Zero no Tsukaima - Volume 5 - Chapter 1.2

Chapter 2

"Good words! Fairies!" 

Scarron said as he moved his hips while looking around the store. 

"Yes! Mr. Scarron!" 

Cheered the girls wrapped in flashy clothes. 

"Wrooooongg!" 

Scarron shouted while exaggeratedly moving his hips around, upon hearing the girls' cheers. 

"Not Mister, but call me as Mi Mademoiselle, alright?" 

"Yes! Mi mademoiselle!" 

"Très bien." 

Scarron trembled pleasantly while moving his hips. Looking at the middle-aged man that took him here, Saito felt sick. 

But the girls in the store, who were used to this habit, didn't even show a change in their faces. 

"All right, we'll start with a saddening notice from Mi Mademoiselle. Recently, the 'Charming Faeries' Inn's sales have been dropping. A shop called a 'cafe' has been bringing out 'tea' that has been recently imported from the East and are stealing our customers... Sniff..." 

"Don't cry! Mi mademoiselle!" 

"You're right. If we lost to this 'tea', the words 'Charming Faeries' would cry." 

"Yes! Mi mademoiselle!" 

Scarron jumped onto the table and posed intensely. 

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Un~~" 

"Serve with a cheerful smile!" 

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Deux~~" 

"A clean, sparkling store interior!" 

"The Charming Faeries' promise! Trois~~" 

"Receive lots of tips!" 

"Très bien." 

Scarron smiled in a satisfied way. Then he bent his hips and made a pose. Gastric juice went up his throat, but Saito desperately swallowed it back down. 

"Well then, I have a wonderful announcement for you faeries. We get to make a new comrade today." 

The girls applauded. 

"Then, let me introduce her! Louise-chan! Come in here!" 

Surrounded by applause, Louise appeared, completely red in the face from shyness and anger. 

Saito swallowed his breath. The store's hairdresser had put up Louise's pink-blonde hair and made the hair on her left and right into small braided cords. She was also wearing a suggestively short camisole, sticking to her like a corset and making her body's lines more pronounced. It was open at the back, letting off an obvious charm. That appearance was very much like a lovely fairy. 

"Louise-chan was about to be sold off to the circus, but just in time managed to escape with her brother. She's very cute but poor girl." 

Sighs of sympathy came from the girls. That was a lie that Saito had come up with along their way to the store. In desperation, he had decided to be Louise's older brother. They didn't look like siblings no matter how one looked, but Scarron didn't get too caught up in that part. It seems it didn't really matter. 

"Well then, Louise-chan. Greet the faeries that are going to become your co-workers." Louise was shaking all over. It seemed she was angry. Intensely. Strongly. A prideful noble like Louise was being told to bow her head to commoners in that clothing. Saito was afraid she'd go berserk and let off continuous "Explosion"s. 

But... The sense of responsibility telling her to fulfill the mission suppressed Louise's anger. 

Come to think about it, rumors tend to collect at bars. It was perfect for information gathering. Plus, they were broke. Telling herself this was a mission, Louise bowed with a forced smile. 

"I-I-I-I'm Louise. Ni-ni-ni-nice to meet you." 

"Okay, applause!" 

Scarron demanded. A great applause echoed through the store. Scarron looked at the clock set on the wall. It was finally time for the store to open. 

He snapped his fingers. Reacting to it, the magic-made dolls at the corner of the store began to play gaudy music. It was the rhythm to a march. Scarron talked in an excited voice. 

"Now! Time to open!" 

The feather doors opened with a "bam" as the waiting customers crowded into the store. 

The "Charming Faeries" Inn that Saito and Louise arrived at looked like just a bar, but it was actually a popular store where cute girls in suggestive clothing brought customers their drinks. Scarron had noticed Louise's beauty and loveliness and brought her here to work as a waitress. 

