, from beneath the hood.

"Aren’t you...!"

Tabitha was frozen in place. Her expression which was once as chill as ice, could not help but show hints of surprise.

"The color of your hair and eyes... are you the princess of Gallia?"

It was Bidashal.

The terrifying elf who imprisoned Tabitha’s mother and her in Alhambra.

"Huff, huff... w-wait for me, hey!"

"Can’t you run faster? The Elves are going to catch up to us." Guiche urged Malicorne who was already out of breath after just running for a while.

"I’m just not good at running."

"Would it be faster for you to roll instead?"

Just as Kirche said it, a thunderous roar came from their back.

Everyone stopped in their tracks and looked backwards.

"Mr. Colbert?" Louise’s tone showed uncertainty.

The explosions echoing around them only served to deepen their fears. However, not long after that... they heard light footsteps heading their way. Colbert was running towards them from the other end of the pathway.

"Jean..."

"It seems like his attempts in stopping the Elves from chasing after us were successful."

Louise and the others let out a sigh of relief when they saw Colbert run towards them.

Nevertheless, they noticed something strange about him.

Why was Mr. Colbert running with all his might with an exasperated feeling on his face?

"W-what is that?!" Guiche paled as he pointed behind Colbert.

When everyone saw the thing was appeared from that direction, they were dumbstruck.

The thing that was chasing after Colbert as he ran away was actually a giant "arm" made of rock.

"W-what the heck is that?!"

"Are you dumb, of course, it’s ’Firstborn Magic’!" Guiche answered, annoyed.

Colbert, who had been running as best as he could, scream out with all his energy, "You guys, everyone, run away as fast as you can! Our magic is useless against it!"

Even if Colbert had not told them that, everyone was already running on the pathway.

"W-when will it stop chasing us?"

"Well, that will of course be when it squashes us." Malicorne answered Louise, who was out of breath.

"What should we do then!"

"Hey, Louise, I thought of a nice strategy." Guiche, who was panting heavily, suddenly spoke.

"What is it?"

"How about everyone just bow down and apologize? Who knows, maybe the Elves are willing to negotiate with us."

"How could there be such a good thing like that. Don’t forget, we were the one who rammed a ship into their tower. Also, does anyone among us speak Elvish?"

"I really thought it was a great idea." Guiche groaned loudly as he ran.

"There’s a door here!" Malicorne pointed towards the front.

There was a small door at the end of the pathway. There was no other forked paths, so there was no choice for them.

"It seems like we could only hide in there."

"Yeah..."

The deafening din behind them continued to press closer to them.

Louise and the others made a leap of faith and rushed to the door.

Guiche, who reached the door first, tried to push the door with all his strength.

"I can’t open it, I think it’s locked."

"Move aside."

Kirche whipped out her magic staff, and began chanting the spell for "Fireball".

The door opened in a clean blast from Kirche.

However, behind the door, it was a round room which could only accommodate a few persons.

Kirche showed disappointment upon realizing this.

"Alas, it seems like we’re at our wit’s end."

Everyone took a look backwards, only to find the giant "arm" born of Firstborn Magic stormed forward, barely impeded by the walls.

At this rate, everyone would turn into mince meat while holding their hands.

"Oh mighty Founder Brimir, I pray for assistance for your Children in this time of need..."

"Get a grip of yourself, Guiche!" Seeing that Guiche has discarded his wand and sat on the ground, Louise told him that as she pulled his ears.

On the other hand, Colbert crouched and scrutinized at the floor of the small room with a serious expression on his face.

"Jean, what’s wrong?"

"This is an elevator." Colbert answered upon hearing’ Kirche’s question.

"What’s an elevator?"

"It’s a magical device that uses the power of wind stones to carry people. There are similar devices in the Hamlin Academy of Tristania."

"Does that mean we could control it even if we’re not elves?"

"Yes, there’s a good chance."

After that, Colbert began to study the round panel of a floor.

"Faster, Mr. Colbert!" Guiche yelled anxiously.

The ground shook as loud sounds closed in on them.

The giant rock "arm" appeared before them.

Malicorne attacked it with the "Air Hammer" relentlessly.

Kirche also used her magic wand to shoot "Fireballs" at it.

