A/N: I want to say that I've been thinking of the course this story will take. For me, the changed interactions between Louis and Sachiko with the others and each other are the real core of this story, but these changes will also lead to slight changes in the course of things. Meaning, the main plot and points of the story will remain the same, but the actions leading up to that as well as the building of Louis and Sachiko's relationship will be different.

With that said, enjoy.

The Stray Girl and the Incompetent Mage

Chapter 2: The Foundation of a Noble

...

The morning sunlight wakes Sachiko up. She slowly opens her eyes and stares at the ceiling. She had a dream, but she doesn't remember what it was about. It's not the first time she has this dream though. She knows because every time she has it, she wakes up feeling a sense of nostalgia she can't quite put a name to.

Letting out a sigh like every time, she lifts herself up and looks around. At first she's scared, not recognizing the place she's in, but then the memories from last night come flooding her mind, and she sighs again, this time with resignation. She had hoped everything was nothing else but a dream, but it's the second time she wakes up to this odd reality.

It's not going to change, no matter how many times I go to sleep. I won't suddenly wake up at home. I am truly hopeless. She stands up, and hears the sound of metal rattling. When she looks down, she recognizes the leash Louis put on her last night, and eyes it with hatred. First off, he's going to take this off me. She decidedly walks up to the bed, but when she sees him, once again she's left breathless.

The boy is clutching his pillow tightly, with his mouth a little open and soft snores coming out of it. The light of the morning makes his hair glow with a nice strawberry shade, and a night's sleep has left it artfully tousled. He looks even more childish this way, if possible.

She stares, and for a moment feels bad about having to wake him up. When she approaches though, she almost slips because of his shirt, the one he told her to wash, and any thought of letting him sleep peacefully flies out the window.

"Hey, wake up already!" she pulls the covers away. Louis frowns, confused.

"Eh? Huh?" he's very sleepy, his eyes just starting to get used to the sudden light.

"It's morning. Don't you have school or something?"

"You…" he looks at her, before his eyes snap open; "who are you?!"

He's kidding, right? "Your familiar, or have you forgotten?" she asks mockingly. He seems to be very sleepy, because he doesn't repair in her tone, still seemingly trying to remember her. He manages a few seconds later.

"Oh" he nods, and stretches, yawning; "true, I summoned you yesterday. Almost forgot."

"Great" not a minute awake and he's already irking her. She closes her eyes and counts to ten.

"Well then, what are you waiting? Fetch me my clothes" he says in a commanding tone. Sachiko raises an eyebrow, but for once, decides not to protest. She walks to the wardrobe and looks in the drawers. She pulls out a pair of pants, socks, and a shirt, the same clothes she saw him wearing yesterday, and hands them to him. Louis doesn't take them though. "You have to dress me" he clarifies when they remain like that for a few seconds. Sachiko snorts.

"You can at the very least dress yourself, can't you?"

"Ok, no breakfast" he responds easily. Sachiko's mouth falls.

"Why?! I don't get why I should dress you!"

"A noble will never dress himself when there's a servant available. You're my familiar, do your job."

"Familiar or not, I'm still a girl. Will you really ask a girl to dress you?"

"Girl? Don't make me laugh. The only thing I see is my familiar. Now, do it quickly, or you can say goodbye to lunch too" he threatens in a low voice. Sachiko gulps. She's afraid and angry at the same time. She takes off his robe, trying not to think about how soft and warm his skin is when she accidentally brushes it with her fingers; and tries really hard to get her mind out of the gutter when she kneels in front of him so she can help him get in his pants. She retrieves a belt when he tells her to, and adjusts that too. When she's finished she feels like taking a cold shower.

Luckily Louis doesn't seem to notice. In fact, he looks even angrier. Sachiko doesn't understand; she did everything he told her to.

"Now pour some water so I can wash my face" he says. Sachiko frowns. In response, Louis points at a pitch on the table, and then at a basin placed next to it. "Pour the water" he moves the finger from the pitch to the basin; "and bring it here."

