Watching Louise perched on Hayashi Maki's lap, enjoying his thoughtful spoon-feeding, Kirche clenched her fists, simmering with resentment.
Because she hadn't been well–received in her own country of Germania, she had deliberately transferred from a neighboring academy to Tristain's Magic Academy. To prove her charm, she used her beauty to captivate this kingdom's noble men.
But for reasons unknown, from a young age she'd been unable to make physical contact with men—any touch would scorch them with flame and cause unbearable pain. Thus, Kirche's dealings with noblemen had always been strictly no-contact.
In her eyes, men were all lechers. As long as she so much as put on an expectant look and gazed up pitifully, the other party would blush and immediately agree to go out with her. Being fawned over by noblemen massively fed her vanity.
Yet now that woman from the Vallière family—her clan's long–standing rival—flat–chested Louise, was stealing the spotlight just by summoning a familiar. And to make it worse, she was flaunting that affection in front of everyone. Kirche could not abide it.
A handsome boy like Hayashi Maki should be falling for her charms and dumping flat–board Louise!
Catching Kirche's teeth–grinding expression, Hayashi Maki glanced over, the corner of his mouth quirking. His interest in Kirche wasn't merely because she was still a virgin. The real reason was that deep within her soul, he sensed a trace of his own mana.
If cross–world travel could happen, then so could travel across time within this world. He hadn't mastered the laws of time and space yet, but he would someday. In other words, a future version of himself had likely crossed time, met Kirche and Louise in advance, and planted magic deep in Kirche's soul. That way, even if she stayed on her original trajectory, it would bend in ways favorable to him.
Being unable to touch any man but him—that was a lock he had placed. He was a man of double standards, after all; he always chose what benefited him. If he didn't collect pretty girls, what was the point of isekai travel?
Under all those watching eyes, Louise finally, with great difficulty, finished that mortifying breakfast. After eating, she hopped off Hayashi Maki's lap and, trying to act composed, said, "Let's go."
"Where to? Class?" Hayashi Maki was quite interested in how magic was taught here. All his magic was self–taught—no one had taught him a thing. Luckily, he had imagination and a head full of anime from his past life; for a demon who commanded Authority, inventing magic wasn't hard.
"Let's walk a bit, then sit on the lawn," Louise answered casually. "Classes are canceled today so mages can build rapport with their familiars."
At Tristain, students performed the one and only familiar summoning in their second year. Whatever was summoned, a contract had to be made—an ancient rule handed down from the Founder over centuries. That Founder was likely the first Void mage. Louise had inherited a sliver of Void—and as a result, couldn't use the other elements; every attempt exploded.
They had just passed a stairwell when Kirche's voice rang from behind.
"Louise—stop right there!"
Turning, they saw Kirche coming with the blue–haired, expressionless, glasses–wearing girl, and the golden–haired noble girl Montmorency.
"What is it?" Louise looked back, annoyed as ever by that woman who never got along with her.
Kirche thrust out her chest, gave Hayashi Maki a look, then taunted on her own:
"Louise, that human 'familiar' of yours—he was staged ahead of time, wasn't he? You're Louise the Zero; your spells always explode into smoke. The summoning did too, didn't it? You obviously hid that commoner beforehand to cover your summoning."
Montmorency watched Louise, nosy and waiting for her answer. Tabitha, the blue–haired girl, followed along in silence, eyes blank as if nothing in the world was worth noting.
"Hah? What nonsense are you spouting?" Louise gave Kirche the look one saves for idiots. "I told you—I'm good at familiar summoning. If you're jealous, just say so; don't keep spinning fantasies."
Seeing Louise's smug face, Kirche pouted.
"Jealous—me? My familiar is a rare fire salamander. What can your commoner familiar do—wash clothes, cook, and spoon–feed you?"
"That's none of your concern. What matters is my familiar is better than yours. Hayashi Maki, let's go—ignore her."
Louise snorted and turned away with Hayashi Maki. Though she wanted to show off and have Hayashi Maki wipe away her shame in one blow, his power was too conspicuous.
The highest grade of mage in this world was a Quadrivium—someone who could combine all four elements. Hayashi Maki's "space system" wasn't even in the books; he was, flatly, a mage who could wield five systems. If that got out, every arrow would point their way. Louise didn't want trouble—better to keep a lid on it for now.
Seeing Louise refuse to explain and then walk off, Kirche clenched her fists and stomped in frustration.
"Damn Vallière! I'll expose your scam sooner or later!"
A human familiar? She'd never even heard of that. Obviously Louise had prepped a handsome boy in advance and trotted him out through the smoke. That woman—going this far just to show off!
Thinking that, Kirche couldn't help a twinge of pity.
After a lap around the grounds, they reached the lawn. Kirche was there hugging her salamander familiar, deepening their bond. Other mages were doing the same with theirs.
Louise picked a table and sat. "Hayashi Maki, fetch me that cup of tea. I'm thirsty."
"Alright."
Smiling, Hayashi Maki turned to get it—and spotted the flashy blond Guiche, rose in his mouth, fawning over Montmorency.
In Guiche's arms was a gray, big–eyed mole—adorably dopey—his familiar, presumably. Montmorency's was a frog, tongue lolling in her palms.
They say a familiar matches its master. Summoning a frog left Montmorency a tad embarrassed. But after Guiche praised his own familiar to the skies and then praised her beauty and frog too, she accepted it cheerfully. Known as "Montmorency the Fragrance," she excelled at alchemy; in fact, her familiar could serve to test her potions' effects.