Chapter 10.5: The Mages Meet

Start of the New Term

"As you all know, the school is planning a trip to Kyoto and…"

The door to the new class, 3-A, opened, interrupting Negi's speech to the class. Shizuna entered the class.

"Negi-sensei! Today is the school health checkup. Please tell all students of class 3-A to prepare accordingly," Shizuna said.

Vladimir suddenly woke up from where he was, and stood up and quietly walked outside.

"Wait, isn't he part of the class, too?" asked one of the students.

"Not anymore. He's Negi's assistant, now."

"Hey, class!" Negi called out. "Um… we're having a health checkup today, so… take off all your clothes, please!"

The class all stared at Negi.

"Negi-sensei is ecchi!"

"Wait, that's not what I meant!" Negi yelled as he followed Vladimir out of the class.

"So, Negi, have you heard the rumors of vampire attacks at around the sakura trees near the dorms?" asked Vladimir.

"No, I haven't."

"That's strange. It's a pretty popular subject that the girls talk about a lot. Maybe we should investigate it. I already think I know who it is."

"Who?"

"I think you know as well."

"Um… Vladimir? I didn't even know about the vampire attacks. How should I know who it is?"

"Maybe you really haven't heard of her," Vladimir said out loud to himself.

"Who's her?"

"Never mind."

"If you say so. Um… when will you leave for Russia?"

"The day you leave for Kyoto. My trip shouldn't take that long, so I will probably meet with you guys sometime during it."

"Negi! Negi! Makie is… she's…!" a student yelled running down the hall.

The classroom door opened with many of the girls standing there yelling, "What!? What happened!?"

Most of the girls were still half-dressed, so, when Vladimir looked towards the door, his nose shot out blood.

"It looks like Vladimir is ecchi, too!" someone in the classroom yelled, laughing.

Infirmary

"Man, I hate this place," said Vladimir as he, Negi, and half of class 3-A walked in.

"Makie!" the class yelled.

"Apparently, she was found unconscious near the sakura trees."

The girls started mumbling amongst themselves.

"Well, it's not that big of a deal," one of them said.

"Maybe she drank too much amasake?" another asked.

"Well, it was hot yesterday, so maybe that caused her to collapse," Konoka said loudly.

Vladimir walked over to Makie's body and started examining it.

"Um… what are you doing?" Negi asked.

"Apparently, she has some holes in her neck…" Vladimir muttered. "Negi! I don't think the rumors are just rumors."

Negi became alert and walked briskly over to Vladimir.

Vladimir whispered to Negi, "Can you sense the magic?"

"Yes."

One of the girls brought up the rumor of the vampire, which caused a bunch of murmuring amongst them.

"Well, why don't we all just go back to class?" Negi asked as he walked towards the group.

The group started towards the room. Evangeline and Vladimir walked next to each other on the way back.

"Are you really that weak?" Vladimir asked in a whisper.

"I have no clue what you're talking about," Evangeline replied.

That Night Near the Sakura Trees

Nodoka left her friends and started down the lane of sakura trees.

"Will you be okay by yourself, Honya-chan?" Asuna asked.

"Don't worry, I won't take too long here."

A few minutes later, the wind picked up.

"The wind is strong tonight. I should hurry," Nodoka said to herself.

Nodoka felt someone looking at her. She looked towards the top of a light post and saw someone wearing witch's hat and a Dracula-like cape.

"Nodoka Miyuzaki, right? I'm sorry but I'll be taking some of your blood," the figure said. It jumped towards Nodoka.

"KYAAA!" Nodoka yelled, suddenly falling unconscious.

"Hold it!" Negi yelled as he rushed in, soon followed by Vladimir.

"Arrows of Wind!" Negi yelled.

The arrows crashed into a barrier that the figure cast.

"So it was you," Vladimir said.

"Heheheh… and? You're point?"

"If you need blood so badly, then why don't you just steal some from something that isn't human?"

"Um… maybe because of a spell that binds me to this school?"

"Oh, right. You did say something about that, didn't you?"

"Wait, Vladimir, you know her?" Negi asked.

"Yeah. She's in our class."

The figure threw off her hat to show the face of Evangeline.

"You are Evangeline, aren't you?" Negi asked.

"Looks like someone did there homework. But what does it matter?"

Negi launched another barrage of arrows, but to no avail.

"You are strong, boy, but you still have much to learn. You may be his son, but you don't have his power."

"Just who are you? A mage, right? Why would you do this?"

"Because I'm an evil mage. Now, how about you let me continue on with what I was doing?"

"I can't do that."

"Nor can I allow it," Vladimir stepped in.

"How can you oppose me, Vladi-kun. I'm the one who gave you new strength."

"You're right… however, if it wasn't for Negi's father, I would've died ten years ago. The man who saved me that day was Nagi Springfield, although I just realized it. But Negi is his exact image."

"Are you talking about the man who teleported you when your village was destroyed?"

"That would be the one."

"Fine. I try not to fight my own pupils. Although, let me ask you something, Negi. What is your goal?" Evangeline asked.

"I… want to be like my father!" Negi exclaimed.

"Well, why don't you become one of my pupils? I promise I won't attack any more of your students as long as you give me a suitable amount of blood for the lesson."

"You'll… train me? I'm sorry but you don't appear that strong to me."

"That's because her powers were sealed by your father. Haven't you heard of the great vampire that had a huge bounty on her head?" Vladimir asked.

"WAIT! You're that Evangeline?" Negi said in shock.

"Duh, isn't it obvious? Your father sealed my powers as well as he gave me this body. If I drink enough of your blood, my powers will eventually be returned."

"Well, I guess it's okay as long as you don't kill me," Negi said.

"Fine."

Asuna appeared.

"What happened here?" she asked.

Suddenly an ermine appeared out of nowhere in Evangeline's hands.

"I thought I would need to fight you sooner or later, so I wanted to make sure that you couldn't make any contracts. Here he is."

"Yo! Aniki!"

Vladimir and Asuna had huge beads of sweat dropping down their heads and asked in unison, "It can talk?"

"Well of course. Asuna, I understand why you wouldn't know, but shame on you Vladimir! You know of the magical world but you've never seen a talking ermine before? What about the mages that get turned into ermines?"

"Mages get turned into ermines?" Vladimir asked. "Since when? And for how long? Will it interrupt my investigation?"

"Vladimir, you do know that magic is supposed to be kept secret, right? You are supposed to be turned to an ermine if you expose us," Negi explained.

"Well, the rules aren't something I worry about. I mean, even if I'm turned into something, I still will be able to use my dragons' powers. Nothing prevents what is fused with the body. Besides, I'd just blow anyone up if they tried to fight me. I'm pretty good at making C-4, you know."

"Um… I'm going to pretend like I understood that and then ask why a talking ermine appeared in Evangeline's hand," Asuna said.

"You see, I help Negi get partners," the ermine said. "A partner is someone who is magically enhanced by a mage through a contract. The contract only works if that person kisses the mage on the lips while in the contract circle. Speaking of which, why don't you make a contract with him?"

"Why would I do that!?"

"Not only will you be able to help him from danger, but you also gain special powers."

"No thanks!"

"Well, okay. There's 30 more girls to choose from anyways. And one guy if you're interested."

"There's no snowball's chance in hell that I'd EVER do that," Vladimir said.

"What about you, vampire-lady?"

"Do you want to die you stupid ermine?"

"Aniki, your friends scare me."

And with there were no more attacks on any of the students.