Chapter 5

Saito and Louise were following a lesson about element combination spells, with the pinkette sharing her textbook with him and leaning happily on his shoulder. It passed some days since he rescued Siesta from Count Mott with the help of Tabitha, Sylphid and Montmorency, and after the duel with the noble, Saito was more interested in learning how magic worked.

Derflinger's ability to absorb spells to repel them back surprised him, so he wanted to know more about elements to find new ways to use his weapon's skill in battle. He didn't tell anything to Louise about what he did to rescue Siesta, as she was told that the count decided to free the maid for compassion. She would have got worried very much for her dear "boyfriend" otherwise.

Though, she had noticed that Siesta was more affectionate to Saito, as she saw her always with him while he washed his and her clothes at the fountain. Obviously, she pouted at that sigh out of jealousy, not knowing that the maid gave him a kiss on the cheek.

At the moment, she was happy that she was clinging on him during the lesson, and him being interested that much in magic made her giggle too. On the other hand, Montmorency pouted while glancing at them.

'I k-kinda want to sit next to him too.', she thought, sweatdropping when she looked at Guiche that wasn't following the lesson with attention in comparison to Saito. Kirche was still upset for having been refused by the foreign boy, so she didn't look at him while Tabitha did instead, smiling a little.

Just like she told him when she and her familiar helped him, he was her and Sylphid's friend now, so she worried for him and respected him a lot. Besides, the blue dragon was always happy while playing with him, purring and licking his face affectionately.

She also was surprised when he lifted his hand to ask the teacher a question. "What is it, Louise's boyfriend?"

The way she called him made him and the pinkette blush instantly, even if she giggled like other girls did except for Montmorency and Kirche. "Y-you said that spells can combine two elements, but is it possible to increase the number of combinations?", he asked, still flushed.

"That's a very good question: yes, it's possible, but a wizard must train a lot to perform combinations between various elements. You followed the lesson very diligently, Saito-kun", she explained him, complimenting him too.

"I see. Thank you, Sensei.", he said instead, scratching the back of his head.

"If you want, we could study together later, Saito.", told him a smiling Louise. Her proposition made him grin, so he agreed and blushed upon having his arm hugged by her as usual.

The lesson continued until lunch time, so the pinkhead and her familiar proceeded to go to the canteen together, with her still latching onto him. "You want to know more about magic because of Derf's skill?", she asked him out of curiosity.

"That's right, young lady. My partner wants to get stronger at fighting to protect you better haha.", said the talking sword, making his owner blush.

"Really? Oh, Saito!", she said, hugging him tighter and getting surrounded by various hearts, causing him to get more flustered. But suddenly, he got his face licked by Sylphid that appeared in front of them.

"Haha, it tickles! You are hungry, eh? I will bring you some meat and sweets.", he told her, caressing her face. The dragon made a happy sound, purring on his face sweetly.

"The fact that she likes you just proves that you're a fantastic person, Saito."

Her praise made him smile again, happy once again to be her familiar. His smile grew when he was met by a plate full of delicious food at the canteen, so he dug in it immediately while the pinkette found him cute.

"You sure have a big appetite.", told him Guiche, who sat in front of them like Montmorency did.

"This food is so good that I can't help myself. Besides, I must eat enough in order to train well.", said the foreign boy after swallowing a piece of steak.

"Did you guys hear the news? It seems that princess Henrietta is coming to visit the academy tomorrow!", said the blonde girl enthusiastically, shocking Louise and Saito.

"For real?! That's wonderful!"

"Princess Henrietta?", asked her familiar instead.

"She's the daughter of the current queen of Tristain and the one who will get crowned after her. She's very loved by the reign's people for her kind heart and she's also my childhood friend.", explained Louise happily to him.

'The princess is Louise's childhood friend? Wow, maybe they met as kids thanks to their families.', he thought, still surprised.

"She's also one of most beautiful girls of Tristain, maybe the most beautiful too.", said Guiche with his rose wand in the hand.

"Excuse me?!", exclaimed his fiancee in outrage, causing him to apologize.