"Ah" he should have said that from the beginning. She does what he told her and brings the basin full of water in front of him. She holds it as he washes his face.

"Towel" he commands. His eyes are closed and small drops fall from his face to the neck of his shirt, getting it wet; "towel!" he repeats when she doesn't move. She quickly leaves the basin on the table and goes look for a towel. She finds one in the third drawer of the wardrobe and passes it to him. He practically yanks it away from her. "Why are you so inefficient? You should have the towel ready before I wash my face!"

"How was I supposed to know that? I've never helped anyone wash their face before. Besides, it's your fault. You should have said something when you saw I didn't have one."

She shuts up when he glares at her. He has sharp eyes, which are perfect for intimidation, and doesn't hesitate in using them whenever he can.

"I thought I told you to respect me, familiar. For now, I'll let this pass because it's the first time you attend a noble, but next time there will be serious consequences if you fail like today" he stands up, throws the towel at the pile of clothes in a corner and walks towards his desk. From a drawer he pulls out a small mirror and a brush. He brushes his hair and once he's satisfied, he takes his black cloak hanging from the chair and passes it over his shoulders. He adjusts the laces, grabs his wand from the bedside table and leaves the room.

Sachiko stays behind, eyebrows raised. She can't go anywhere while she still has the leash on, and she wonders if Louis left her behind on purpose. It might be for the best; actually. She wants to be alone for a moment.

He comes back two minutes later. "Are you stupid? Why didn't you tell me to take the collar off you?!" he opens a drawer in his desk and retrieves a key. He stands in front of her as he opens the padlock that's in the center of the collar. "Gods, do you really want to stay in here all day?"

Maybe she doesn't say it, because he's too close and she can smell the scent of apples drifting from him. He tosses the collar once it's opened, and looks at her with crossed arms.

"Well? Aren't you going to thank me?" and with just that Sachiko feels annoyed again. It looks like this is how her life as Louis' familiar is going to be from now on.

Sachiko can't help but look at everything with big eyes. She was unconscious when Louis brought her inside the first time, and the second she was too consumed with anxiety to notice anything, but now that she can look at the castle calmly, she's marveled at everything she sees.

Hallways with arches and stairs made of stone. Double doors made of heavy and sturdy wood, carved with intricate and beautiful designs. A marble floor, with white and black tiles forming what looks like a chest board, so clean and shiny she could possibly eat on it. Outside the windows, she can see a garden, with green grass and a path of flowers of different colors, being bathed with the early morning sun.

"Come on! If you don't hurry I'm going to be late!" Louis complains for the tenth time since they left the bedroom. He grasps her wrist, forcefully dragging her down the hallway.

"Ah, I get it, I won't get distracted anymore!" Sachiko says, but Louis doesn't release her. She can feel how the blood fails to reach her hand, and tries to get free again, when another voice suddenly calls Louis.

"Mr. Vallière!" they turn at the same time. The middle-aged man from yesterday is approaching them, waving a hand with a big smile on his face. Louis stops, and gladly for Sachiko, releases her.

"What is it, Mr. Colbert?" he asks politely. So he can be good when he wants too Sachiko thinks sourly, caressing her poor wrist.

"Oh, if you don't mind, I just wanted to take another look at your familiar's runes. Yesterday they caught my attention, and I'd been investigating" he takes Sachiko's hand and examines the runes for a few seconds, before nodding to himself and scribbling something in a little notebook he takes out from his pocket. "I find it interesting that a human has been summoned. Not only that, but the fact that it was summoned by you, who is known as the Zero, might indicated she's not just any human" he puts away the notebook and smiles at the two of them. "Then, I'll be off. If I find something, I'll tell you. Please look forward to it" he leaves, waving at them enthusiastically until he disappears around a corner.

