Chuluk walked over to Sora's side, took his hand, and whispered in his ear. Time seemed to fly when one side was eager to teach and the other eager to learn. The two of them were so absorbed in the lesson that they lost all sense of time.
Suddenly, there was a loud bang—the door of Chuluk's room had been thrown open.
The pair turned their heads to see a petite figure tumble inside.
"Isn't that Louise?" Chuluk laughed.
Louise sprang to her feet, gripping her wooden staff in her right hand, her body tense.
"You… you Zerupst brat! How dare you attack my familiar! I… I won't forgive you!"
Chuluk looked at her provocatively and leaned close to Sora. "Honestly, it's because the little one from your Valier family lacks charm that Sora came here."
Her ample chest pressed against Sora's as she leaned forward, a mixture of firmness and flexibility in her posture. Sora's eyes narrowed, a faint smirk of enjoyment crossing his face.
Louise shivered all over, unable to find words from anger.
"Hmph! You lustful familiar, come back to me immediately!" she snapped, turning to Sora to give the order.
Sora ignored her.
Huh?
Both Louise and Chuluk froze. A familiar was supposed to be completely loyal to its master and follow their orders without question—and Sora had just outright refused.
Chuluk laughed heartily. "As expected of Louise Zero—even the familiar doesn't obey you."
Louise suddenly lost her composure. She sank to the floor, her eyes red and swollen, sobbing softly. "You… you're all bullying me. I'm not the Zero Louise. Even the familiar should leave…"
Chuluk and Sora exchanged glances, helpless at the sight of her tears.
"Since you are Louise's familiar," Chuluk whispered to Sora, "it's best to obey her. Go back today, and return tomorrow evening."
Sora nodded. "Then I'll go first, Chuluk. See you tomorrow."
Chuluk smiled. "Not a teacher, just a young and energetic student."
Sora left the chair and approached Louise, who was still sobbing, her small frame pitiful.
"Huh," Sora muttered softly, crouching down, lifting her under the legs and shoulders, and holding her gently like a princess. "Alright, stop crying, Louise."
He carried her toward Louise's room.
Along the way, other girls who had watched Louise's movements blushed and whispered to each other. Louise noticed, stopped crying, and a bright blush spread from the base of her neck like a ripe apple.
She thumped Sora's chest and face with both hands. "You! What are you doing? Put me down immediately, you obscene familiar! Bad familiar! Stop talking to me like this!"
Sora's expression remained calm as he continued down the corridor to her door. He kicked it open and gently laid her on the bed.
Louise struggled and shouted, attempting to pounce on him, but Sora easily avoided her attacks and closed the door with his hand, keeping the curious onlookers outside at bay.
After missing several swings, Louise realized she was no match for this familiar. It was just her and Sora now—and she was terrified.
Sora watched her sit at the edge of the bed, clutching her pillow, and paused.
"You know you're scared, don't you?" he asked.
Louise turned her head away. "It's not that I'm scared… I just don't want to see my familiar."
Sora smiled, not giving away his amusement. He looked around, then sat down in a chair by the table, facing her. His expression straightened, voice lowering.
"Your name is Louise, right? Since you summoned me, there are a few things you need to understand."
Louise peeked from behind the pillow, eyeing him warily.
"First, even though you summoned me, I'm not some familiar like a crow or a cat. You cannot command me. That is, you cannot give me orders."
Louise puffed her cheeks. "B-but you are my familiar!"
Sora stared blankly at her.
Louise shrank back, a little scared.
"Second, since you summoned me, you are responsible for arranging my life in this world. That means providing lodging, food, and even introducing me to work or opportunities."
"What? You expect me to take care of you even though you said you weren't my familiar?" Louise muttered in disbelief.
Sora blushed faintly but continued to act nonchalant.
"Third, to everyone else, I am your familiar. So don't cause me trouble."
Louise stared at him. "Exactly! That's what I mean! A bad familiar who doesn't listen to me is a problem—and I won't take responsibility for it."
Sora narrowed his eyes. "Have you become more energetic, Louise?"
Louise recoiled but seemed to recognize that Sora wasn't bluffing. She straightened up, opening her eyes wide to look at him.
Sora squinted playfully, grinning at her.
After three minutes, Louise couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears welled up in her eyes, and blinking rapidly, she flopped onto the bed in frustration, hiding her face under the pillow as if she'd lost.
Sora leaned back in the chair, eyes closed, and drifted off to sleep.
Louise watched him several times to make sure he was asleep, muttering under her breath, "Bad familiar… perverted familiar… stinky familiar… damn it…"
Under the soft moonlight, Louise eventually drifted to sleep herself. Her peaceful face looked angelic, serene after all the chaos of the evening.