"You shouldn't say that, buddy. Your fiancee is beautiful too.", said Saito on the other hand, making Louise gasp. Montmorency blushed at being praised by him like that, so she thanked him while twirling her hair.

"What about me, Saito?", asked his master, worried.

"You're very cute of course."

Such praise made her eyes shine, so she snuggled her face into his chest and giggled. Montmorency frowned at that sight while the rest of the students simply chuckled.

Guiche added that to celebrate Henrietta's arrival, the school would organize a spectacle where each student would show the abilities of his/her familiar to the princess. The idea was funny in Saito's mind, as he could demonstrate the results of his training in swordmanship and that his master was a good magician.

Anyways, he kept munching on the food on his plate until it was empty, blushing because the pinkette cleaned his cheek with a napkin as usual. Once they were done eating, they went to follow Colbert's lesson about magical artifacts, where he mentioned the most treasured one of the academy: the Staff of Destruction.

He explained to his students that no person understood how it worked, as the only person that could do it was the foreign man that saved principal Osman in his younger days. The words "foreign man" caught Saito's attention particularly, as he wondered if that person came from his world as well and what type of weapon was the artifact.

While doing so, he casually caressed Louise's hair, who blushed and smiled. "Wow, Saito likes patting her head haha.", said Malicorne, chuckling like other students.

The young man blushed like the pinkhead, scratching the back of his head while Montmorency pouted because she kinda wanted to be caressed by him too. Though, Colbert scolded Malicorne for interrupting his explanation and told him to do a resume of the lesson for next time, making him frown.

He scolded him also because Louise was one of his best students, despite her inability to perform spells, and he got fond of Saito after talking with him sometimes. The boy had seen him in fact working in something similar to a garage one day, and being grown up with technology, the two of them talked about Colbert's passion for things that were close to science in Saito's world.

Colbert had told him that he searched for information about the runes on his left hand, discovering that they belonged to a legendary familiar able to use any possible weapon. Such information confirmed Saito's idea about his power, and after hearing about the Staff of Destruction, he thought that he could use it perfectly if it got in his hands.

Following the end of all lessons, the young man was in Louise's room to study together. Of course, they sat very close to each other, with her keeping her head on his shoulder. "Hehe, studying together like this feels so nice."

"Yeah, you are even helping me to understand difficult words. You're so kind and diligent.", he told her, smiling.

"Your praises fill me of joy. I'm also happy that the princess will come to visit our school: it passed some time since I saw her.", she said while he patted her head again.

"I'm sure she will be happy too to see you. And I will show my skills during the Familiar Exhibition, so no one can say that you didn't summon a good familiar.", he told her, grinning.

Her heart skipped a beat at hearing those words, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and rubbed her face on his, making him blush and chuckle. "Well said, partner. We will show how good is your "girlfriend" as magician.", teased him Derf, causing him to sweatdrop.

The two teenagers kept studying for some hours before the boy decided to go to train outside, telling Louise that he would be back to have dinner together. So he greeted her and left her room before descending the tower and reaching the zone where he liked training, pulling Derf out of the scabbard with his left hand.

With his runes shining, he began to hit the wooden targets one by one, moving rapidly and reducing them to pieces. Of course, some maids observed him and giggled, finding him awesome and very attractive. Siesta blushed and smiled because he looked exactly like a hero like that time he fought to save her, caring only about her freedom.

She didn't tell the other maids or Marteau about the kiss she gave him, but they noticed that she was more affectionate to him because she hugged him whenever he visited the kitchen. Though, she and the maids blushed more when he took off his sweater, finding him hotter.

"Aww, I wish he held me in his arms."

"Saito-san is so brave and gorgeous."

"I always love how happy he is when he eats the food we bring him."

Those sentences were heard by him, making him blush but wave his hand to them, who giggled more and greeted him back happily. He also grinned when he looked at Siesta, causing her heart to beat faster while her colleagues teased her about going to bring him some water.

Obviously, she blushed because of that, but she brought him some water anyways while the other maids returned to their duties. "Thank you, Siesta. I was quite thirsty.", he told her, drinking from the jug she gave him.