Given an apron with the store's embroidery on it, Saito was given the job of washing dishes. As long as he was living at the inn, he had to do some work. 

The store was thriving, so mountains of tableware were delivered to him. 

It seemed that no matter where someone was, even in another world, dish washing was a job for newcomers. Saito did not want to wash dishes from that gay man's store, but he endured it. 

It was for the sake of Louise's mission. She was lacking, selfish, strong-willed, and an arrogant little girl that never listened to what he said, but it couldn't be helped since he had fallen for her. Despite all of her complaining, it seemed like she was trying hard this time to succeed in information gathering. And also, Henrietta's sad face he saw on Ragdorian Lake's shores... He wanted to do something for that pitiful princess. If he could help the people he liked by doing what he could, he wouldn't mind searching for a way back to his world later. Though a bundle of troublesomeness, his simplicity had himself think that way. 

Saito grappled with the dishes. But everything has a "limit". After a while, he could no longer move his tired hands. But even if he became exhausted, the amount of plates he had to wash wouldn't disappear and started to pile up. 

A showy-looking girl appeared near Saito, who was just blankly looking at the mountain of plates while tired senseless in front of the sink. The cute girl had long, straight black hair. Her thick eyebrows let off a lively aura. It seemed that she was close to Saito in age. Saito quickly snapped out of it when his eyes fell upon the cleavage of her breasts which appeared from her green one-piece that opened up at the chest. 

"Hey! We don't have any plates left!" 

She shouted, resting her arms on her waist. 

"I-I'm sorry! Right away!" 

Being used to getting ordered around by cute girls, Saito jumped right up and reflexively started to wash the dishes. Seeing the inexperienced way he moved his hands, the black-haired girl tilted her head. 

"Let me see them." 

Saying that, she took the cloth used for dish washing out of Saito's hands and began scrubbing in an experienced manner. With smooth movements that did not have any wastefulness in them, the plates were gradually cleaned up. Saito realized there was a secret to dish washing. 

"It takes time to polish one side at a time, right? You can put both sides in-between with the cloth like this and then scrub really hard." 

"Amazing," Saito said. Seeing that he really was impressed, the girl smiled. 

"I'm Jessica. You're that new girl's brother, right? Your name?" 

"Saito. Hiraga Saito." 

"That's a strange name." 

"Leave it alone." 

Saito began washing dishes with Jessica. After looking around her surroundings, she whispered to Saito in a small voice. 

"Hey, that thing about you being siblings with Louise was a lie, right?" 

"Nope. 100% genuine older brother and younger sister." 

Saito said stiffly. 

"You two's hair color, eye color, and face shape are completely different. There isn't anybody who would believe you." 

Saito was speechless. 

"Though it doesn't matter. The girls here are all fine with any reason. There isn't a person here who would pry into someone's past. Relax." 

"I-I see..." 

Jessica stared into Saito's eyes. For a moment, he was startled. 

"But can you secretly just tell me? Just what is the relationship between you two? Did you run away from somewhere?" 

It seemed Jessica tended to be just as curious as Saito sometimes was. She looked at Saito excitedly. But there was no way he could tell the truth. 

Saito glanced at Jessica's showy outfit. She was probably one of the "fairy" waitresses. Unneeded prying was bothersome, so Saito waved his hands to make her go away. 

"Is it okay for you to be slacking here? You have your own work to do. Go and carry some wine or ale. Manager Scarron will get mad at you." 

"It's okay for me." 

"Why?" 

"Because I'm Scarron's daughter." 

Saito dropped a plate. Making a shattering sound, the plate was scattered into pieces. 

"Ah! What are you breaking?! You're going to pay from your wages!" 

"Daughter?" 

"That's right." 

For such a cute daughter to be born from that gay store manager... Saito wondered what genes thought they were doing. 

"Come on! Don't just talk and start moving your hands! The store's going to get busier from now on!" 

Saito had some hardships, but Louise was suffering much worse. 