Meanwhile, Guiche used Earth Magic to erect a huge wall in front of everyone.

However, none of their magic worked. The "arm" demolished the wall Guiche made easily and stretched its fingers wide. It was about to crush Louise and others into oblivion.

"Uwah!"

"Oh, I think I know how! Everyone, get in here now!"

After hearing Colbert shout, everyone immediately entered the elevator.

The elevator instantly became crowded when five people entered it.

Colbert used magic to activate the wind stones.

After the initial feeling of weightlessness, the round panel plunged down with a whoosh.

"W-we’re saved..."

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they descended downwards.

However, it was not all over just yet.

Rumble rumble rumble...!

A heavy rumble came from above.

"I have a bad feeling about this..." Guiche spoke.

"Oh, that’s weird, because I feel the same too." Louise trembled as she looked up.

The next instant, a powerful force slammed into the elevator and distorted the ceiling.

"Yiii!" Guiche was so scared that he hugged his head with both hands.

A few continuous hits later, the elevator ceiling was finally ripped apart.

At the same time, the elevator stopped working.

"Get out now!"

Everyone hurriedly crawled out of the elevator upon hearing Colbert yell out. The elevator they had been riding just now was then promptly pulverized by the giant rock "arm".

"Can’t they just let us go!" Kirche could not help but exclaim.

"Allow me." Louise walked forward, and raised her wand.

She then closed her eyes, and focused inwards. The face of her favorite familiar then immediately appeared before her.

"Saito... Where are you right now? What are you doing right now?"

Her memories of him flowed into Louise’s mind, and faded away.

There were happy memories and sad memories. There were memories of him being kind and gentle to her and memories where they fought... The memory when they met in the Versailles Courtyard where they hugged each other without any clothes on... The memory when he mistook her for Tabitha, and when she saw him k-kiss the princess, in the basement below the villa... Her blood boiled as she thought about it. "Is S-Saito now being all i-intimate with Tiffania...?"

The powerful waves of emotions within her mind was distilled into her mental willpower that permeated her entire being. Louise chanted the runes of the "Void" spell, one that she has used so many times that her body would naturally summon it on its own.

Once the chanting was complete, Louise waved her wand.

"Explosion".

The bright light from the tip of her wand destroyed the giant rock "arm" in a deafening blast.

"Oh, well done, Louise!" Guiche said, out of admiration.

"As expected of Miss Vallière’s ’Void’ magic, it’s effective against the elves’ ’Firstborn Magic’."

"Mm, but I can’t use it anymore." Louise’s legs gave in and she sat limp on the floor as she panted heavily. It seems that the attack just now took a lot from her.

Kirche, worried, asked Louise, "Hey, are you alright?"

"Mm, yeah, I’ll be okay..."

"In any case, where are we exactly?"

Kirche lit the tip of her wand, and looked around.

It was a pathway unlike the one they had been in just now.

The ceiling was at least twenty mails high, it seemed like a wide hall of sorts.

"It seems like a place where they have meetings," said Colbert.

"This may be the place where the Council meets... Hmm, that being said, the elevator just now should be build to reach this place then."

Just then, a bright sphere of light appeared above everyone, and shone over the entire hall.

"Eh?"

What Louise and the others saw in the next instant shocked them.

"The work of the devil, I’ve seen what you’ve done."

They were surrounded by dozens of Elves.

Peering down at Louise and the others from the seats that were arranged like a staircase, all of them looked like high ranking Elves with their long flowing robes. In the middle podium of the large hall, there was a serious looking Elf with a long beard.

"T-there’s so many of them..." Guiche’s voice was shaking.

This was expected since the number of Halkeginian nobles that have seen so many elves could just fit into one hand.

As for the number of nobles who had seen them and lived to tell the tale... it should be zero.

"What’s there to be afraid of, even though they are Elves, they are just a bunch of old people anyway." Malicorne’s tone has a tinge of hope.

"We could at least take one as hostage, right?"

"Y-yeah. They don’t seem to have any weapons anyway."

"You moron." Kirche looked indifferent.

"The power of the ’Firstborn Magic’ Elves possess grows with their age. In other words..."

"In other words?"