Sachiko stares blankly at the place he disappeared to. "Well, he looks like a nice teacher…"

"Such a bother" Sachiko frowns, looking at Louis questioningly. He's not looking at her, but there's something in his expression that denotes weariness. "He doesn't need to investigate anything…"

"I think he's really kind though. Not anybody would do that kind of thing for his students."

Louis shrugs. He gestures forward with his head, and walks off, fortunately not yanking Sachiko with him. She quickly follows. He's silent now, not that it bothers Sachiko. It allows her to think, and suddenly she remembers something that has caught her attention since yesterday.

"By the way, what does the zero stands for? I heard many people calling you that. Is it your surname or something?"

Louis halts abruptly, and Sachiko becomes scared she might have awoken his anger. She did, but it doesn't seem directed at her, as he turns on his heels to face her, red spread across his cheeks, and yells; "no! That's not my surname! My name is Louis François LeBlanc de la Vallière! Zero is just a nickname… a-an offensive n-nickname…" he whispers at the end, his eyes falling to the floor. Sachiko is taken aback.

"If it's offensive, then why did the teacher use it?" Louis growls, but Sachiko remains calm, as it doesn't look like he's growling at her as much as at the situation.

"Because everybody calls me that."

"Why?" this has picked up her interest. Louis suddenly looks uncomfortable. He shifts a little, looking everywhere but at her. Then, he turns around and continues like nothing. Sachiko purses her lips. He doesn't want to tell me. Well, we barely know each other, and anyway, I have the feeling I'm going to find out soon enough. She lets out a sigh and follows him, leaving the doubt for later.

The number of people increases the more they walk. Sachiko can not only see other students like Louis, but people she assumes are servants. Maids and butlers of all ages: as young as the students and old enough to be their grandparents. They bow their heads to Louis when they see him, and he returns the bows with a small nod. Everyone they pass give them strange looks. They are curious and sometimes pitiful when they come from the servants, but full of derision when they come from the students.

Louis keeps walking with his head up, as if he cannot see or hear the small laughter behind his back. It does make Sachiko uncomfortable though, and she hurries so she can walk alongside Louis. He looks at her from the corner of his eye, but doesn't say anything. They soon arrive in front of a big door, from where Sachiko can hear many voices. They enter, and her jaw falls upon seeing the inside.

It's a dining hall, very big. There are three long tables arranged next to each other, exquisitely decorated with flowers, candles and delicious food. On the left side, she can see students wearing purple cloaks. They look a little older, and she deduces they're third years. On the right, students wear brown cloaks. They look younger, so they must be first years. And in the middle, a bunch of students, second years with black cloaks, are chatting amiably before the meal starts. At an upper level there's another table, which is surely the teachers', since there are only adults sitting on it.

Louis looks at Sachiko's expression. For some reason, he finds her amazement funny.

"Close your mouth, before you swallow a fly" he warns. Sachiko blushes, and she quickly does that.

"This is the place where you all eat? It's… kind of extravagant" she says as she looks at the decorations. There are little statues placed on sills on the ceiling, and big windows that go all the way from the floor almost reaching the roof, giving the place natural illumination.

"This is expected" he explains. Sachiko frowns and looks at him. "The Tristain Academy of Magic doesn't just teach magic, you know? The say: 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is the foundation in our education as nobles. Thus, our dining hall must be befitting of a noble."

"Is that so?"

"Count yourself lucky. Normally, a commoner like you would never be able to put a foot inside the Alvíss Dining Hall. You should be grateful."

"A-ha, and what about them?" she points at a group of servants, standing on the sides waiting for the breakfast to start.

"They're not going to eat in here, they're here to serve."

"So that means I'll eat here?" she asks enthusiastically. She's been eyeing a chicken, bathed in what appears to be honey, for a long while now. Louis frowns.

"I… guess" he looks around, searching for something. Sachiko deduces it must a friend, but she's wrong. "Here, that's our place."

