Tsukaima no Chrono
Chapter 13: Adopted, Eh! I'm going to be taught by Louise the Zero?
In a room about 12 tatami mats in size, where if you treated the window as south, the bed would be situated on the west side, the door would be to the north, and a big wardrobe would stand to the east in which all the furniture looked like valuable antiques. We find Louise sitting opposite to Chrono at the table located at the center of that room.
"As you have made me so proud and have proven your worth as my familiar, I have sent out a letter to my father the Duke and had you adopted into my family at my request. To get him to accept this as I did not believe he would accept you being from another world, I told him that I had summoned you who was a noble from another country, the name of which you did not know of due to your age. He and my mother agreed as you were both my familiar and a noble." Louise says in an excited and proud tone, she then continues with a more sympathetic tone. "I now believe that you did come from another world, although there is no way that I know of to get you back there, I'm being completely honest when I say there's no such spell. Nobody's even heard of another world. Since you are a small child, this will be the very best option for you. I'm sure you will be very happy being part of the illustrious Vallière family. Do you have any questions?"
As he listened to Louise, Chrono's expression was of surprise as he was offered a new family, it quickly dropped as he was reminded of the one he most likely would never see again. I guess this is for the best, good food and luxury although primitive, I can't really ask for a better situation. Quickly getting over his sadness, Chrono thinks of a few questions he wanted to know about this world as questions have only been asked of him and he has not learnt much outside of Louise's room. Chrono then asks. "Where am I exactly?"
Louise replies "You're at the renowned Tristain Academy for Magic. The main spire is the tallest and is the center of the academy, it contains the dining hall, the living quarters and the principal's office as well as the treasure vault, the five towers at the boundary wall surrounding it represent each of the five elements, wind, fire, earth, water and void. You can find the kitchen, bathing rooms, lecture halls, servants quarters and armories in these towers. The Vestry Court where you fought Guiché was located between the wind and fire elemental towers."
"Academy of Magic?" Chrono enquires.
"I'm a second year student, Louise de La Vallière. As you know this place is a school for magic."Louise replied patiently.
In response to how Louise answered, Chrono asked a more intelligent question. "How did you summon me?"
"I won't be going into the details as the entire process is part of the summon servant series of spells which you yourself will most likely be learning but, The answer is I casted the spell 'Summon Servant' for the traditional 'Springtime Familiar Summoning' ritual, where after I was forced to use the 'Contract Servant' spell on you as I could not redo my summon due to this particular ritual being a sacred rite. Personally, I wanted to have something wicked like a dragon or a griffin or a manticore. At least an eagle or an owl. However I got something as uncool as a common human, or so we thought." Louise explains.
"Sorry for being human." Chrono replies to which Louise cheerfully responds. "Not at all, you're the coolest familiar out there now, a mage who has defeated another noble!"
Taking in this answer from Louise, Chrono asks his last question. "Now that I've been adopted into the Vallière family, is there anything you think I should know, such as responsibilities?"
Hearing this question, Louise eagerly replies. "It's great that you're so enthusiastic to learn more about the family! As one of us, you have a responsibility of carrying the pride of being a noble in all things and serve your country with your best efforts. Almost all mages are nobles. The saying 'nobles achieve nobility through the use of magic' is a foundation for the education we receive as nobles. Thus, everything you see in this academy is fitting of a noble's status, provided to us in return for the services we provide." I wonder what she means by 'almost' all mages. Chrono thinks as he hears this
Taking a short breather, Louise continues boastfully. "The Vallière family has a proud history defending the border between Tristain and Germania and is related to the Tristainian royalty. The main mansion is three and a half days ride from this academy. The family now consists of six persons, the youngest of which is yourself, as you have been adopted, your name is now Chrono de Harlown des Vallière(1) followed by me, Louise Françoise le Blanc de la Vallière, the third of three daughters. Then there are my big sisters Cattleya le Blanc de la Vallière and Eléonore le Blanc de la Vallière followed by the Duchess and Duke la Vallière."
Louise then smiles. "As such you're to call me big sister Louise, or just big sister from now." She seems awfully happy about being my big sister, I thought women in general hated being old. Chrono ponders.
Louise continues to list out what she considers vital information. "You will be receiving an allowance as a noble from Tristain's finance office an annuity of five hundred ecu(2). This is a small sum for a person of this families noble status, but given your apparent age and the fact that your board at this academy has been paid for, it is of no concern. I have already had you measured for a uniform while you were asleep." It seems her sense of my modesty hasn't changed regardless that I am a noble in her eyes now.
"I believe that is all you need to know. We will be travelling to meet the rest of the family in a month's time during the inter-semester break after the yearly 'Familiar Debut' event that the Royal Princess is going to attend." Louise says this as she heads towards her wardrobe.
As Louise reaches the wardrobe, she opens it with great bravado and pulls out a male version of the Tristain academy's uniform with a black cape and takes it back to Chrono. "Here's your uniform, now quickly change into it, classes start soon."
Noticing the color of the cape, Chrono asks. "The cape's not meant to be brown? I thought black capes were for second year."
Louise proudly replies. "I managed to convince the principal to put you into the same classes as me by promising to teach you the basics myself. Although you're my little brother now, you're still my familiar. Now stop wasting time and get changed!"
"Aren't you going to leave the room so I can get changed?" Chrono asks as he finds Louise still looking at him.
"No, I hear that young boys tend to not behave and go out to play if you don't take them directly to school. Besides, there's no part of you that I have not seen before. Now change!" Louise commands.
Resigning himself to his fate, Chrono sighs and begins to change before he gains a startling revelation that he promptly blurts aloud. "Eh! I'm going to be taught by Louise the Zero?"
This was quickly followed by a whap! sound as Louise hits him on the head and angrily shouts. "Call me big sister! Stop stalling and change already!"
-Author's notes-
Hello again, hoped you enjoyed chapter 13 of TnC, although in my own opinion this one's a bit long winded and boring, but it was necessary to set out the groundwork for how this story's going to diverge. Louise is OOC, or rather she should seem OOC as Saito was nothing to be proud of in ZNC. Chrono on the other hand is something she can boast of.
Ok, I must apologise for the huge delay in posting this chapter, between a vacation, buying a new car, being posted over seas followed by the end of financial year as well as juggling several MMOs while chasing up many series of anime, I had completely forgotten that this story existed. I was only reminded by a recent flood of reviews that appeared in my email inbox while I was checking at work.
As I had to reread my story I have found the seperating marks between the story and the Author's notes have dissapeared, something to do with the coding perhaps? I'll fix them up later.
Only two points to make this chapter:
(1) I speaketh no French and I have no idea whether or not I renamed Chrono properly in this circumstance.
(2) Taken from the light novels, 500 ecu is the sum recieved from the finance office for low ranked nobles with no land to their name. In general regardless of where someone lives onthe Halkeginia continent the living expenses of a commoner are 120ecu per year and the sum Chrono is to recieve will comfortably pay for the general lively hood of a family of four.
Now for answers to the reviews, which I give many thanks for.
Aleh I have attempted to use paragraph breaks, however I'm not too sure that I have used them properly. I have long since graduated school and university and have noone of suitable English qualifications to ask.
Ninmikey01 You will know what happens to Derflinger soon enough, he shares his fate with S2U and Durrandal.
Lord Sia I will probably have to reedit the scene to include the word 'look' as I was merely describing the appearance of the magical bolts Chrono used in the fight. I mean Nonoha's Starlight breaker doesn't ever seem to do much physical damage except for when she blasted through part of the 'Cradle' to get at number 4.
As for the other reviewers, thanks for letting me know that you enjoy this story. See you all next chapter.