She had to admit, the young Valliere had guts. Very few would have even considered attacking the headmaster in his own office and just walk out. Even fewer would actually be able to pull it off. If said show of guts and of the consequences of such hadn't set back months planning, she would applaud the young girl. As it stood she was rather annoyed.

Though as it turned out, Old Osmond life hadn't been put into that much danger. Sure if he had been left alone for a time with his injuries, then there might have been trouble. However, with her around, that had not even been an issue. As much as part of her WANTED to leave the old pervert in his sorry state, she had a cover to keep up. Not to mention Osmond had been the only source of information on what was going on.

Luckily the Academy had a skilled healer, which tends to happen when you have to take care of so many explosion victims, who got the old fart to a state where he could call a meeting right there in the infirmary. However by that time the topic of the meeting had already left via that strange rock portal.

Not that the meeting was short enough for anyone to go after the young Valliere right away anyway. Even coming from old Osmond himself the tale was a hard one to swallow. However when it turned out that the girl had disappeared when the teachers sought her out to get her side of it… well people were more inclined to believe the old pervert.

Though that still left a few questions unanswered. Why? Why would she do this? Yeah her time at the academy wasn't all that great, but did that really mean she had to attempt to take it over? Why would she attack the headmaster and then let him live? And most importantly, why did she think she could succeed?

By now there were three well known facts about this possible invasion. There was one entrance that was within the academies walls that could be easily watched. The Valliere girl had a group of really strong and skilled brown imps which could be lead into choke points and taken out at a range with magic or lead into traps. And most importantly, the girl could't cast magic outside of room destroying explosions. Those were of course dangerous, but in close quarters and enclosed spaces they were rather useless unless she wanted to hurt herself as well.

Honestly she, or anyone else really, couldn't see why the girl would go through with something that was destined to fail. Now there could be facts that they didn't know, but that wasn't likely to change much. However now all the teachers were on alert. The portal, which no one could affect in any way for some reason, was under constant surveillance. The students had been alerted that they should be careful. Of course no one was told that Louise was involved though that information was still somehow leaked. Which in the end didn't matter. It just served to put the students more at ease. After all the infamous Zero couldn't do anything right. Right?

That being said… in the inevitable chaos of the invasion a lot of eyes were going to be off key points, like say… the treasure room. So if during that chaos someone, like say a master thief, were to break in and take something, like the famous staff of destruction, and get away without anyone really noticing… Well that would just be tragic.

She would have to find a way to thank the young Valliere after it was all said and done.


"Guiche, if you are collecting beautiful flowers, it is best to arrange them together. To keep them separated is to make them question their beauty instead of letting them augment each other. And that is a grave injustice to them. If you insist on committing such an injustice, as well as lie, and blame others for your failings, I will just have show you your own failings."

That was what Louise Valliere had said before challenging Guiche Gramont to a duel of champions. Before her imps had CRUSHED his golems. The duel had started one on one, but soon became five against twenty after a single imp destroyed Guiche's first valkyrie golem. Though Louise summoning nineteen more imps after Guiche created five more golems was certainly overkill. It did send a message though. And it had felt so good to watch that two timing, pompous, cheating, arrogant, skirt-chasing jerk get his just desserts in the form of a beating even as he cried for mercy.

However when she thought back on it with the new revelations, and the clear view of hindsight… the situation didn't make a lot of sense.

For starters, it was actually confusing WHO the pink haired girl did the duel for. She could swear to the founder that she locked eyes with Louise when she mentioned beautiful flowers. However instead of coming towards her, Louise instead talked to the maid that Guiche blamed and consoled her. Yet even though the girl shared the whole time with said maid… she felt and even saw Louise look at her. All while paying equal attention to maid. It was as if she was doing it for the two of them.

Which brought notice to the wording of the challenge. She didn't seem to challenge him because he was seeing multiple women. Nor did it seem to be because he was caught. No, the wording suggested she was upset with him for NEEDING to be caught. For HIDING the fact instead of doing so openly. However to do so openly would mean that all parties involved was okay with it. Which would mean that LOUISE was okay with such open relations.

That lead to the third point. Louise was many things, and a prude was one of them. As she should be. A proper lady held on to her maidenhood and her good name. To be part of anything like she seemed to suggest, would be a black mark upon her. So the fact that she not only seemingly suggested such a lifestyle, but also seemed to walk the walk now… it was strange.

Combine that with the rumors of Louise planning on invading the school… things didn't make sense. At all. Though the girl hadn't been around for a while either. She really needed to talk to her. Find out the truth… That is… if she ever saw her again.


Mmmm, it looked like the zero had some bite to her after all. Oh that made her feel so warm inside. This meant that her rival was now worthy of being called such.