He guides her to a specific part of the table. They stand there without doing anything until Louis clears his throat. Another few seconds pass and he loses his patience. "What are you waiting for? Pull out my chair."

"Ah" so that's why they aren't sitting. She does as he says, ignoring a demeaning comment he makes about her not being an efficient familiar, and pulls out another chair for herself. "I've never seen anything like this in my life. There's so much food in-ouch, ouch, ouch!" she closes one eye in pain. Louis has just pinched her ear, standing up and pulling her with him. "What are you doing?!" Louis points to the floor. Sachiko would roll her eyes if she weren't in pain right now. "I can't look if you keep trying to pull out my ear!"

He's the one rolling his eyes, as he releases her and crosses his arms. Sachiko strokes her ear, like she's been getting a habit of, since Louis is so keen in forcefully dragging her around, and looks down. She frowns, getting an idea of what this means but not wanting to believe it.

"It's a bowl" she says blankly.

"It is" he answers in the same tone.

"There's something suspicious in it…"

"You know" he sits again, folding his arms in front of him; "familiars can't enter the dining hall. You're only here because I especially requested it. In fact, you have food only because I asked the staff to spare some leftovers for you."

And thus, Sachiko finds herself sitting on the floor, a bowl of what appears to be soup with some scraps of meat floating in it and stale bread.

"Oh, Great Founder Brimir, and our lady, the Queen; we thank you for this humble meal that you have graciously provided us this morning" a prayer is heard throughout the dining hall. Louis lowers his head, joining in too.

I knew they were religious freaks, I just knew it… Sachiko is very irritated. She looks at her bowl with hatred. And what's this about 'thank you for this humble meal'? What part of that banquet can be considered 'humble'? If someone is having a humble meal here, that's me! For crying out loud, even dogs eat better than this!

Something is deposited in her bowl. Sachiko looks closer. It's chicken skin. She looks up to Louis.

"Your snotty face is ruining my appetite" he says simply, cutting a piece of chicken. Sachiko blinks.

"And the meat?"

"Oh no, don't think you'll be obtaining more than that. I won't help start a habit."

Say what?! He's got to be kidding. She glares at him for a few more seconds, but he's imperturbable. So he really is only going to give her skin. Ugh, this guy, better if he didn't do anything! Is he trying to make fun of me? She ignores the skin, and grabs the bread. "I'm starting to think even a rock would be more edible than this. Oh well, at least I've got something to entertain myself with" she says as she hits the bread against the bowl. Maybe if she makes enough noise, he'll finally give in and give her something real to eat.

He doesn't. As they walk in the direction of the classroom, Louis is complaining about her behavior.

"Some familiar I have, instead of being grateful because of letting her enter the dining hall and even spare her some food, she just refuses to eat and keeps complaining all the way to class!"

"Oh yeah, thank you so much for the scraps of meat floating in water and a rock… sorry, I mean a bread for breakfast!"

"I gave you chicken too!"

"No, you gave me skin. I don't need you to throw me some bone out of annoyance. I'm not a dog, you know?"

"Obviously, a dog would probably do better" he growls as he opens the door. Sachiko's ready to counterattack, but she's interrupted by the sound of laughter. She looks at Louis' classmates. They're making fun of him. His face is getting red and she decides to let out just for now.

The classroom is like one of those university lecture halls. The teacher stands at the lowest level and the seats are arranged upwards like stairs. Sachiko doesn't repair much in that though, her attention quickly being caught by all the strange creatures in the classroom. They must be the other students' familiars.

"Is that a basilisk? Hey, look at that floating eyeball! What's it called master? Oh! And that octopus like thing? Wow! A gigantic snake out the window! I've never seen one that size!" she exclaims happily, her head turning in all directions, drinking in every strange creature she sees. There are of course normal familiars like cats, owls and ravens, but they're not half as interesting as the monsters of legend she can see.