"...H-here is your order." 

Desperately trying to smile... she left a bottle of wine and a ceramic glass on the table. In front of her, a man was looking at Louise while smiling vulgarly. 

"Little girl, pour me some." 

Me pour alcohol for a commoner, a commoner, a commoner? A noble like me? A noble like me? A noble like me? 

Such humiliating thoughts spun around in her head. 

"Anh? What's wrong? Didn't I tell you to hurry and pour me some?" 

Louise exhaled and tried to calm herself down. 

This is a mission. This is a mission. Information gathering while disguised as commoners. Information gathering... 

Muttering that like a spell, she somehow managed to smile. 

"We-well then, I'll pour some for you." 

"Huun..." 

Louise picked up the bottle and started to slowly pour the wine into the man's glass. 

But... Because she was shaking from anger, she missed and spilled the wine on the man's shirt. 

"Uwah! You spilled it!" 

"I-I'm sor.....ry." 

"Like an apology is going to help!" 

Then the man began to stare at Louise. 

"You... don't have any breasts, but you're considerably pretty." 

The feeling of blood left Louise's face. 

"I've taken a liking to you. Maybe I'll have you feed me mouth-to-mouth. Then I'll forgive you! Gahaha!" 

Louise picked up the bottle, drank the wine into her mouth, and spat it back out onto the man's face. 

"What are you doing, you brat?!" 

"Bam!" 

Placing one leg on the table, Louise looked down at the seated man. 

For a moment, the man winced at the intensity released from this little girl. 

"L-l-l-lowlife. Wh-wh-wh-who do you think I am?" 

"Wh-what?" 

"F-f-f-for your information, d-d-d.....duk..." 

At the moment she was about to say "duke family", Louise was sent flying from behind. 

"I'm~~ sorry~~!" 

It was Scarron. Sitting down beside the man, he started to wipe the man's shirt with the dish cloth in his hand. 

"Wh-what's with you, you gay bastard... I don't need you..." 

"This won't do! It's soaked in wine! Hey, Louise-chan! Bring along some new wine! While she's fetching it, mi mademoiselle will keep you company!" 

Scarron leaned closely to the man. The man looked like he wanted to cry, but Scarron held him back with superhuman strength and couldn't move. 

"Ye-yes!" Louise said, finally snapping back to reality, and ran into the kitchen. 

"Eh-, well then, thanks for the hard work!" 

When the store closed, the sky had started to whiten. Saito and Louise were standing there unsteadily. They were so tired, they felt like they were going to die. They were completely exhausted doing a job that they were not accustomed to. 

"You all worked your best, it seems. We're in the green this month." 

Scarron started handing out the wages to the girls that worked in his store and the cooks in the kitchen, who were all letting out shouts of joy. 

It seemed today was payday. 

"Here, Louise-chan, Saito-kun." 

Thinking "We're getting some too?", Saito and Louise's faces lit up for a moment, but... the only thing in it was one thin scrap of paper. 

"What is this?" 

Saito asked. The smile from Scarron's face disappeared. 

"A bill. Saito-kun, how many plates did you break? Louise-chan, how many customers did you anger?" 

Louise and Saito looked at each other and sighed. 

"It's okay. Everyone makes mistakes at the beginning. Just try your best from now on and pay back the bill." 

 And... the sighing didn't stop after that. 

The room given to Louise and Saito was reached by following a corridor lined up with the guest room door... and using a ladder to climb up and reach the attic. 

No matter how you saw it, it wasn't a room that was made for people to live in. Being dusty and dim, it seemed to have been used as a storage room. Broken cabinets and chairs, wooden cases holding wine bottles, and barrels... All kinds of objects were piled up. A rough, wooden bed had been placed there. When Louise sat, her legs gave in which caused her to flop right down. 

"What is this?!" 

"A bed, right?" 