"Every one of these Elves... especially the old Elf who seems to be the highest authority here, are the most terrifying magic users."

Guiche and Malicorne could not help but take in a cold breath as they heard what Kirche has spoken.

"Welcome to Adyl, barbarians." The old Elf who stood on the tall podium said.

He was not talking to them in elvish, but in fluent Gallish, the lingua franca of Halkeginia.

"However, who could have thought that you would reach this place in such a barbaric manner."

"Who are you?" Colbert asked him.

"I am Turuk, the president of this Council."

"The president...!"

This answer made Colbert blurt out in shock.

The original was indeed to kidnap a big-shot Elf as hostage in exchange for Saito and Tiffania.

However, they actually ended up meeting the president himself... This was too much for them.

The president, leader of all the Elves looked downwards at Louise and the others, and advised them,

"Foolish barbarians, put down your weapons and surrender. We will treat you well."

"What do you think, Louise?" Kirche shrugged and turned her head to look at Louise.

Louise’s hazel-colored eyes shot a determined glance at Turuk.

"We’ll never surrender, return Saito and Tiffania to us."

Turuk shook his head.

"Did you mean the undertaker of the work of the devil, and its protector? I’m sorry but we will not oblige. As it stands for us, we cannot allow you to assemble all the trump cards."

Even thought Turuk said this, Louise felt relieved. If the elves knew that the Void always would continue to be revived, then it would mean that they would not kill Saito and Tiffania.

"Well then, there’s no point negotiating further. The reason why we’re here is to bring them back."

Louise answered Turuk, and pointed her magic wand at him.

She then asked the four others behind her.

"Does anyone has any objections?"

"Of course not."

Kirche smiled brightly as she pulled out her magic wand.

"There is no ’surrender’ in the Zerbst dictionary."

"Protecting the students is my duty as a teacher."

Colbert also brandished his staff, along with Guiche and Malicorne.

"Thank you, everyone."

Louise rubbed the edge of her eyes.

"I’m not doing this for you, Louise."

"There is no honor in being nobles that just stood aside and did nothing when their allies needed help."

"That’s exactly it."

Everyone raised the tip of their wands and staff high and pointed it towards Turuk who stood on the tall podium.

"So this is your answer?"

Turuk shook his head sympathetically.

He then descended down from the tall podium and met Louise and the others in the lower level.

"There’s no other choice then, this will be where you breathe your last breath."

Turuk raised his hands and began chanting "Firstborn Magic".

"O great spirits of stone, our sturdy protectors..."

The floor suddenly started to shake violently.

The rocky ground floated off the ground and one by one flew into the air.

The rocks slammed and merged with one another, forming a huge slab of stone.

What appeared in front of Louise and the others was a stone giant that was at least ten mails tall.

"W-what the heck is that!" Guiche could not help but exclaim.

"He really is a fearsome monster". Any trace of a smile was now gone from Kirche’s face.

"This was the power that they have boasted about, the power of the ’firstborn’ elves."

Turuk swung a balled fist, and the stone giant raised his feet to stomp on the ground.

The ground shook as stone splintered off the ceiling and rained from above.

Even the elves who were looking at them from above were surprised.

"Everyone, leave the place, if you wouldn’t want to be caught in the aftermath of the great Elvish power!"

The council members ran to take cover in the corners of the great hall when they heard Turuk’s advice.

"Miss Vallière, are you able to cast Void spells?"

"If it were just one spell... then maybe yes I think so." Louise answered. However, anyone could see that she was just putting up a brave face.

"We’ll try to delay him as best as we can. You think of something." Kirche said.

"It’s all in your hands now, Louise, we can only count on your Void." Guiche said, as he licked his lips.

"Mm, I understand."

The stone giant leapt up with a loud crash. The level of dexterity it displayed compared to the Bronze Valkyries were heaven and earths apart, it was just like a living thing.

The huge silhouette plunged from above. Louise and the others split up and ran for cover.

Rumble rumble rumble!

The stone giant landed with a foot planted into the ground, creating a dust cloud that went everywhere.

Colbert shot three "Flame Balls" at the head of the stone giant which had stopped moving.

Three balls of flame with the ability to home in on their target and a long tail of fire behind them, hit the stone giant head on.

