Zero´s Partner

Louise ran to Saito, her heart pounding in her chest as she saw him breathless, exhausted from the duel. Sweat dripped down his face, his breathing was heavy, but there was a gleam of triumph in his green eyes. Around them, the tension in the arena melted away in an instant. White-robed mages began carrying Count Mott off the field, chanting healing spells as the spectators remained in an almost reverent silence. For a brief moment, no one moved, no one dared to speak—until, like an unstoppable wave, a roar of celebration erupted among the students.

Despite Saito being a commoner, his victory over a noble like Mott transcended the rigid social barriers of the academy. In the eyes of many, he was no longer just a servant or an outsider—somehow, he had become part of this world. Watching the count fall, especially to someone without a noble title, sparked a genuine sense of joy among the students. Even the more reserved ones exchanged looks of satisfaction, for while Mott had status, his arrogance had always made him despicable.

Louise reached Saito, relief and anxiety warring inside her. Her eyes shimmered with suppressed emotion, her hands trembled as she held onto him firmly, feeling the warmth of his exhausted body against hers. He leaned on her, a small but satisfied smile appearing on his lips.

"You're an idiot, Saito," she murmured, her voice wavering between anger and affection. "Why didn't you take this more seriously from the start? You could've been hurt even worse!"

Saito's eyes met hers, and for a moment, everything around them seemed to fade away. His gaze was calm, exhausted, but filled with sincerity. "Sorry, Louise... I just... had to do it this way. I wanted to end it quickly."

She looked away, biting her lower lip, trying to hide the mix of frustration and relief welling up inside her. "You really are an idiot, Saito." Her tone sounded like a reprimand, but the faint smile on her face contradicted it. "But... you did well. I'm glad you're okay."

Before Saito could respond, a distressed voice cut through the air.

"Saito! Are you alright?"

Siesta appeared through the crowd, her eyes wide with concern. Her face was pale, and her uneven breathing showed she had run all the way there. "You looked really hurt at the end!"

Saito tried to ease the tension with a reassuring smile. "It's just a few minor injuries, Siesta. Nothing serious. I just need some rest now."

Louise glanced at Siesta for a moment, her expression softening but still carrying a touch of authority. "Siesta, go to Headmaster Osmond and ask for Mott's jewels for me. I'm taking Saito to my room now."

Siesta hesitated for a moment, as if she wanted to say something, but quickly nodded and hurried off to complete the task.

As Saito leaned on Louise, a satisfied smile formed on his lips. "I knew it would end like this. I settled things my way."

Louise sighed, shaking her head. "I just hope that next time, you'll use less of your 'way' to settle things, Saito."

He simply smiled, saying nothing, allowing himself to relax in her arms. Together, they slowly walked out of the arena, leaving behind the excited murmurs of the crowd. The sound of celebration still echoed in the air, but to Saito, none of it mattered. The only place he wanted to be right now was by her side, feeling her warmth and knowing that, despite everything, she cared about him more than she would ever admit.

...

- A Few Moments Earlier - Louise's Room -

(Saito)

As I stepped into the room, I felt Louise's hand still intertwined with mine. It was a small gesture, but a comforting one. I closed the door behind us and took a deep breath. I needed to focus. The duel against Count Mott wasn't just a test—it was a power play, and I couldn't let him win.

Louise watched me expectantly, her brows furrowed in concern. "Saito, what exactly are you planning to do?" she asked, her voice laced with seriousness.

I squeezed her hand gently before letting go. "I'll need Resonance to create some swords. If the Count is a powerful mage, then I need something to level the playing field."

Louise nodded. "So that's what we're calling it now? Resonance?" she asked with a half-smile.

"Well…" Saito scratched the back of his head. "Our magic and hearts sync up, like we're on the same frequency… so yeah. Resonance! Look, we can decide on a name later. Right now, I need to focus on making this work."