"You're welcome. I like how you praise m-my sweets and after you've saved me, I want to make sure that you're always fine.", she told him, twiddling her fingers.

"I-I couldn't let you say goodbye to your life here at the academy and you're my friend, so you're important for me. I'm training because I want to win the exhibition tomorrow for Louise.", he said, blushing and scratching his cheek.

The black haired girl was surprised to hear that, but she felt kinda jealous of the pinkette. "I'm sure Saito-san will win because y-you look so cool and handsome when you use your sword."

Her praise made him blush more, but he thanked her anyways and casually patted her head, which made her face redder. "Ah, sorry."

"I-It's ok. I like your headpats.", she told him, touching the point he caressed and smiling. She then greeted him before going back to the kitchen, touching her red face and giggling.

"You sure know how to make girls like you more, partner."

"S-shut up, I just caressed her head. I didn't kiss her."

"Oh yeah, the one you want to kiss is your "girlfriend", isn't it? You two are basically married by looking at how you act."

Despite still blushing, the young man decided to ignore Derf's teasing and restarted to swing it against the targets, trying a move he was working on. Unbeknownst to him, Sylphid was looking at him from the distance because she was trying her exhibition with Tabitha, who glanced at him too.

'He's doing his best for Louise and he always plays gladly with Sylphid. He's such a good heart.', she thought, smiling. Even if she wasn't the pinkette's best friend, she never mocked her like Kirche did and she respected how diligent she was, so she was glad that she summoned Saito as her familiar.

Sylphid wanted to go to play with him instead, but she stayed focused on ameliorating her exhibition, promising herself to play with the boy after the contest. She loved spending time with him and licking his face, after all.

When it was dinner time, the young man stopped training and went back to his and Louise's room, getting hugged by her after entering inside. He went to take a quick bath and then to the dining hall with her, eating and chatting together Guiche and Montmorency.

In another table, Kirche glanced at them with a frown on her face, still a little pissed for having been refused by the foreign boy. Though, she saw how affectionate he and Louise were to each other, so she understood why he was disgusted with her attitude. Like the other mages, she trained with Flame for the exhibition, using her fire magic in combination with the salamander's breath.

More or less, every student was already training for the contest, as each one of them wanted to impress the future next queen of Tristan and other important nobles, and Osman along other teachers were proud of them for that. In particular, Colbert looked forward to see Saito's exhibition, as he knew how much the boy trained and he was like a dear student to him.

Dinner time lasted long enough before each student went back to their rooms to sleep. Saito was helping Louise to change into her nightgown, closing his eyes when he helped her with the panties.

Even if she told him that it was fine if he looked, she liked how he was gentle with her and cuddled with him once they were in her bed. It was like Derf said: they were just like a happy married couple.

The following morning, Saito woke up because of the sound of various trumpets while he hugged Louise close to him, guessing that they were announcing the incoming arrival of Henrietta. So he got up and helped the pinkette to dress after she woke up too, taking Derflinger before leaving the room with Louise.

They descended the stairs and reached the main entrance, where all students and teachers were reuniting to welcome the princess and other nobles, even if most of the boys wanted to see how beautiful Henrietta was. The big door to enter in the school opened up and a lot of well made carriages made their entrance, carried on by white horses.

On the first one of the carriages, a beautiful girl with purple hair that reached her shoulders, blue eyes, a white crown and royal clothes was standing up, smiling and waving her hand. "It's princess Henrietta!"

"She's so beautiful!"

"Welcome to our school, Princess!"

Those what various students said upon seeing her, keeping their distance because of the guards that protected the purple haired girl. Louise smiled blissfully at seeing her childhood friend while Saito's eyes widened; Henrietta was beautiful as he was told, noticing that she had quite a big chest too.

Though, he glanced at the pinkette and saw how happy she was, so he smiled and patted her head, surprising her. "I will do my best to impress your childhood friend and everyone else.", he told her confidently.