However, no explosion was heard. The surface of the giant glimmered and the balls of flame flew back at Colbert instead.

"Jean!"

Kirche casted the same "Flame Ball" spell immediately.

Two sides of fireballs clashed into each other in the air and exploded.

"The body of the giant has been imbued with ’Reflection’ magic!"

"My Valkyries! Stop it in its path!"

Guiche waved his rose wand.

The bronze Valkyries instantly appeared around the stone giant, and threw their spears at the giant.

However the short spears thrown by the Valkyries were easily repelled.

"It won’t work. That giant is the manifestation of all the elven power within the ’Casper’. None of you will be able to hurt it at all."

Turuk proclaimed with a cold voice. The stone giant looked down, and grabbed all the bronze Valkyries in its hand like they were toys and threw them at Guiche.

"Aaaaaah!" Guiche immediately ducked when he saw that.

What remained of the bronze Valkyries flew over Guiche’s head. They smashed into the wall and disintegrated into little pieces.

Shortly after that, the giant gave out a low roar and it lowered its head and rushed towards them.

"Split up!" Colbert yelled.

Guiche and the others immediately casted "Fly" and flew away to the air.

The giant slammed into the wall, demolishing it.

"Are they trying to take down the entire building?!" Guiche, who landed on the second level seats, said.

"They would get it up and running again with that ’Firstborn Magic’ of theirs anyway." Malicorne said while wiping off the cold sweat off his brow.

"Hey, where’s Louise?" Colbert said.

"Eh?" Kirche began trying to find Louise anxiously.

She found Louise amidst the dust clouds fogging up her vision.

Louise was standing right behind the giant.

"Miss Vallière, run away!"

"By the way, Louise can’t use ’Fly’, right?" When she said this, Kirche looked at Louise’s expression, and noticed something about her.

No... It was not that she was not able to escape, but simply that she did not want to escape.

With her wand pointed forward, Louise, facing against the giant, raised her head and said,

"You won’t dare to really kill me, right."

"That’s right. If we were to kill you, the undertaker of the work of the devil will revive again anyway. However, even if I don’t take you life here, I have plenty of other methods of taking control of your mind and body."

The giant stretched out its hand, ready to take Louise in its grasp.

Just then, Louise activated her spell.

"Explosion!"

A small blast occurs near the chest of the giant, but that was all that happened.

It seems that she has run out of mental will.

"Just.. Just one more time..." Louise tried to chant the "Void" spell again.

However, it was too late. The giant captured Louise’s petite body within its grasp.

"Let go of Louise!"

Guiche chanted spells, and dozens of earthen walls fell on the head of the giant.

Malicorne casted his wind spell and attacked the hand of the giant.

Colbert and Kirche also used Triangle Fire spells.

However, the joint attacks by all four of them failed to penetrate the Elven "Reflection" magic. Malicorne was even blown away by the reflected spell.

"Ah, Ugh..." Louise struggled within the giant’s grasp, but to no avail.

"It seems like you’re no longer capable of using the work of the devil."

Turuk’s murmurings showed a slight hint of disappointment.

The giant’s hand pressed hard, and Louise was so scared that she began to tremble.

"Saito, save me..." Louise could not help but summon the name of her beloved familiar.

However, she immediately bit down on her lip, and stopped her voice from escaping her mouth.

"It’s supposed to me saving Saito... How can I even hope that Saito will come and save me?"

However, she was unable to activate Void anymore.

She has just used up all of her mental will just now.

"S-save me!"

Screams of help came. A look below showed that one of Guiche’s hands has been taken hold of by the giant. Colbert and Kirche tried to save him, but they were swatted away like insects.

Despair crept further into the core of Louise’s soul. She felt so uncomfortable... She could not breath anymore.

If she lost her consciousness here like this, then she would definitely also lose her free will. All the details of the important memories between the both of them would be erased, and she would never meet her beloved Saito ever again.

"Sorry, Saito..."

Just as... Louise was mumbling while her consciousness faded away, Louise discovered a change within herself.

"Eh...?"

A terrifying amount of power blossomed within the very core of Louise’s body.

"What... What is this power...?"

Her mental will should have been depleted after she had cast all of the "Void" spells.