She nodded, seeming to understand the gravity of what I was asking. We sat on the bed, facing each other in a meditative stance. I closed my eyes and concentrated on the magic flowing through my body, feeling Louise's presence align with mine. A familiar warmth began to spread through the air.

"Partner!" Derfflinger's voice suddenly echoed in the room, making me snap my eyes open. "I can help you. Try using that magic on me to unlock my true form."

I looked at the sword, surprised. "True form? You've never mentioned that before."

"There was never a need… until now!" he replied with an amused tone.

Louise looked just as surprised, but it was Siesta who had the most dramatic reaction, letting out a small scream and nearly fainting. I guess a talking sword was still too much for her.

I gripped Derfflinger more firmly and looked at Louise. "Let's try it. Help me with this."

She nodded and took my hand again. The moment our hands touched, a purple aura surrounded us, Louise's magic blending with mine. I took a deep breath and directed my energy into Derfflinger, feeling my eyes begin to glow red. The blade trembled in response, and soon, the rust covering it began to peel away—revealing a brand-new, gleaming sword beneath. The energy surrounding the weapon pulsed, as if it were alive.

When the glow faded, I held the sword in front of me, amazed. "And now? What can you do?"

"Now I can absorb magic… and cut through it," Derfflinger replied proudly. "If a mage casts a spell at you, I can devour it before it hits."

I fell silent for a moment, processing the information. I had just become a mage's worst nightmare. A grin spread across my face. "That's going to be useful. But it's still not enough. I need more."

I looked at Louise, who hesitated for a moment before nodding again. We resumed our meditative position on the bed, and I closed my eyes. This time, I focused on creating something new. I remembered seeing a ninja somewhere before and thought about the kind of weapons they used.

Little by little, a dark blue dagger began to take shape between us. Its blade glowed faintly under the room's light, emanating an almost ethereal aura. Louise eyed it curiously, but before she could ask anything, another dagger formed—this one silver. Before it could fall onto the bed, I quickly grabbed it and discreetly tucked it away. Louise didn't notice.

"What about this one?" she asked, pointing to the dark blue dagger.

I smirked and stood up. "I'd rather show than explain." With a swift motion, I threw the dagger at the wall. The next instant, my body vanished and reappeared, my hand gripping the dagger's hilt in midair.

Louise and Siesta's eyes widened. "That… That was teleportation?!" Louise exclaimed.

I chuckled. "Looks like it."

She crossed her arms, trying to mask the relief on her face. "Well… At least now you have a way to escape if things go wrong."

I tucked the dark blue dagger away and looked at both of them. "You don't have to worry. I'm going to win this duel. And if things really go south, I'll run before he can do anything to me."

Louise nodded, a little more at ease, and Siesta seemed to relax slightly. But as I glanced at my new collection of weapons, a thought crossed my mind.

The silver dagger. That would be my insurance. I would make sure Count Mott never bothered us again.

The dagger would have cost a lot of magic if I had crafted it with its original intended purpose, but by adding several conditions and making it a one-time-use item, I had reduced the cost by more than half.

The silver dagger was extremely sharp but also very fragile. Its effect would only activate if it was embedded inside the target, where it would dissolve and be absorbed. The effect wasn't immediate. What worked in my favor was that it would only take effect weeks later, causing a discreet death by dysentery.

Since the activation time was so long, the magic cost was minimal. And that worked perfectly for me—because his death would never be traced back to me.

Well, here goes. I just hope I don't get hurt… I really hate pain.

...

- Present - Louise's Room -

After a well-deserved bath, Louise and I helped Siesta organize her belongings in her new room. Apparently, personal servants of nobles have individual accommodations at the academy—a small privilege within that aristocratic environment.

The servants' quarters are at the end of the hallway, on the same floor as us, which means Siesta will be close by. That brings me some relief; she has always been someone reliable, and knowing she's near makes me feel more at ease.

