Saito Hiraga

Saito Hiraga (平賀才人, Hiraga Saito), later known as Saito Chevalier de Hiraga (才人·シュヴァリエ·ド·平賀, Saitō Shuvuariē do Hiraga) when he got his noble status, is the familiar spirit of Louise de la Vallière and is otherwise known as Gandálfr (ᚷᚢᚾᛞᛟᛚᚠ, lit. God's Left Hand). Later on, he becomes Lífþrasir (ᛚᛁᚠᛞᚱᚨᛋᛁᚱ, lit. God's Heart) after being summoned as familiar of Tiffania Westwood. After marrying Louise, he is later known as Saito Chevalier de Hiraga des Ornière (才人·シュヴァリエ·ド·平賀·デース·オルーニユェル, Saitō Shuvuariē do Hiraga dēsu Oruniērū).

Background
Saito is a student from Tokyo, Japan. One day, his laptop got broken and he decided to repair it; however, learning of the expensive fee for repair, he does not continue the repair, thinking of applying for a part-time job. As he walks down the streets, a mysterious portal appears before him, which can be only seen by him. He touches it out of curiosity, but it sucks him up despite his attempts to break free from it. Upon getting sucked, he arrives in Halkeginia as summoned by Louise de la Vallière as her familiar.

Appearance
Saito is a young man with blue eyes and black hair. He wears a blue, loose, long-sleeved jacket-like top with raised collar. He wore a pair of jeans and a pair of blue, white-colored soled rubber shoes.

Personality
Saito's personality is commonly cheery yet he blows up easily when anyone is vulnerable, especially Louise. Though he wishes to go back to his home, he acclimatizes to his peculiar new status comparatively quickly.

Entrance Ceremony
While walking down the streets, a portal opened in front of him, falling at Tristain Academy of Magic. Initially, Saito had no idea where he was and was in total perplexion. Thinking he arrives in some cosplay convention, Saito perceives the people around him as lunatics (wearing cosplay-esque cloaks and costumes, as well as speaking another language) and attempts to flee. However, Louise kisses him as a form of contract, afterwards getting runes on his left hand. He later collapses and loses consciousness. Later that night, he attempts to escape from Louise; Saito sees Guiche de Gramont with Katie, a first year, and listens to their conversation. He also sees Kirche von Zerbst with a man, then came out to the exit. Unfortunately, the group catches up with him, with Guiche controlling Saito.

The Plebeian Familiar Spirit
Saito tries to convince Louise that he came from another world, but Louise does not believe him. The next morning, Saito and Louise have breakfast at Alvíss Dining Hall, where he is fed with a stale bread. After breakfast, they go out and encounters Kirche von Zerbst and her familiar, Flame. After being teased, Louise orders Saito to fetch her some tea; Saito meets Siesta, an Academy maid, who recognizes him as the famous plebeian that Louise had summoned. From afar, Guiche (with Montmorency de Montmorency) calls on Siesta to serve him his cake, but Saito instead gets it for her and serves it himself. Saito torments Guiche and gradually exposes his two-timing to both his girlfriend and Katie herself, humiliating him in front of other students. He gets angry at Saito and challenges him to a duel at Vestri Field. As Guiche leaves, Louise arrives and orders Saito to ask Guiche, a noble, for forgiveness, but Saito refuses.

At Vestri Field, Guiche praises Saito's courage for not running from the battle, but Louise arrives to stop the battle, albeit to no avail. Guiche begins the battle by summoning a valkyrie as it lands a heavy punch on Saito. Louise continues to persuade him to stop, but he does not listen to her. When the battle begins to escalate — Saito severely wounded and Louise greatly worried — Guiche summons a sword for Saito to use should he have the will to continue. As he grabs the sword, his runes glow and activate, easily bisecting the valkyrie. Guiche summons multiple valkyries, but Saito manages to cut them down all the same, resulting in his victory. He later collapses and falls asleep. After three days of recovery, Saito wakes up and is brought some meal by Siesta upon the order of Louise. The latter is tired, as she has watched over him without sleep for the past days.

Following his recovery, Saito is pretty pissed off that he’s being forced to do Louise’s laundry. However, he calms himself and thanks Louise for watching over him; Louise claims that he was mistaken and that she was just managing him like a master should over a familiar. He later escorts Louise in a class with Professor Chevreuse. He learns why she is codenamed as "Louise the Zero", mocking her master with a ridiculous song; much to her exasperation, Louise takes away his meals for every time he uttered the word "zero". Luckily, Saito encounters Siesta and brings him to the kitchen to eat some leftovers care of Marteau. After his meal, he gets informed by Siesta that, during his recovery, he was close to getting comatose, if not for Louise buying an expensive elixir to revive him.

As he heads back, Flame is waiting by the corner; he grabs Saito by the clothes and brings him to Kirche's room. Befitting her byname "Kirche the Fervent", Kirche tries to seduce Saito and confesses her love for him. Just as she is about to kiss him, Styx levitates outside and interrupts, only for her to blast him off with fire. Kirche again confesses her love to Saito and tries to kiss him, only to be interrupted by Pelisson this time; Kirche blasts him off. For the third time, they are interrupted by Manicamp, Ajax, and Gimli; at Kirche's annoyance, they are all blasted by Flame. For the last time, Louise enters the room and orders Saito to come with her at once. Kirche stops her, but Louise blackmails him that many of Kirche's suitors would skewer him to pieces the next day; Saito decides to leave with his master. Back at their room, Louise gets her riding crop to use it for Saito's punishment. As he explains his previous involuntary predicament, Louise decides to let Saito sleep in the room to avoid any more incidents (especially with Kirche) to happen.