However, why was mental will currently flowing into her body again?

It was as if it flowed from somewhere else.

She felt... a sort of throbbing feeling.

"What’s happening? What was, this power?"

Large amount of mental will spilled into Louise’s body. They swirled around in her body, trying to find a way to be released from her. If she did not keep her spirits up by 120%, she felt as if her consciousness would be crushed by the sheer amount of power within her.

At the same time, Louise felt that as if she was protected by something strong and powerful.

This was a familiar feeling.

"This feeling, is Saito!"

Louise was very sure of this.

This was Saito’s power. Was it the bond between the familiar and her... or something else entirely? She did not fully understand the theory behind this, but in any case, Saito’s power had entered her body...

The giant pressed down even hard on Louise, planning to choke her unconscious.

"There’s no way I’m letting you do this."

Louise closed her eyes and casted a "Void" spell.

In the next instant, Louise figure disappeared from the giant’s hand.

"What! Impossible!" Turuk shouted out in shock.

The Elven Council members looking down at them from the top also began to make a ruckus.

"Where did she disappear to...!"

"I’m here."

Louise’s voice came from a place far away from Turuk’s head.

She stood straight on the lighting device that hung from the ceiling.

Using the "Teleport" spell, she moved to that place in an instant.

"Is the that work of the devil...!"

Louise then pointed her wand towards the bottom and began to chant a spell loudly.

"Eoru Sunu Firu Yarunsaksa...."

"Onu Sunu Uriu Ru Raduo...."

The mental will that was flowing continuously within her... was converted into "Void" runes, and was concentrated into the tip of her wand.

The high feeling that she had never felt before made Louise feel troubled.

However, she just felt like Saito was beside her... This feeling made Louise feel like there was nothing to be afraid of.

She felt as if she could use any magic she wanted...

"Beozusu Yuru Suwieru Kano Oshiera."

The melody of the runes that she has chanted countless times, interwove as she willed them to be in her mind.

Louise overlooked the stone giant from above.

There was nothing to be afraid of. You’re nothing but a lump of normal rock.

"Jera Isa Wunshu Hagaru Beokun Iru...."

The spell was complete.

Louise flicked her wand once.

"Explosion!"

A small dot of light, only the size of a pea, rapidly expanded near the chest of the giant, and exploded.

The "Explosion" Void spell punctured through the elven "Reflection", and blasted the ten-mail-tall giant into pieces. What was left of the giant fell into the crater that also appeared in the ground.

"Oh, Louise, she succeeded!" Guiche, who was released from the giant’s hands, exclaimed cheerfully.

"Hey, wasn’t there still a lot of power left within you? I see, you were saving it for last, right?"

Louise shook her head.

"This was not my own power. It was borrowed from Saito."

"What’s that supposed to mean?" Kirche asked with a befuddled expression on her face.

"Ah, this is the work of the devil... Truly a terrifying power to behold." Turuk mumbled with a shocked expression.

Louise then pointed her wand towards the panicking elves.

"Don’t move. Or I will give you another shot."

The elves stopped in their tracks when they heard that. If the power of the "Void" could pass through even "Reflection", then it was obvious that no matter how strong the "Firstborn Magic" spell was, it will not be able to deflect another Void spell of the same destructive power.

However, they have other doubts of their own.

A spell as powerful as the one before, could it really be used again?

To tell the truth, Louise was indeed just bluffing. The mental will that has filled her body just now has disappeared without a trace after it was completely used in the the explosion just now.

... Louise and the Elves stood in a face off, divided on two sides by the remains of the giant.

"Mu, has she finally caught up..."

Turuk closed his eyes and said with a voice in a volume nobody could hear.

Just then, the windows at the top of the hall were shattered.

A petite silhouette appeared, and before any of the Elves could react, it flew to Turuk’s side with the dexterity of an assassin, and pressed the tip of the staff at his neck.

"Tabitha!" Louise cried out.

"You move, you die."

Tabitha coldly warned Turuk as she pressed her staff on his neck.

Turuk simply held both his hands up in surrender.

"Where is Saito?" Tabitha questioned.

"He’s not here."

Turuk shook his head.

"That barbarian has already escaped with the undertaker girl."

"What did you say!"