While wiping away a spider's nest, Saito opened the small window. Doing so, the bats that seemed to live in the antic flew in screeching and hung onto a beam. 

"What's that?!" 

"Probably our roommates." 

Saito said with a calm voice. 

"You want a noble like me to sleep here?!" Louise screamed angrily. 

Saito silently picked up the blanket on top of the bed and cleared away the dust. Then he laid down and put the blanket on himself. 

"Come on, let's sleep. Scarron-san already said it. I wake up at noon and prepare the store. You're going to clean the store." 

"Why are you fine with this?!" 

"It's not much different from the way a certain someone usually treats me." 

Saying that, Saito, probably because he was tired, quickly fell asleep. 

Louise moaned "uu~" and "mu~", but she gave up after a while and snuggled in with Saito. Worming around, she placed her head on Saito's arm. 

It was definitely a horrible place... but there was one thing to be happy about. 

That maid wasn't here. 

Geez, I don't know, what's so good, about this, familiar! That maid that likes Saito isn't here. That is honestly very wonderful. I-, don't really, like-, this but... Louise muttered in a slightly happy mood, moving her cheek near Saito and closing her eyes. 

Blushing, she whispered, "I'll have you treat me kindly during this summer holiday." 

And also... pick up the rumors in the city and give detailed reports to Princess-sama. Thinking that it was going to get busy soon, Louise fell asleep. 

 But. 

Louise's little bit of happiness was splendidly crushed. The cause was the night of the next day. The "Charming Faeries" Inn was thriving that day too. Louise was wearily carrying food or drinks out just like the previous day. 

The drunken men had two types of reactions when they saw Louise. 

First were the people that looked at Louise, who was small at various parts of her body, and said "This store is using kids?" angrily. To these customers, Louise served them plenty of wine. She had them drink the bottle too. 

On the other side, there were the customers that had special interests. 

Only Louise's outer appearance was idiotically cute, so in reverse, it was a wonderful thing to people with this line of thought. These people underestimated Louise because she looked obedient when she was quiet and reached their hands out towards her small butt or thighs. To those people, Louise decided to serve them her palm. 

She served that on both cheeks, and at times, even on the nose. 

Unable to act with courtesy at all, just like that, Louise didn't end up receiving any tips and was told "Stay here and observe what the other girls do" by Scarron and forced to stand in a corner. 

Yes, the other girls were skilled. They smiled brightly and didn't get mad no matter what someone said or did. They smoothly conversed and complimented the men... And when the men tried to touch them, they would kindly grab that hand and prevent them from touching. Doing so, the men would try to win the girl's favor and splurged out on tip. There's no way I could do that. Louise frowned. 

The family I was born to in this world is the Vallière family, who are nobles and mages. And what's more is that they are a duke family! If I go back to my territory, I'm a princess! Louise thought. Even if you told me the world will end tomorrow, I couldn't act that courtly towards them. What's more, in this embarrassing outfit...... 

Outfit? 

Louise realized at that moment. She was in the same camisole outfit as yesterday. Even she thought that interiorly, she's not cute, but she was quite something on the outside. She scanned and found a mirror in the store. Then she made numerous poses in front of the mirror. She tried holding her thumb in her mouth and fidgeting. 

Yep. These clothes are embarrassing, but I'm cute. A noble even if I rot. None of the girls here can match the nobility I let off. Right. Surely. Probably. 

Maybe Saito is enchanted by my appearance, she thought and became happy. What, idiot? You're late to realize my charm. Surely he'll be like "aah, Louise is cute, amazing, aah, such a cute girl was beside me... I didn't realize it... Yet I was so engrossed with a maid... Having her wear a sailor outfit and twirling around... I regret it... This stupid dog is regretting it." 

Hmph. Are you an idiot? Sure took you a long time to realize your master's charms. But you're just a familiar, so don't look at your master in that rude way. Go and polish my shoes or something! What? You can't. You can't touch your master. For a dog, where are you touching? But if you promise to serve me for the rest of your life, I'll let you do it for a little bit. But in return, kneel down on the ground. Kneel down on the ground and apologize for all of the times you slighted me. Got it? 