Needless to say that her heart beat faster, so she hugged him instantly with her face on his chest as usual. Her gesture caught the attention of everyone, including Henrietta's that looked at them, widening her eyes before smiling. While the students were welcoming the princess, some members of the staff prepared the stage where each magician would perform the exhibition with his/her familiar and also the chairs for Henrietta and the teachers.

The order of the performances had been decided the evening before, and the first one to perform was Guiche, who had prepared something together Verdante. "I will make such a good impression that Her Highness won't stop looking at me afterwards.", said the blonde, smiling.

"Guiche!", scolded him Montmorency, making him sweatdrop and say that he wouldn't flirt with Henrietta. Speaking of her, she was greeting Osman and other teachers, who gave her a tour of the academy while being followed by her guards.

"She has sure a lot of personal guards with her. Was she victim of some attacks?", asked Saito to Louise, worried.

"No, thank goodness. I wouldn't forgive anyone that threatens her life.", she replied, looking serious while clinging onto him.

"Only a crazy person would think to hurt such a kindhearted person.", said Malicorne, admiring Henrietta in awe like other guys, making some girls pout or frown. Still, they giggled when Sylphid greeted Saito with a lick on his face, snuggling her face on his.

"Good morning. She wanted to see you so bad because she wants to play later.", told him Tabitha, reading a book.

"Haha, we will play tag after the contest, Sylphid."

His words made the dragon purr happily, so she kept clinging on him like Louise did. And when the princess finished the tour of the academy, the time for the exhibitions arrived and the teachers and Henrietta took place at their chairs while each student showed the abilities of their familiars.

Being the first, Guiche showed how fast was Verdante at digging, making him play with a ball similarly to a seal. Kirche created a fire spectacle with her spell and using Flame's breath while Tabitha and Sylphid impressed everyone with wind magic combined with water magic and Montmorency made her frog jump fast through various water rings.

Louise and Saito were flabbergasted by the various performances, especially by Sylphid's. Though, the young man didn't let anything discourage him, so he kept gathering what he needed for his turn with the maids' help, who wished him good luck. After other familiars performed, it was finally his turn, so he and Louise got on the stage, with the targets all around him.

"Good morning, everyone. My dear familiar will show you his swordmanship skills, so I hope you like it.", said the pinkhead, bowing and smiling. She then walked a little away from her "boyfriend", who got Derflinger ready in his hands, showing his shining runes.

He didn't waste time in cutting the targets in pieces, making most of the watchers gasp with his speed and his strength. Of course, Louise, Siesta, Montmorency and other girls blushed while looking at him, finding him very cool.

Grinning, he targeted the last remaining pieces of wood and destroyed them all with greater speed, shocking everyone that thought of seeing sparks in the poins he hit. "I hope you enjoyed this move. I call it Chaos Blade.", he said to everyone, smiling and putting Derf back in the scabbard before bowing.

The whole perfomance left everyone speechless for some minutes, amazed by what they just saw. Suddenly, Henrietta started to clap her hands and smiled, with everyone else doing the same. Being applauded like that made the boy smile more, so he thanked them and grinned at Louise, showing a thumbs up.

'Saito was awesome and the princess is the first that applauded for him! Aww, I adore him!', she thought, hugging him sweetly while they got down from the stage. She kept latching on him even during the last performances, surrounded by countless flying heats.

Once every familiar exhibited, Osman got on the stage to announce the winner by using the amounts of applauds received, and to Saito's happiness, he and Louise were the winners. "Congratulations, Our Sword, Miss De la Vallière!"

"You were fantastic, Saito-san!"

"Good job, Saito-kun, Louise!"

Basically, everyone complimented the two of them, so the pinkette smiled joyfully and kissed her familiar on the cheek. That action made him blush more while Siesta, Montmorency and surprisingly Sylphid pouted, with the rest of people chuckling instead.

"We did a great job, partner!", exclaimed Derf, making his owner grin despite he was still flushed. It was the second time he got kissed by the pinkette, even if it was on the cheek in that case. But he was glad for winning anyways, as he demonstrated that she summoned a great familiar. A familiar she even got more affectionate to.

