Louise glared down at her schoolwork. She'd defeated a triangle class earth mage, touched the void, and created a new spell. But apparently that didn't mean anything to her teachers. Satori and Marisa had congratulated her more then anyone except Professor Colbert. And their follow up suggestions had been more useful.

And while feeling the void had helped her understand her magic better, it was still difficult to alter the spells she was supposed to be learning in class. It required a totally different thought process, which meant everything was trial and error. A lot of error.

She carefully tapped the rocks in front of her, calling upon the void to bring change. She felt the magic twist into place, then groaned as the rocks transformed into ash. "That's not going to pass."

Siesta looked over from where she was brewing tea. "Why not use an alchemical formula to perform the transmutation? Bottling change seems like something better suited to void. And you'd be able to focus the formula with your reagents."

"I wish I could, but this is the earth test, not the water test." Louise sighed and flopped back in her chair. "What a pain."

"I never understood why humans forced people to learn things they aren't good at," Utsuho thought as she pecked at some cookie crumbs. "Let people learn what they need to learn."

Louise looked at the raven. "Don't you birds throw chicks out of the nest to teach them how to fly?"

"Hey we don't do that." Utsuho ruffled her feathers. "We just encourage our fledglings to fly so they can stop hiding in the bushes."

She didn't really see a difference there, but she knew better then to fight Utsuho over details like that. Her familiar was very set in her ways sometimes. Instead she turned to Siesta. "How is your alchemy going anyway? I heard you mastered the explosive potion."

Siesta blushed. "Mastered is a bit much. I managed to recreate it with some of the mushrooms here. That's all. It's not even that strong. I'd need much more expensive materials to make a potion worth bragging about."

Louise sighed. "I'm starting to understand the value of weak spells. Especially since I have such trouble casting them."

"I was curious about that." Siesta poured two cups of tea. "Didn't Marisa say you were very powerful? Why do you have trouble with weak spells?"

"Something about the void being naturally strong." She sipped the drink. "Apparently a lowly dot class void spell can surpass a square spell from a common element. And it costs as much willpower to use. I'm naturally skilled at burning through my power all at once without holding back. Which means casting small spells is hard."

She brushed her finger against Utsuho and the raven returned the affection. The problem was annoying. She'd worked so hard to learn how to cast magic, and now that she'd succeeded she could fire off maybe two spells a day.

A knock on the door startled her out of her thoughts. "Who is that?" She stood and headed to the door herself, waving Siesta back to her seat. No reason to interrupt the other woman's tea.

She looked out into the hallway to find a man in the heraldry of the royal family. He bowed. "Lady Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière?"

"I am her," she replied.

"A letter from her royal highness, Princess Henrietta," he said, handing her a sealed letter. Louise stared at the royal seal sitting on the front of the paper. What could this be? And why did Henrietta need to send a letter?

Well there was only way to find out. She carefully broke the seal and opened the letter. Utsuho hopped on her head and peered down as well. The letter was short and simple. And totally amazing.

"I'm going to be named a chevalier?!"

Kirche looked over the paper again. She'd always known she'd get the title of chevalier someday. She was a skilled fire mage after all. But she'd never really thought it would be this young. And for a fight against a thief instead of on the battlefield.

She leaned against the tree she'd taken shelter under and turned to Tabitha. "You set this up didn't you?"

Tabitha shook her head. "I suggested. Princess decided."

"Hm." Kirche turned back to the paper. "I hate to say it, but you and Louise did most of the work."

"You distracted her, at the end," Tabitha pointed out. "And Flame caught her."

Kirche laughed. "That's true! I didn't know a raven could look so offended. Well I suppose if Louise is getting the title I should too. I wouldn't want her to think I was beneath her."

"Your family coming?" Tabitha asked as she flipped a page.

"They can't. The nobles are meeting to discuss the King's marriage proposal. There's no way my father could miss that. And that means there's no one except my mother to watch the duchy." Kirche shrugged. It was a little disappointing but she understood why. "I wonder if Louise's family will make it. That might lead to some fun now that I'm chasing her."

Tabitha hummed a little in thought. "What would you do if you caught her?"

"Is that even a question?" Kirche grinned. "Well I suppose I'd take it slower with her then my usual suitors. I wouldn't want to hurt her. That wouldn't be fun."

"And you'd be just as inexperienced," Tabitha noted.

A rare thrill of embarrassment flashed through Kirche at her friend's jab. "So why are you having fun teasing me about it? Jealous I didn't pick you?"

She blinked in surprise as Tabitha hid a little more behind her book. "No." There was a lengthy pause before the woman quietly added, "But I am curious."

