Louise the Zero

Tristian Academy of Magic, a highly acclaimed school for its magic studies, breeds highly talented students of noble descent across the land of Tristian. It even attracted students from countries like Germania and Gallia.

Well, that was the case until a certain Zero showed up. The failure of the academy.

She was a petite girl with long hair and eyes the color of cherry blossoms. She was prideful, reckless and always had the need to prove herself to everyone.

That girl happened to be: Louise Françoise Le Blanc de La Vallière.

Or Louise the Zero as all her classmates like to call her. Although she hailed from a aristocratic family, it seemed that her talents failed to pass on from her lineage.

Her success rate at spell casting was close to zero, and she also lacked any elemental affinities. It was no wonder why she was mocked by her fellow students, especially by her supposed rival, Kirche von Zerbst.

However, today that will all change. She was going to show them all that she wasn't a Zero. Louise would prove them today in the summoning ritual; that she would summon the most beautiful, divine and powerful beast in the world!

In the courtyard outside of Tristian Academy of Magic, each student gathered around Professor Colbert for the summoning ritual that was about to begin. Many were excited to obtain their first familiar spirit.

However, Louise stood at the back of the pack, nervously twiddling with her magic wand. Yesterday, she had bragged to that bitch, Kirche, that she would summon a better familiar than her.

But, right now, Louise didn't seem to have the same confidence that she always had. If she failed this, then she would just be a laughing stock again.

Louise gripped her wand tighter, 'I can't fail now.'

"Today has finally come for the summoning ritual!" Professor Colbert shifted his gaze between his students. "This is the first test for you all now that you've graduated to the second year, and this is a sacred first day that you will finally meet your familiars whom you will be spending the rest of your life with living as a nobleman."

"All set, Louise?" Kirche suddenly appeared behind the girl with cherry blossom hair. Louise couldn't help but notice the cowtits on this redhead jiggle. "I'm looking forward to see what kind of amazing familiar you summon."

"Leave me alone," Louise looked away from Kirche, not wanting to do anything with her. She was totally not jealous or anything.

Kirche simply smiled at her in response. She knew that Louise was going to fail like she always have.

Time passed as everyone had their turn to summon their familiars. Guiche had summoned an earth mole, Kirche summoned a fire salamander while Tabitha had summoned a dragon out of all things.

Louise couldn't help but feel jealous as she stared at the blue dragon next to Tabitha. She hoped that she would be able to summon a dragon, too.

"Alright, did everyone have the chance to summon their familiars?" Professor Colbert asked, looking around the courtyard.

"No, not quite, Professor Colbert," Kirche answered, petting her fire salamander. "It seems that Miss Vallière over there hasn't summoned hers yet."

She said it loud and clear for all the students to hear.

Louise hid behind two students to not make herself so inconspicuous, but Kirche had seen right through her.

'Damn that bitch,' Louise gritted her teeth. Why does she always make it tough for her?

Soon, all the students gathered around her with mocks and jeers with Kirche at the forefront of it all.

"You think she would be able to summon something?"

"Of course not! She's Louise the Zero."

"She'll probably summon another explosion."

Louise ignored them all, solely focusing her attention the summoning ritual. She will definitely do it. She had to. This would be her one shot to prove Kirche wrong.

"Well, with all your boasting, you should be able to summon up something more amazing than this. Right, Louise?" Kirche asked, referring to her fire salamander.

"Well, of course!" Louise haughtily answered. She definitely wasn't going to back down now. It would only be a matter of time before she gets the last laugh.

Just the thought of seeing Kirche's angry face had Louise all giddy.

"Please work..." closing her eyes, Louise took a deep breath to mentally prepare herself. She needed to make sure that everything goes right; that there would be no mistakes to be made.

The students watched vigilantly; some even backed away just in case she would cause another explosion just like yesterday during Professor Cheveruse's lecture.

She began to chant, slowly waving her wand up to the sky, "My servant that exist in this vast universe!"

Everyone threw questioning looks at each other. They'd never heard of a summoning chant like that before. It already sounded silly and childish. Even Professor Colbert couldn't help but nervously chuckle.

"What kind of spell is that?" asked a girl with blonde drills. She was Montmorency.

"Whatever it is, it's sounds original, that's for sure," Guiche answered.

"My divine, beautiful and powerful servant! Heed my call! I wish for certain from the very bottom of my heart to answer my guidance and appear!"

Louise waved her wand and aimed it towards the ground with anticipation. This had to work! She truly did wish for something that would change her fate around.

Suddenly, a white magic circle appeared under her feet. Its strange runic symbols lit up the surrounding area in a grand display.

"What the heck is that!" Kirche pointed at it.

The crowd of students muttered to their friends, also confused by this unexpected turn of event.

"L-Louise! Get out of there right now!" Professor Colbert yelled.

"Huh? What's going on?" she asked.

It was too late for her.

A sudden explosion bursted from where she had stood, rocking the whole academy like an earthquake.

"WAAHHH!"

The students were immediately blown away by the enormous blast, crashing into the bushes and trees. Soon, the dust had settled as everyone looked towards the epicenter.

"See, I told you she would cause another explosion!"

"As expected of Louise the Zero..."

Kirche couldn't keep a smile from forming. Looks like Louise had failed yet again. She couldn't wait to hear what Louise had to say now.

Wait, something was definitely wrong here. Then, it suddenly clicked.

"Hey! Where did Louise go?"

Everyone now realized that The Zero was nowhere to be seen at all. Louise had mysteriously disappeared after the explosion. Not even a trace left of her was found. In her place, however, was a crater where she had once stood.

"Oh no...." Professor Colbert muttered.

He needed to speak with the Headmaster immediately.

Meanwhile...

"Wah!" Louise crashed onto the hard ground without warning. She groaned out in pain, rubbing her aching butt.

The magic circle under Louise slowly faded away, and she soon found herself in a dark, old cellar room of some peasant's house. Just the smell alone was quite unbearable for a noble girl like her.

"Ugh, what happened?" the only thing she remembered was the summoning ritual. Other than that, she couldn't remember how she got here.

"Wait, don't tell me I failed?!"

That was her only chance to prove to everyone that she wasn't a failure, damn it! While Louise was mentally berating herself, she failed to notice Batu standing in front of her.

"Um, hi there."