Oh, they traded barbs and insults before, and she certainly teased her plenty. However that was more for traditions sake. After all, with their family's history, it would be a crime NOT to do those things. Though admittedly the teasing was also because of all of zero's shortcomings. Pun VERY much intended. Height, bust, femininity, magical prowess, they were all easy pickings. Sure the pinkette had her when it came to pure academic ability, but that was one point against many in her own favor.

Many may see them as rivals, but she herself did not. She always viewed it as showing someone that was below her their proper place. Making her realize her failings and poor ability to stand with her and her peers. She would give Zero credit for always standing up to her, and not giving up, but there was just so many time you SHOULD keep going. And up to this point she believed the little girl to have long passed that point.

However, not too long ago the little zero not only stood up to the pompous Guiche, but she humiliated him without so much as lifting a finger. On top of that she seemed to have realized that being prudish wasn't where it was at. Her little speech, the eyes she made at montemercy, and the way she flirted with that maid were more than ample proof of such. She more than proved her right to be called rival now.

It was just so sad that when she finally did earn such a right she went and decided to betray her own country in such a way. To decide to invade the most prestigious school in her country, and let her intentions be known in such a way, despite the impossibility of it. Oh it made her heart burn with passion to think of it.

It didn't matter what her reasons were. When she failed her good name would crash and burn. Oh what tragedy that would be. To shoot so high only to fall so low. It was only right that she see such a thing with her own eyes. That is if she didn't have a hand in it herself.

It was her responsibility as the girl's rival to do so after all.


Louise Valliere was a mystery. She seemingly had no magical ability, and yet could destroy a room with what was suppose to be a very low level spell. The pinkette was only just below her own scores in the academic side of things, and easily new all the spells inside and out. However that didn't seem to change anything when it came to the results.

That had been her only mystery actually. Despite her best efforts the girl was very much an open book for those willing to read her. She had massive self-confidence issues that she tried to cover up with rash behavior and heated words. She was taught how to be something and struggled to be it by imposing it on everyone else. It was actually a little sad, and kind of relatable.

However, now that had all changed. Seemingly overnight the self conscious girl suddenly became a very confident would-be conqueror. A shift that coincided with the summoning of a strange artefact instead of a creature. An artefact that was carried off by imp-like creatures. the same creatures that played the role as her champions in the duel.

Now THAT was a mystery. One that she really wanted to solve. Why did she become so confident that she believed she could take over the academy? How could she pull it off? There was OBVIOUSLY more to it than everyone else was seeing. Pieces to the puzzle that were being overlooked.

She had to look at each fact. Carefully.

There was currently one portal that no one could access, destroy, or alter in anyway. They didn't know where it led, and it was the only reliable way of getting to wherever Louise was. The reverse was likely also true. So it could be watched by either teachers or familiars. However it had appeared seemingly at random. Which was false. It had likely shown up because of some unknown signal that the strange artefact had broadcasted. So if another signal was broadcasted elsewhere on the grounds…

The fact that such a portal, if it existed, had yet to be discovered could easily be explained by a second fact. Louise spent a lot of time with the same maid before and during the duel with Guiche. Chatting. Flirting. Treating like an equal. The maid could have agreed to become an insider. With the school under new management, new rules could be implemented. Could have promised maid, or indeed most of the staff, better lives if they helped.

Thinking of help. Louise made sure to show off those brown imps of hers. Whether they were familiars or not was not important. Showing off something like that so thoroughly, then leaving after giving everyone a notice of invasion was a big mistake. Unless it was a ploy of course. Make everyone see the brown imps. They make plans to counter those imps. Then you bring in factors they didn't know even existed. Morale drops as plans are destroyed. The same could happen if she appeared from where they didn't expect her, or with numbers they didn't plan for.

Then there was the girl's magic. There was no evidence to it changing any. However even if she could still only do explosions, the amount of damage she could do to the school's forces would be heavy. Many would think that it would easily backfire. However Louise showed that she could summon more numbers when needed, and if she used those numbers as a shield… Well they would receive losses they couldn't easily recover from, while she could just bring in more disposable imps.

This was an assumption of course. However it was smarter to assume the worse scenarios than the better ones. Besides if she was wrong the invasion would be easily crushed. However if she was right… She would likely be the only one in the right position. Once more the only one protecting everyone else.

She had to keep an eye out for the servants. If she was right they were the weak link. She just hoped she was wrong. She was tired of being the 'hero'.


Was this power? Was this what having magic was like? Is this how all those nobles felt everyday? This sense of power and control? If it was she could understand their behavior now. This felt good. Really good.

Of course she had to train herself if she wanted to be of any use. To use this new power to any real effect. And during training she had mentioned her family, which led to a side project which was now reaching fruition. Everything was falling into place.

She had been scared at first. Wary and suspicious, but now, now she was happy she took her chances. The searing touch of her master had hurt, but had left her feeling clean and powerful afterward. Though it was odd calling a girl master.

Now… soon, they would take what was theirs, and those that were worthy would be raised to stand alongside them. As for those not worthy… well servants and slaves were always needed in an empire.