That was a good question wasn't it. Kirche looked up at the sky, trying to sift through her thoughts. She wasn't used to thinking about emotions. Emotions were something to be acted upon. That's why she was known as 'the Ardent.' But after a bit of consideration the truth bubbled into her mind. "Because you're my friend. And I value that more than a tumble on the bed. Or even a long term fling."

To her surprise Tabitha let out a long sigh and leaned against her shoulder. "I'm not a good friend."

Kirche put a comforting arm around the other woman. She didn't know all of Tabitha's secrets. But she knew enough. "It's fine. I trust that you'll do what you can."

Tabitha snuggled up closer to her and continued reading.

Louise grumbled as she read through the "Discourses on Salt and Iron." The debate was easy to figure out. More centralization versus less. But she wasn't sure what to make of the details. It seemed like something the Princess would have to deal with. Not the third daughter of a Duke.

There was a light knock at the door. Louise grumbled and marked her place. "Siesta could you get that?"

"Of course, Louise." The maid hopped over to the door and opened it, then gasped and knelt. "Your majesty!"

Louise bolted to her feet but Henrietta waved her down. "Shh. I'm trying to be incognito," the princess said as she slipped in. Siesta quickly closed the door behind her.

"Please take a seat Princess," Louise said, gesturing to the table.

"Thank you." Henrietta sat politely, then motioned to Siesta and Utsuho. "If you two could sit as well, I'd like to discuss recent events."

Siesta hesitantly took a seat, while Utsuho hopped onto a chair and transformed back. "Ah! It's weird having arms again. In this body. Well bodies are kinda weird anyway, but yeah."

Louise rubbed her temples and put her familiar's ramblings aside. No use falling into that rabbit hole. Instead she focused on the Princess. "How can we help?"

"Well, you can tell me how you're doing Louise." The Princess grinned. "I had to read the reports of the battle very carefully to realize you used the void. Congratulations!"

"Oh!" Louise beamed. "Well it was kinda something that just happened. I didn't really have time to put together a letter. But yes. I'm going to talk to the magician in Utsuho's world to try to learn more."

A thought struck Louise and she pointed at Siesta. "Ah that's right. Siesta's learned magic as well. I was thinking you'd have to make her a baronet or something."

"She has?" The princess's eyes turned to Siesta who shrank in her seat. "Could you show me?"

After a moment's hesitation Siesta whispered her incantation and summoned a globe of light over the table. Henrietta looked at it carefully. "Light without fire or air? How?"

"The magic in that world is different than ours," Siesta replied quietly. "It follows different bloodlines as well. I won't ever be a strong mage but I can cast these spells, since they're unlike the magic the nobility uses."

Utsuho stretched her wings. "Now now. Marisa's got a lot of tricks left to teach you. You'll probably end up pretty strong for a human."

The princess considered the two. "I see. Well you're right Louise. She is a magician, so she deserves a title. However, I'm afraid I'll need to keep the truth of your magic secret Siesta. After all it would be too easy for someone to claim it was actually the nature magic of the elves."

Both Louise and Siesta shivered at that. While it had been some time since an inquisition, any power related to the elves was considered taboo. Louise looked over. "You're learning a lot of potions right? We could simply claim that she's learned water magic."

"A fine suggestion." Henrietta nodded. "Siesta, you shall be granted the title of baronet. If you so choose you may retain your position as aide to Louise de Valliere of course." 'And the paycheck' was left unsaid.

Siesta chewed her lip. "Forgive me Princess, but I don't feel I deserve such honor."

Henrietta grimaced. "I fear baronet is more of a burden than an honor. And it seems only fair, because I am going to call upon you to serve your country." She folded her hands. "I need you not only to learn this new magic for yourself, but for Tristain. You need to be able not only to teach it, but to prove it is not the nature magic of the elves. With that we can give more people the gift of magic, and improve the lives of our countrymen."

"Very well then your majesty." Siesta was still hesitant, but she didn't look quite as worried. Maybe. Louise was having a hard time reading the woman, much less understanding her feelings right now.

"Now then Louise, that brings us to the other thing I wanted to speak to you about." Henrietta started wringing her hands. "Something I'm afraid is very selfish."

Utsuho blinked. "Unyu?"

Henrietta looked down at the table. "Louise, you may know some of this, but since your familiar and lady in waiting do not, I shall explain everything. Albion has been wracked by civil war for some time. However, it is all but over at this point. The Royal Family lies trapped in a single port. Soon they will fall. And then the new rulers of Albion will continue their 'Reconquista' straight through Tristain."