Back in Louise's room, I can finally rest. Now that everything has calmed down, it's time to see what Count Mott has given us as a "gift." Louise is sitting at her desk, focused on writing a letter to her father, recounting the day's events. Her upright posture, the slight furrow in her brow, and the way she delicately holds the quill make me smile without realizing it. When she's like this, serious and determined, it's impossible not to admire her.

On the desk rests a small jewelry box. Inside, there's a pair of rings—one green, one pink. An unexpectedly convenient gift.

I pick up the little box and sit beside her, watching her for a moment before calling her name:

"Louise."

She only murmurs a distracted response, her eyes never leaving the letter.

"The rings. Have you figured out what they do?"

Louise keeps writing but answers naturally, "The rings let the wearers know how the other is doing. Whether they're in danger, alive, dead... things like that."

I observe Louise in silence. She's so focused on her writing that she doesn't even seem to notice my gaze. It's hard not to admire her when she's like this, serious and concentrated. Her soft pink hair falls gently over her shoulders, and the candlelight gives a delicate glow to her face. There's something about her that always captivates me.

An interesting idea crosses my mind.

I hold the pink ring in my palm for a moment, pondering. Then, carefully, I take her hand, which rests on the table. I feel her body tense slightly at my touch, and finally, her eyes meet mine, filled with surprise.

Without a word, I slide the ring onto her finger with a delicate yet firm gesture.

"This is for you, Louise." My voice comes out calm yet certain.

She remains silent for a moment, staring at the ring with a mix of surprise and curiosity. Her face softens, and then her eyes shine with an emotion I didn't expect to see so clearly.

"But... Saito..." She starts to speak but quickly gets lost in the beauty of the ring. "Why are you..."

I smile slightly. "I think you deserve something like this. A symbol. Just like me." I take the green ring and slip it onto my finger, moving my hand slightly so she can see. "Like you said, these rings let us feel each other. I want to know how you're doing, always. Even when we're apart."

Louise remains quiet, but a faint blush colors her cheeks. "Saito, you... you're so weird sometimes..." She tries to sound irritated, but the small smile that escapes her lips betrays her true emotions. A nervous giggle gives her away even more.

"I'm not weird," I retort with a playful smile. "You're just not used to it."

She looks at me differently, almost affectionately, as if trying to fully understand what I'm doing. "You really won't stop until you embarrass me, will you?" Her voice is soft, enchanted yet flustered.

I lean in slightly, feeling the warmth emanating from her. "I won't stop, Louise. And tomorrow afternoon, what are you doing?" I tilt my head provocatively. "I was thinking of inviting you on a date. Something special, just for us."

Her eyes widen, and in an instant, her face turns completely red. She looks away, visibly surprised, but her hand remains on mine. "You... really want that?" Her voice comes out small, hesitant, but full of emotion.

I gently squeeze her hand, confirming without hesitation, "I do. I want to show you that I can be a real gentleman."

She looks at the rings again, then back at me. Her eyes soften, and a shy smile forms on her lips. "Alright, Saito... I accept." Then, recovering a bit of her usual defiant attitude, she adds, "But don't think it's going to be easy, got it? I'm not just any lady."

I chuckle and lean in a little more, teasing her. "I know, Louise. You're one of a kind."

She rolls her eyes, trying to maintain her composure. "Yeah, yeah. Fine. I've already agreed to go with you. Now let me finish this letter." Her voice carries that usual bossy tone, but it sounds much softer than when we first met.

I laugh quietly and move away, lying down on the bed. A nap would be perfect to regain my energy. Before closing my eyes, I turn to look at Louise one more time. She's still focused on her letter, unaware that I'm watching her.

For a brief moment, I notice her gaze lingering on the pink ring on her finger. She touches the jewel delicately, and a genuinely happy smile appears on her face.

That smile... it disarms me every time I see it.

With that image burned into my mind, I finally allow myself to relax and drift off to sleep.