She's so enraptured in this she doesn't realize Louis is less than thrill with her. They ascend the stairs, stopping at the highest level. Louis sits down and Sachiko pulls out a chair for her too. But the moment she is about to sit, Louis removes the chair from under her and her butt ends up on the floor.

"Ouch! Hey, what's your problem?" she asks, one eye closed in pain.

Louis gives her a haughty look. His face is red, and his eyes shine with anger, but he still sounds pretty calm when he says; "these seats are reserved for mages. Familiars are not allowed to use them."

Sachiko frowns. "Then how am I supposed to see the class from here?" she leans on the chair again, but the moment she tries to sit on it, Louis pulls it away, and Sachiko ends up on the floor again. "Stop that!"

"No, you're going to stay there, like a good familiar should. It looks like I'm being too soft on you" he explains, his tone becoming less calm as he speaks; "And since you didn't seem to enjoy your meal this morning, let me make you a favor and release you from the next one too. Probably two lose meals will finally make you appreciate what is being given to you!" he shouts the last part, attracting his classmates' attention. He doesn't seem to mind though, and looks back to the front with a triumphant smirk.

Sachiko is left speechless. After a few seconds, she snorts and crosses her arms, getting comfortable on the floor. The next second the door is opened. She crawls to see a chubby woman covered by a purple cloak.

"Is that lady a mage too?"

"Who gave you permission to look?" Sachiko rolls her eyes.

"I'm not bothering you, am I?"

Louis is opening his mouth to respond, probably with something haughty, but the woman speaks before he can.

"Good morning, students. My name is Yvette Chevreuse. This is my first year teaching in the Tristain Academy of Magic, so many of you may not know me. Today your usual teacher is busy with something, so, even though I'm assigned to the first years, I'm going to give you classes today" she looks around after this quick presentation, and a satisfied smile paints her features. "I can see all of you have summoned your familiars yesterday. It's really satisfying to see you have all succeeded in the Springtime Familiar Summoning."

Louis lowers his eyes, embarrassed. This action catches Chevreuse's attention.

"Ah, you are… Mr. Vallière isn't it?" she asks with a little smile. Louis nods shyly. "Where is your familiar, if I may ask?"

He visibly gulps. The rest of the class explodes in laughter again.

"Yes Louis! Where is that commoner you make appeared yesterday?"

"What are you talking about? He just grabbed some random commoner off the street!"

"As if he could ever summon anything!"

Louis is trembling. There's a dark aura surrounding him. Chevreuse purses her lips. She waves her wand, and in the next second all of those who made fun of Louis find their mouths full of clay.

"It's not good to go making fun of your classmates. Now, as punishment, you shall remain like that for the rest of the class" she looks at Louis. "So you have summoned a familiar. Where is it?"

Sachiko is still astounded after seeing that trick of magic, but she blinks upon hearing this, and without thinking springs to her feet. "I'm here!" she exclaims enthusiastically. Louis is already sending her murderous looks, but she doesn't really care. Mrs. Chevreuse stares at her with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, so you really are a commoner. That's… unusual" the comment is fairly innocent, but manages to stir up some other students. She raises her wand again, and they become silent at once. "What are you doing on the floor? Take a seat. There's a chair next to your master."

Sachiko can hear Louis choking, and she feels a strange sense of superiority when she explains; "I can't, seats are reserved for mages, aren't they?"

"Nonsense, familiar or not, you're still a girl, it won't do for you to sit on the floor" and with that, Sachiko proudly takes a seat next to Louis, who is glancing down, trembling with anger. "Now then, let's begin the lesson" she waves her wand, this time in the direction of the desk, and a few pebbles materialize. Sachiko opens her mouth in awe. Louis kicks her chair. "Before beginning, let's try and remember a few basic things. Who can tell me the four elements of magic?"

A young girl raises her hand. She has blond, long curly hair, and a red ribbon placed on top of her head. Sachiko can't see her face from where she's sitting.