"It's that bad?" Louise asked quietly. She'd known about the civil war, but she'd had no idea the situation was so out of hand.

"Yes," Henrietta replied. "That is why I've arranged a marriage to the King of Germania. Tristain can't stand against the might of Albion alone. Especially with a threat on two other borders."

Despair hung over Henrietta, and Louise felt her stomach churn. How could something like this happen? The Royal Families were selected by Brimir!

Satori's voice rang in her ears. "God tends to favor the side with the biggest army." She didn't want to believe that, but it seemed it was true.

"So!" Utsuho's voice rang out cheerfully. "You want us to go blow up that rebel army for you?"

Silence fell over the table. Everyone looked at Utsuho. "The rebel army is over ten thousand strong," Henrietta said.

Utsuho shrugged. "After the first thousand get incinerated the rest usually start running. I'd have to be in this form though. My bird form can't contain enough power for a really good army killing."

"That's right!" Louise grinned at Henrietta. "Utsuho and I can blast that rebel army to bits, and then the Royal Family can get their act back together. If nothing else we can buy some time, right?!"

"Louise... that's-" Henrietta started crying. "Thank you Louise. Thank you. Even if this is a false hope... I want to believe."

Siesta handed the princess a handkerchief while Louise and Utusho did their best to keep looking confident. Louise was going to help out her friend no matter what. And with the power of the void and Utsuho on her side, she was sure to win.

"That's an incredibly stupid idea," Satori said quietly.

Louise fumed as Utsuho drooped beside her. "Why? Utsuho's stronger than a triangle class mage. She's stronger than most square class! We should be able to defeat some rabble, no matter the numbers!"

Satori sighed and looked over at the other person in the study. "It looks like you're going to get an even bigger story than you expected, Hatate."

"Seems so," the brown haired tengu replied with a grin as she tapped onto her cell phone. "But don't let that stop you. Wouldn't be fair if you let them do something stupid just to give my readers a fun story."

Louise glared at the black winged woman. She had no idea why Satori had let the tengu 'watch' their lessons, and she really didn't appreciate how dismissive the woman was of her and her world. As if her life was just some storybook to entertain others.

Still the tengu wasn't the important person in the room. Louise turned her full attention to Satori. "So if this is so 'obviously' stupid, why don't you explain the problems? Oh great teacher."

"What do you know about war?" Satori said. "The actual day to day struggles of a conflict between nations? The management of an army?" Louise fidgeted as Satori's third eye glared at her. "Nothing. Absolutely nothing. You think having Utsuho show up and set some people on fire will turn the tide? Ha! You don't even know the situation you're trying to change. And you couldn't properly assess it if you did know the details."

"So then what should I do?!" Louise yelled. "Henrietta needs someone to help her. If you believe in power why won't you let us use it?"

Satori folded her hands. She then looked at Utsuho. "I see you want to help as well. Even if you don't understand why."

The raven nodded. "The princess seems nice. And if we're gonna have to fight those people eventually why not start now?"

"Very well. You are going to need to learn how to fight. And I'm not even going to try to teach you that." Satori turned to Hatate. "I don't suppose you remember anything from your time learning the art of war."

"I remember hating it and barely passing," Hatate said with a grimace. "Like, most of us crow tengu kinda forgot all of that. Who's gonna have a war in Gensoukyo? You'd have to get a wolf tengu. And I dunno any one who would teach a random human girl. No offense," she said to Louise.

"Random?" Louise put on her best noble visage. "I'm the daughter of Duke Centurion de Valliere and Karin of the Heavy Wind. Both generals, and the strongest mages in the country."

Hatate snorted, then looked thoughtful. "Heavy Wind? Your mom is a wind mage?"

"Square class," Louise said proudly. "Germanian forces would flee the field when they learned she was coming. She's single handedly defeated armies before."

Satori's eye turned to Hatate. "Oh. Yes you're right. That is a good decision."

"Normally I'd complain about you stealing my thunder," Hatate replied. "But it's a long shot anyway. Lemme run up and see if she's free. Back in an hour or two," she said before hopping up and running out with a wave.

Louise blinked. "What was all that about?"

"We're seeing about getting you a tutor in the art of war, since I can't teach you." Satori's smile twisted into the expression Louise was learning to dread. "However it's time for your morning classes. Let's go over the reading I gave you. I want to hear everything you've learned about the balance of central power and local control before you run off to Marisa."

"Good luck, Louise!" Utsuho said as she stood up. "I'll be with Orin if you need me."

"Traitor," Louise muttered as Utsuho escaped. This lecture was going to suck.

Siesta was starting to get used to the underground. The people here were strange, and the animals a little disturbing, but they were all friendly in their own unique ways.