To celebrate the end of the competition, Marteau and the cooks prepared a big lunch for everyone, so the swordsman couldn't refrain from savoring each dish delightfully. Louise giggled at the sight, but she frowned when she saw some female students talking with him flirtatiously, so she latched on his arm.

"Hey, don't flirt with my Saito!", she told them, glaring at them.

"We're just complimenting him.", said one of the girls, sweatdropping. They got surprised when Sylphid purred against his face, so he smiled and finished to eat before playing with her as he promised.

He wasn't aware that Henrietta looked at him, giggling because she found cute how he had fun together with the dragon. She was stunned when she saw that Louise had a human boy as familiar, but after she saw their interactions and his performance, she was very happy for her.

While playing with Sylphid, Saito laughed when he flew on her back, impressing a lot of people once again. Usually only nobles rode on dragons, so that a commoner could do it was a first thing for various people, except for those that helped in saving Siesta of course.

He even talked with the royal guards that praised his swordsmanship skills, telling him that he could defeat even the strongest soldier if he kept training constantly. Colbert joined the conversation and agreed with them, as he was proud of him.

On the other hand, Montmorency was still frowning because of the kiss that Louise gave to the boy, as if she was jealous. Even if she was just his friend l, she couldn't help but be jealous, but that didn't stop her from checking that Guiche didn't flirt with another girl.

Several hours later, Saito and his master were back at her room after having dinner, with him resting his head on her lap. "Thank you for winning for me, Saito.", she told him, caressing his head.

"I simply wanted to show that you're a good magician. You care so much for me every day, so I don't want anyone to mock you.", he said, blushing.

"Hehe, I feel like the luckiest girl of the world."

Their lovey-dovey moment got interrupted from a sudden sound, which came from outside the window. Looking there, their eyes widened at seeing a black figure standing outside and knocking on the glass, so she went to open the window.

"Who-P-Princess?!", she exclaimed when the figure lifted the hood to reveal Henrietta's face, with Saito getting shocked too.

"I'm happy to see you again, Louise. You don't need to call me Princess, since we're basically like sisters that grew together.", said Henrietta, hugging her and getting reciprocated .

"I'm glad too, b-but what are you doing here?"

"I wanted to meet you without my guards around, so I managed to get here without being seen.", she told her, switching her gaze to Saito.

"A-ah, my name's Hiraga Saito. It's a pleasure to meet you, Your Highness .", he quickly said, bowing in respect.

"It's a pleasure for me too. I was surprised when I saw, but then I understood that Louise has an amazing familiar.", she told him, walking towards him and taking his hands, making his face red.

Louise gasped when she saw that, but her expression morphed into a worried one when Henrietta said, "I came here to meet you also for another reason: it seems that there's a conspiracy against the crown."

"W-what?!", exclaimed the pinkette.

"A conspiracy?", repeated Saito, getting worried too.

"Yes, my father died some time ago due to natural causes, but some people believe that it was an assassination. My mother is the current queen of Tristain, but due to the pain for losing my father, she doesn't feel capable of reigning. I and other nobles are not sure, but we believe that there's a conspiracy against my family to take control of Tristain, so I wanted to ask you to help me.", she explained them, shocking them deeply.

What she told them leaving them speechless for some seconds, but Louise quickly said that she would help her immediately, with Saito agreeing because he got enraged at the idea that someone could hurt the princess after she lost her father. Seeing their determination made Henrietta smile, so she proceeded to tell them what to do to help her in advance, convinced that they would make a great job.

A/N

And chapter 5 is here! Well, it looks that Siesta got more affectionate to Saito after he rescued her, and even Sylphid seems to adore him haha. Henrietta appeared too now, and like her guards and everyone else, she watched how formidable Louise's familiar is with Derflinger, who performed better than anyone else and even received a kiss from the pinkette after they won fufu

I'm not following exactly the events of the novels as you saw in the previous chapter, but I hope you like this chapter too. Who could be behind the conspiracy against the crown? What do Saito and Louise have to do to help the princess? Stay tuned to find out.

See ya!