"Yes, Miss…?"

"Montmorency, my name is Montmorency Margarita La Fère de Montmorency" Her first name is the same as her last? No, actually, do all nobles have such excessively long names? But that teacher said her name is only Yvette Chevreuse. There's something weird going on here…

"Then, Miss Montmorency, please continue."

"Yes. There are four elements: fire, earth, wind and water. And there's also the lost fifth element of void. Combined, they make the five elements that make up the Pentagram of Nobility."

"Thank you, Miss Montmorency" the girl flips her hair, as if she has done some incredible feat. Sachiko can see a few classmates rolling their eyes. "Well then, in the first place, you have to know my runic name is Chevreuse the Red Clay, thus my element is earth. Out of the five elements; I believe earth holds an extremely important position, and this is not only because my affinity is earth, nor is it a personal preference."

She coughs in her hand. Sachiko thinks she would be less conspicuous is she didn't do that.

"The magic of earth it's a very important magic that governs the creation of all matter. If it wasn't for earth magic, we wouldn't be able to produce or process necessary metals. Constructing buildings and harvesting crops would also involve much more work. In this manner, the magic of the earth element is intimately related to everyone's life."

I see, so magic here works like science does in my world. No wonder Louis is so proud of being a mage; Sachiko thinks as she rests her chin on her arms. I wonder why they don't use their magic to set up electricity. They live as if they're in the Middle Ages, even though they can use magic… or is it exactly because of that?

"Now, everyone, please recall that the basic magic of the earth element is 'transmutation'. While there will be people here who have already learned this in their first year, basics build foundations, so let's review it once more" she turns to the pebbles and starts reciting a spell. With a wave of her wand, the pebbles start to glow brightly. After the light dims away, the pebbles have transformed into sparkling lumps of metal.

Sachiko smiles brightly. A day before she never would have guessed she could see this kind of thing in real life. She is not the only one excited.

"Is that g-g-gold, Mrs. Chevreuse?" a girl stands up, leaning on her desk with her mouth open in amazement. Sachiko looks at her, surprised. Unlike with the other girl, this one is in a position where she can see her face. She has fiery red hair, golden eyes that seem to gleam and a pair of full, enticing red lips. Her skin is tanned, giving her a healthy and natural air of beauty. From all the girls she has seen, this is definitely the most beautiful. Then she looks down, and frowns. What are those two things hanging there? She thinks with envy at seeing her voluminous breasts.

"No, it isn't. It's plain brass" Mrs. Chevreuse says with an easy laugh. "Only square-class mages can transmute to gold, using a lot of willpower, I may add. I'm just…" she coughs in her hand again; "a triangle-class."

"Oh…" the girl's disappointed, sitting down again.

Sachiko pokes Louis' side, "hey…"

"Don't bother me; we're in the middle of a lesson."

"I'm wondering" she ignores him, and he growls; "what's that about squares and triangles?"

"It's the number of elements a mage can add to a spell, which also determines that mage's level" Sachiko stares at him blankly, and he sighs; "let's put an example: if a mage can use an earth spell on its own, he's a dot. If he can add fire to the spell, then that makes him a line. If he can add another element, let's say earth-earth-fire; then he's a triangle. The maximum elements a mage can add are four, because there are only four elements."

"I see. What happens when you add an element to itself?"

"It reinforces that element and makes it stronger."

"Huh…" she looks at Chevreuse; "then, you can say that lady is a fairly powerful mage, since she can add three elements together?"

"Yes, that's right."

"Then that means she's boasting."

"Certainly."

"How many elements can you add?" Louis doesn't answer. Sachiko frowns. Well, considering everyone's been making fun of him until now, I bet he's just a dot mage. So disappointing, if I was summoned by a mage, it would be more exciting if he was powerful. She lets out a sigh.

The teacher catches them talking. "Mr. Vallière, please refrain from chatting in class."