Still when it came to calm reasoning there was only one of the group she trusted. So after breakfast and the usual morning chatter she made her way to Ruukoto. "Excuse me, do you have a moment?"

"Of course," Ruukoto replied. "What did you want to ask me about?"

"Well..." Siesta froze, trying to think of a way to ask this that didn't seem conceited. "I suppose I'm confused about my status."

"Ah that's right." Ruukoto's eyes lit up. "You were going to be promoted to nobility because you learned magic."

Siesta nodded. "But you see, I don't feel like a noble. I'm still just a country girl who wants a quiet life with a lot of children somewhere. And that's true of my family. How can I go home and pretend to be a baronet or something?"

The maid paused, humming in thought. "I suppose I understand. I was confused when I discovered I had a soul. And then I found myself at something of a loss when Utsuho and Orin treated me as family instead of a conversational appliance."

Siesta winced at that. She knew she wasn't a noble but thinking of yourself as a tool... that was disturbing. Ruukoto noticed her unease and waved her hand. "Sorry, don't misunderstand. You've only known me as a sentient being. Before I was an automaton. Like the alvis in your realm. I was a tool."

Her eyes hardened. "But you're used to nobles thinking of you as tools, right? And that's why the position worries you. You're afraid your friends and family will assume you view them as tools. Just like the other nobles."

"Yes." Siesta felt better hearing her fears spoken aloud. "We've all been taught nobles are better than us. But I'm not better than my family. I just got lucky."

"In that case you have to simply have to spread your wealth." Ruukoto smiled. "Show you haven't changed, and do your best to share what luck brought you."

Siesta sighed. "Will it be that simple though?"

"Oh of course not," Ruukoto replied. "It never is. But if you keep at it, it'll work out in the end."

"I hope so." Siesta turned towards the lab. "Well noble or not, the princess has given me an order. I should learn what I can of magic. And how to teach it to others."

"Think of how you'd teach your family," Ruukoto suggested. "That should give you good ideas on what you don't understand."

The idea of teaching her brothers and sisters the light spell took some of the weight off her shoulders. "That's an excellent thought. Thank you Ruukoto."

"A pleasure to be of service."

"How is that fair?" Louise muttered as she relaxed in the lab. "Forcing me to decide who was right in a debate while not telling me how things worked out."

"Totally ain't fair," Marisa replied from where she was showing Siesta potion crafting texts. "It was like when Mima threw things at me and yelled 'dodge'." She shook her head in mock disgust. "The worst part is Reimu still beat me after all that. But hey, dealing with ridiculous requests is part of being a knight or chevallier or whatever."

"I wish I was getting some requests related to that. Everyone's telling me I shouldn't fight." Louise knew she was being petulant, but she didn't really care. "I get made a chevalier and everything, but no one wants me to go be a chevalier. It's ridiculous."

"I knooow," Utsuho said from her chair. "I don't know why Satori won't let me run wild. It's not like I'm planning on destroying the entire surface world."

Marisa tossed a mushroom into the potion Siesta was stirring then turned back to them. "Probably worried whatever shrine maiden equivalent you've got will show up and beat the snot out of you. No offense kid, but you're still mastering 'how to dodge.' Taking out armies is a bit much."

"Isn't blowing up the army good enough?" Louise muttered.

"Oh it's a great strategy. Sturm and Drang all the way." Marisa shrugged. "But when it doesn't work you'd better have a backup plan or you'll be in big trouble."

Louise sighed and looked around the lab. Like most rooms it was way too big for the four or five tables Marisa had put together. However the tables were piled up with tomes and unique ingredients. She fiddled with some ice dragon scales before turning back to the others. "So what's your backup plan?"

"Dodge and retaliate," Marisa said. "But that won't work for you. We gotta help you master your strengths before we start shoring up your weaknesses."

"My strengths?" Louise stood up at that. This sounded like something that she could actually use. "What do you mean?"

Utsuho perked up. "Flight is one right? She's one of the only humans who can really fly there."

"You always say flight," Louise replied. The bird's opinion on the matter was pretty obvious.

"Well she's right," Marisa said. "Flying's super awesome and gives you massive advantages over everyone who can't. That's why I'm having Siesta brew a flight potion herself."

"Eh?" Siesta looked up from her work. "This potion will make me fly? You said it was to help moving heavy objects."

Marisa nodded. "Does that too!" She turned back. "Anyway, that's the first thing you've gotta practice. The other thing is actually getting you some Sturm and Drang going. That Stasis spell you made is pretty awesome. But it's not gonna end a fight against larger groups. So I figure it's time for Utsuho to teach you some void attacks."

