“Siesta is my cousin. You know each other, right?”
Indeed, they both had black hair. Which was unusual in this world.
Siesta hesitated before saying.
“As soon as Saito left, the school was attacked by an Albion burglar.”
“Eh? Eeh?! Eh?”
Saito was surprised by the topic. Due to consideration of the troop morale, the news about their own country hardly ever reached the battlefield.
“We did not understand what was happening when the lodging-house shook…There was a big uproar…a few died.”
Siesta said with a sad face.
Saito was worried about the people left in the school. Were there people that he knew included on the “dead people” list?
“Who became victims?”
“As commoners, we were not told about the details…” Siesta said apologetically.
What if it is a person I know, Saito thought. Though it is sad when someone dies, it is a lot more saddening when it happens to a person one knows.
“And the school has been closed until the war ends. I thought of what to do and decided to help Uncle with his inn.”
“Sie-chan worked there in the past.”
“When I got to the inn, I saw Uncle Scarron and Jessica's packing luggage together… They explained that they were going to Albion.”
“That’s why you decided to go along?”
When Saito said so, Siesta nodded with a blush.
“Ye-yeah… and…”
“And?”
“I thought I would be able to meet S-Saito here…”
Jessica leaned over, scrutinizing the pair.
“Eh? What? Siesta and Saito are intimate? I was certain it was Louise…”
After Jessica’s words, Siesta’s eyes shone.
“Is Miss Vallière doing fine?”
“Y-yes,” Saito nodded.
Uncomfortable silence followed.
Grinning, Jessica approached Saito.
“So you are still together. Sorry, I misunderstood.”
“No, not particularly …” Saito muttered, feeling mixed emotions.
“Aaah, Louise is here as well? Then let's go and greet her,” Scarron said while fiddling with his fingernails.
Meanwhile, Louise, under the guidance of Derflinger, developed Operation “Mend Saito’s Mood”.
Following Derflinger’s instructions, Louise bought various materials from the inn's shop.
“This! You must be joking!”
Louise screamed at the sword.
“It’s not a joke. It’s a proper apology to my partner.”
Derflinger said in a serious voice.
“But why as an animal?! I’m a noble, a noble! Understand?!”
“Because of your high-handed status, how else you are going to apologize?”
“So you think turning into a familiar helps?!”
“That’s right. It’s a great strategy. ‘Saito, I’m sorry for my malicious remarks. For today, I’ll be your familiar.’”
Derflinger said, imitating Louise’s voice.
“If you were to say ‘Please’ in such state, then maybe partner, as he is rather simple, would forgive all your crimes?”
Louise shook her head and said.
“Ouu, but not looking like this animal.”
“Huu”
“Why a black cat?!”
“A black cat is the most popular familiar. Therefore, a black cat is fitting. It is a comprehensible. What is important is comprehension.”
Louise's cheeks blushed, while she stared at the black cat costume material, lined up in front of her.
“Well at least I will make these parts by myself.”
Louise took out the sewing set that she borrowed from the inn, and from fur, leather, and strings started making “black cat's clothes”, as Derflinger said.
While grappling with the fur for a while…she completed the black cat’s clothes. Though Louise had zero talent in sewing, somehow she still managed to make such simplistic shapes.
Since now, the clothes were completed, Louise went near the mirror, to witness the destructive power of the black cat’s costume.
“W-what’s this?! With such clothes I would embarrass myself before everyone!”
“It suits you well,” Derflinger said in a composed voice.
“Why ears?!”
Louise shouted while pointing to the object on her head, which imitated cat’s ears. It was also cut out from black fur and attached to the top of her head.
“It looks nice.”
“But what about these clothes! Lewd! It’s lewd!”
Trembling, Louise pointed at her image in the mirror. In short, only the key parts of her body were covered with black fur.
Tight black-fur cloth was rolled around her breasts. She wore furry panties too. And, like socks, bits of fur were placed around her ankles.
The tail, made from remaining material, ran down her buttocks.
“No, every part of your black cat costume is splendid.” Derflinger said like it was somebody else's problem.
“What! Just a look at it makes one's head boil!”
Louise said in a painful voice. She now regretted listening to the sword.
“No, your body is young, it starts to originate a wild charm. Partner will be trounced.”
Louise suddenly stopped.
“This is flirty attire, right? Partner will instantly jump on it.”
“N-not of that sort. Stop joking.” While saying so, Louise began making poses in front of the mirror. Not fully convinced.
Fidgeting her fingers hesitatingly, she bent over tilting her head, then, with both hands on the floor, she turned around and tried out a sobbing pose.
“What? You want to be jumped on?”
“N-no! T-trying out, I’m just trying out! Honestly! I just feel uneasy!”
Eventually Louise became pleased with the pose.
“Ah, it’s nice. Cute.”
She said. And received an agreement from Derflinger.
“Good. Stick with it.”
However, once calming herself down, her embarrassment kicked in again.
“I-it’s impossible after all! Impossible!”
“This pose is just to raise his spirit, that’s all.”
“Even so, hey… But somewhat, hey… I, a duke’s daughter… legendary… As expected… I can’t do such a thing. Don’t feel like it.”
“I tell you. Because of you partner is sulking.”
“Uuh…”
“Just do it for one single day. Use a woman’s important charms. Yes.”
“…But.”
Derflinger used the trump card.
“Do you want to lose to that maid?”
Louise’s eyebrows shot up.
“What? Lose to whom?”
“No, nothing to worry about! As expected from ‘Void’!”
“It won’t happen. That m-maid will be the one to lose.”
At that moment. The doorknob of the room turned.
“Aaah, partner came back.”
Louise breathed deeply, in-and-out, stood up in front of the door.
“Remember. Noble’s daughter. Leave your pride behind, be charming. All right?”
“I-I know!”
The next moment, the door swung open.
Louise blushed, squeezing her eyes shut, bent, forced herself to not cover her breasts with her hands, placed the thumb of her left hand under her lips, put her right hand on her hips, and screamed out the words previously decided with Derflinger.
“Y-y-y-you are my master for today!”
Then… Louise waited for her partner's reaction.
However, there was no answer. It felt like eternity.
What?! Through? Rejected? The heat of anger boiled in Louise's head.
“Say something! I won’t wait forever!”
Then, Louise opened her eyes… however it wasn’t the sight of Saito that greeted her eyes.
“M-m-m-miss Vallière?”
The one who stood there was a pale-faced, trembling Siesta.
“Ara, Louise. What is this costume?”