"A-Ah, yes, I'm sorry…"

"Since you have the time to chatter, perhaps I should have you demonstrate for me?"

"H-huh?!"

"Please try changing these pebbles here into a metal of your choice."

Louis doesn't move. He looks incredibly uncomfortable. Sachiko pokes him. "She's talking to you, you know" she's actually pretty curious to see him chanting something. She has not seen him performing any magic, she realizes. Louis still doesn't move.

"What's wrong? Is something the matter, Mr. Vallière?"

He's not the one to answer. The beautiful girl with the red hair does. "I don't think that's a good idea, Mrs. Chevreuse."

"Why is that?"

"It's dangerous" the rest of their classmates nod in agreement. This has picked Sachiko's curiosity.

"How so?"

"Haven't you heard about Louis at all?"

"I have. Other teachers have told me he's a hard-worker. Now, Mr. Vallière, don't you worry, just try it. You won't be able to do anything if you dread making mistakes."

"No, don't do it!" the class shouts in unison. Mrs. Chevreuse raises her wand, filling the first row of students' mouth with more clay.

"Mr. Vallière?"

Louis remains silent for another second. He finally stands up. "I'll do it."

He walks down the aisle. Sachiko can see some of his classmates hiding under the desks, and can't help but frown. Now, is it so bad, really?

"First, you have to visualize vividly the metal that you wish to transmute them into" Chevreuse explains. Louis nods softly, taking out his wand. Sachiko is captured. He has a serious expression, as he points the wand to the pebbles. His lips move, and he looks so elegant and refined she can't quite believe he's real. Really, even that guy from yesterday, Guiche, can't compare to him. I wonder why he is not more popular. If he was in my school, he would have girls chasing him all the time. Well, he has a horrible personality, so that might be it, but even like that, can't no one see he's the most gorgeous guy in this entire room?

She feels someone touching her shoulder. She turns around. The beautiful red-haired girl is standing next to her.

"We are far from him, but we should still hide under the desk. Last time, even the windows were broken" Sachiko frowns, not understanding. "You'll see soon enough" she pulls at her elbow until they're under the desk. "By the way, my name is Kirche."

"I am…" but before she can introduce herself, an amazing explosion is heard behind them. People scream, frightened familiars add to the chaos. The class is in complete pandemonium.

And in the center of it all, there are Louis and Mrs. Chevreuse. The teacher is unconscious, her body twitching sporadically. On the other hand, Louis is so calm it's almost frightening. He stands up, his uniform is torn and he's covered in soot. He takes out a handkerchief and begins to wipe at his face.

"It looks like I made a little mistake."

At this, the class, that was still in shock; explodes.

"That wasn't a little mistake! This is what always happens!"

"You can't manage a single spell, Louis the Zero!"

"Your success rate is always zero!"

Sachiko's eyes open wide. Kirche shakes her head. "Now you know why we must hide. That guy wouldn't be able to make a single spell work, even if his life depended on it."

She looks at her with a blank expression. Then, slowly, she begins to laugh, until she's full out cackling. The students turn to look at her as if she's crazy, until she speaks. "So this is why you didn't want to tell me! Because you're a failure as a mage! Even though you're always 'noble this' and 'noble that', but you can't manage a single spell… what is this?"

She continues laughing. The other students look at each other, before getting out a few laughs. Soon though, they're laughing with as much enthusiasm as Sachiko, mostly at the irony of a familiar making fun of her master.

Louis trembles, just wishing to raise his wand and make them all shut up for good.

A/N: I actually wanted to get further, but then I realized it was too long and had to cut it here. About Chevreuse. I'm not sure if that's her first name or surname, but here I take it as her surname. I also made her a new first year teacher, because I just can't understand how she didn't know about Louise's fame at all. And regarding what Louis said about only being able to reach square-class because there are only four elements: I don't know if that's canon or not, but I'm using it anyway.

You know what's going to happen in the next chapter, but you don't know how or why.