Utsuho blinked. "Um, I do my spells via instinct. I mean, I'd happily teach Louise how to use the ultimate power of fusion, but it's not easy."

"Yeah. Utsuho views the world differently than me." Louise remembered some of the headache inducing explanations before. "I'm not sure how to learn something as complicated as a void spell."

"You're thinking about it wrong," Marisa replied. "It's not a formula. You're gonna have to take what Utsuho knows and create a spell that makes sense to you. Less rote learning, more tutoring." The mage pointed at the empty space in the room. "Just aim thataway."

That actually sounded like a good idea. Louise hopped off her chair and pulled out her wand. "Alright. So how do you do this fusion stuff?"

Utsuho stood up and took a deep breath. "Fusion is slamming two atoms together really hard so that they fuse. That produces a massive amount of power. It's how the sun works."

Louise felt her eyebrow twitching already. She wanted to ask a whole bunch of questions. Were atoms even real? How could something that was the smallest unit of matter fuse? And why did it make power? But she held her tongue.

"Anyway the easiest way to create fusion without making particles is to create a couple of antimatter explosions." Utsuho opened her hands mimicking the bursts. "That makes the other atoms fly really fast and start some fusion reactions. A whole bunch of little booms that combine to one big boom!"

The headache was starting to form. "Antimatter? How is that even a thing? Something is matter or it isn't!"

Utsuho stretched her wings. "Well I mean it's technically matter, but its all messed up so when it touches normal matter it blows up. You can summon it with void pretty easily though. It's what we naturally make."

"Okay." Louise tried to translate the explanation into something that made sense. Void could create explosive stuff. That sounded reasonable. Explosions were change, so material that only blew up would be under the control of void. Then use two explosions to compress the air. Strange to use an explosion to make an explosion, but she'd trust Utsuho with this. And after that the compressed air would blow up. She knew that could work.

She started piecing together the spell in her mind. She knew how to call the void, and she knew how to create things from her studies with earth. Now to get the positioning and timing right. The targeting fire spells used would be best for that.

Finally the spell all worked together in her mind. She held up her wand and began the incantation. It was long and convoluted. So many details to put together. But as she chanted Utsuho's runes began to glow, and the magic twisted into place. The name came to her mind. An obvious choice for the spell.

"EXPLOSION!"

The first spark wasn't that impressive. A simple flash. And then the other side of the room blew up. She had to close her eyes from the light, and her ears hurt from the boom. Heat washed over her, but it quickly faded.

When the noise finally stopped she looked out over her work. There were a few scorch marks on the ground and some swirling smoke. But other then that not much. Something of an anticlimax. She took a shaky step back, the magic having drained her.

Utsuho's arms and wings wrapped around her in a massive hug. "That was perfect! Good work." Louise's heart thrilled. She'd mastered another spell! She leaned against her familiar, letting her body relax a bit.

"A little loud, even with my barrier. But nice spirit!" Marisa added. "That'll scare people for sure."

"I was scared," Siesta admitted as she crawled out from behind a table.

Orin burst in a second later. "The heck are you doing in here?" The cat's tails were bristling. "Don't blow up the palace!"

"It was just practice, Orin." Utsuho patted Louise on the head. "She's gotta learn danmaku somehow right? And it was a really good first try! Better than mine."

A woman with white hair and wolf ears walked in. "Seems more like an artillery barrage then danmaku." Louise flinched as cold, judgemental eyes fell on her. "And this is your human 'knight'? She seems tired out from a single spell."

The rebuke rekindled the fire in Louise's chest. "That's chevalier. And I think I can cast one more right now if you want to test me."

"Hmph." The dangerous 'youkai' smile appeared on the woman's lips. "Well at least you know how to answer a challenge. Louise de Valliere was it?" The wolf woman bowed slightly never breaking eye contact. "I am Momiji Inubashiri. I hear your mother is a master of wind and blade? Feared in your world by your enemies?"

Louise wasn't certain why Momiji was asking, but she wasn't about to back down. "That's right. I am the third daughter of the Valliere family. My mother is Karin the Heavy Wind, former leader of the Manticore Knights and square class mage. The equal of any warrior."

"Is that so?" Momiji planted her hands on her blade. "Well then little human. You've piqued my interest. I am willing to teach you the tengu ways of strategy, something that hasn't been done for over three hundred years." The grin turned feral. "That is, if your mother is willing to face me in a test of skill."

This ended up longer then I expected, and that's with the cuts. Well hopefully there's still a lot of fun bits for you all. I promise confusion, explanations, and violence next chapter.