Fantasizing that far, Louise covered her mouth to restrain her chuckling. Then looking sideways... she stole a glance at the kitchen thinking that he was entranced by her by now. 

There! That stupid dog is washing dishes with that stupid look! 

Eh? 

Indeed, Saito was intently observing the area that Louise was at while absent-mindedly washing the dishes. But... He was not looking at Louise. Louise followed his glance. What was there was a girl with long black hair that was rolling with laughter with a customer. It was Jessica. 

Louise's pink-blond hair started surging. 

Again, you and that. That black hair. 

Observing Jessica even more, she followed his glance by milli-units. Jessica was wearing a tidy one-piece that opened at her big breasts. Saito's eyesight was homing into the cleavage that poked out of her one-piece. 

Her breasts. Do you really love those apple-like things so much? 

Why do dogs like breasts like those? Huh?! 

"Hou~" Saito let out a sad sigh. Then with a spellbound face, he drew circles with his two hands as if measuring the circumference of Jessica's breasts. Something snapped inside Louise's mind, so for now, she decided to throw a nearby glass with all her might. 

Directly hitting around his temple, Saito fell down in front of the sink. 

"What are you doing?!" 

The man whose own glass was thrown stood up and tried to grab Louise's shoulder. Louise raised her body by grabbing onto a table and serviced the man's face with the bottom of both of her shoes. It was a special, double-the-content service. 

Looking back at Scarron who had went "Louise-chan" and rushed over, Louise firmly gripped her fists while trembling all over. 

"That familiar... Just you watch. I'll give you some proper service!" 

 When Saito woke up... what was there were Jessica's big breasts. Thinking "What's this!", his mouth gaped open. 

"Wah, you're finally conscious?" 

Looking around, he realized he was lying on a bed. 

"Where is this?" 

"My room." 

Sitting on the chair in a way as to hug the chair's back, Jessica smiled. 

"Why?" 

"You fainted when a glass flew into your head." 

"I see... What was that glass...?" 

But it seemed Jessica had no interest in the glass. 

"Hey, hey, I got it now." 

"What?" 

"Louise. She's a noble, right?" 

Saito started coughing violently. 

"You don't have to play dumb. Papa has entrusted me with the management of the store's girls. My ability to discern girls is quite good. Geez, that Louise didn't even know how to carry dishes. Not only that, but her pride was oddly high. And that demeanor... probably a noble." 

Saito embraced his head. I even had her wear a plain one-piece... It was completely obvious, wasn't it? What "hide your social status"? There was no hiding at all. 

"Hanh! Her a noble? No way! She's so violent, rude, and has no gracefulness at all..." 

"It's okay. I won't tell anyone. You have some kind of circumstance, right?" 

Seeing Saito remain silent, Jessica smiled. This person really tended to be a mass of curiousity... She wanted to ask him, so she purposely brought him all the way over here. 

"It's better if you don't stick your head in on this." 

Saito said in a low voice. He wanted to scare her and make her not question him any further. But it didn't work on Jessica. 

"Eh-! What's that? Something bad involved? Isn't that interesting?" 

Leaning her body even further, she brought her face... breasts nearer. Why is her cleavage so emphasized, is the reason her clothes are bold compared to Siesta's because she's a town girl, and Saito's face started reddening, at which then Jessica put on a meaningful smile. 

"Hey." 

"What is it?" 

"You've never gone out with a girl before, have you?" 

"Wh-What? That's, you can't underestimate me or..." 

It was a bulls-eye. She's pretty sharp about things... Then cold sweat started flowing. 

"I understand it. I'm quite a sharp town girl, after all. It's really easy to figure out what's going on in country peoples' heads." 

Being called a country person, Saito snapped a little. You know, in Tokyo, regardless about this Tristania, it isn't just some puny structure. You'd cry if you saw Tokyo Tower. Thinking that, he said back 

"Who's a country person? I don't want to be told by some gay's daughter." 

"That's mean. Even if he's like that, he's a kind papa. When my mother died, he said 'Well then, papa will also work in mama's place too...' " 

"That très bien?" 

Jessica nodded. 

"Well, we can put stuff about papa aside. Hey, what are you planning with that noble girl? You're not a noble, right? Her attendant?" 

"I'm not her attendant." 

Because Saito said rather sullenly, Jessica laughed complacently and grabbed Saito's hands. 

"Wh-what?" 

"Do you want me to teach you about girls?" 

"What?" 

Stiffening instantly, Saito looked at Jessica restlessly. This bar girl who knew quite well how to use her charms didn't miss Saito's instantaneous change. 

"But, in return, tell me properly, okay? About just what you two are planning..." 

Jessica took the hand of Saito's she had grabbed and brought it over to her cleavage. Saito was stupefied. Getting along with a girl from a bar. Isn't this an excellent way to gather information too? All kinds of customers visit bars. Rumors also gather here. People that are planning something might let their guard down to the girls and tell their secrets. 

Making Jessica an ally here would probably be a plus to activities from now on. 

Thinking that way, the moment when the feeling of warm skin got to his finger... 

The door of Jessica's room was sent flying. 

Saito sprung up. Louise, trembling while wearing her pure white camisole, stood there. 

"What are you doing?" 

Saito looked at his hand and drew it back in panic. 

"In-information gathering." 

"Who's and what place's information are you gathering?" 

While he panicked, Louise walked briskly into the room and kicked Saito's nether region from the front. Saito tumbled. Grabbed by the ankle, when he was about to be dragged off... 

Jessica called and stopped Louise. 

"Wait a moment, Louise." 

"What?" 

"What happened to serving customers? Aren't you in the middle of work?" 

Being called in such a casual way by a simple town girl, Louise started shaking, but it couldn't be helped right now. 

"Just shut up! After I discipline th-this... stupid brother, I'll be right back!" 

Saito had become Louise's brother here. 

"Do you have that much free time? Even though you can't even get a single tip very well..." 

"Th-that's not related." 

"It does by a lot. That's because I was left with the management of the girls. Girls like you are a bother. You anger the regular customers, don't receive orders, throw glasses around, and pick fights." 

Louise started to look displeased. 

"Well, I guess it can't be helped. Brats like you can't work as a bar's fairy." Jessica said boringly. 

"I'm not a brat. I'm sixteen." 

"Eh? You were the same age as me?" 

Jessica looked genuinely surprised at Louise. 

Then she looked at Louise's breasts and then her own. Then she covered her mouth after making a quick laughing sound. 

"Good luck then. Though I won't be expecting anything. But if you mess up any further, you're fired, got it?" 

Louise snapped at Jessica's behavior. 

"Wha-what... Stupid woman and their big breasts... Calling people a brat, or a child, or a weakling..." 

Saito, still on the floor, inserted 

"No, no one said weakling..." 

Louise trampled that face flat. Saito moaned and fell quiet. 

"I'll collect enough tips to build a castle." 

"Eh~, really? I'm so happy!" 

"Because when I try my best, I'm amazing. Those men will all turn around towards me." 

"You said it, huh?" 

"I said it. Who would lose to someone like you?" 

Louise said while staring hatefully at Jessica's breasts. The stupid dog looked at those.  The stupid dog thrust his hand there! 

"Perfect timing. There's a tip race next week." 

"Tip race?" 

"That's right. It's a competition where the store's girls compete to see how many tips they can get. There's also a prize prepared for the winner." 

"Doesn't that sound interesting?" 

"Try your best. If you beat me in the tip race, I won't ever call you a brat again."