Void Day
The next day at a sword shop, Louise looks for a sword that fits Saito to defend himself. Louise ends up buying a cheap sword instead of her initial choice for Saito, as she does not have much money with her. As Kirche and Tabitha are revealed to have been trailing them, Saito is torn between choosing Louise's and Kirche's sword (the initial and expensive sword); eventually, Louise's sword is confirmed to be an Intelligent Sword, a sword with its own wisdom. Saito becomes amused at the talking sword and chooses it, exchanging introductions with Derflinger.

Post-Void Day
The night after, Siesta helps Saito in washing Louise's silk undergarments. Out of the blue, Siesta thanks him for inspiring her to become courageous like him. As he heads back, along the hallway, he is caught by Kirche in her nightgown (again) and tells him that she is going to give him the sword she priorly bought for him. After seemingly upsetting him, Kirche tries to give him other treasures, such as a talisman ring, an earring of a fire-eater bird's blood, and even her family heirloom, but Saito rejects all of these. Eventually, Louise bursts the door open and fetches Saito back to their room. The next day for class, Saito is left behind by Louise with the other familiars, but eventually loiters away from the creatures. Along the way, Saito encounters Marteau, who invites him to the kitchen for some breakfast. The chef also informs Saito that Siesta has left the Academy to work for Count Mott, a nobleman. Louise and Derflinger brief Saito about Count Mott and his cocky personality; and the possibility for him requesting Siesta to become his mistress, worrying Saito even more. Meanwhile, Montmorency receives a mythril brooch from Guiche; Saito interferes and asks Guiche where Count Mott resides. With Saito nowhere to be found, Louise and Kirche (who are both looking for him) are informed by Guiche that he possibly went to Mott's manor.

At Mott's manor, Saito is caught by some of the nobleman's guards and is brought to him. Saito pleads to Mott to return Siesta to the Academy, but Mott refuses. He raises his voice at Mott, almost getting beat up by the mage. Siesta arrives and attempts to quell the situation. As a compromise, Mott orders Saito to retrieve the Zerbst family heirloom in exchange for Siesta's freedom. Saito sets out, but encounters Louise along the way. Back at their room, Louise, though pitying Siesta's situation, encourages Saito to give up on her. He waits for Louise to sleep before going to Kirche's to get her family's heirloom, but fails to do so. Saito sneaks in Mott's manor, but is caught again by Mott's guards. Brought before Mott, Saito draws his sword in a duel against Mott; hoping to activate his Gandálfr power like before, he instead becomes anxious. As Mott commences the battle and claims the upper hand, Louise arrives and manages an explosion before an ice arrow hits Saito. In the end, the students express their apology to Mott and try to talk their way out, but Kirche offers the Count her family heirloom to him. Mott frees Siesta to them as he reads the book, which is actually an old Japanese porn magazine. Back at the Academy, Siesta thanks Saito and kisses him on the cheek as her appreciation. At the stable, Saito thanks Louise, but the latter is pondering on what punishment she is going to give him for his misdemeanor.

Fouquet Strikes
Louise prepares Saito for the upcoming Familiar Exhibition, but becomes hopeless at him. She recalls his swordsmanship skills, but he refuses because of his inability to do so at Mott's manor. Running out of ideas, Louise goes to class and orders him to think of something to exhibit. Saito attempts to practice his swordsmanship skills with Derflinger, but to no avail. He encounters Siesta and informs him that Princess Henrietta would be coming over to watch the exhibition. Before she leaves to prepare for the next day, she grabs Saito's hand and wishes him good luck. Later, Princess Henrietta arrives at the Academy, welcomed by the students and staff.

That night, Saito continues (to struggle) with his swordsmanship practice; suddenly, they are visited by the princess in disguise. She notices Saito and notes his bravery for standing up to the likes of Count Mott, stating her desire to meet him as well. Henrietta assures Louise that, despite the ruckus it had caused in the Palace, there will be no punishment. As she leaves and witnesses Louise's and Saito's "master-servant" relationship, she notes how freedom indeed is the best treasure.

As the Familiar Exhibition commences, Louise orders Saito to take a mere bow and come back, forbidding him to do anything unnecessary. As she introduces him, Saito wields Derflinger, but only makes the audience laugh at his failure. He tries to make up for this, but Louise drags him out. As Fouquet attempts to infiltrate the Academy Vault, Louise and Saito arrive at the scene and face the golem. Saito tells Louise to flee, but Louise attempts to set it on fire, though only managing an explosion; this causes the building to crack, having Fouquet's golem punch it. With the building collapsing, the rest of the students are alerted. Tabitha, riding Sylphid, surveys the area; Fouquet manages to steal the Staff of Destruction and escapes. Osmond checks the Vault and sees a message from Fouquet, claiming her robbery. Outside, the students become wary of the incident; Henrietta arrives and becomes relieved to see Louise and Saito safe. She leaves the Academy to report the incident at the Palace. Saito asks Louise why she did not escape earlier; Louise answers that a mage who forsakes her familiar is not a real mage.

The next day at the Academy, Kirche feeds Saito some fruits, irritating Louise. As they talk about the incident regarding Fouquet, Colbert calls for Louise and Tabitha to come to the headmaster's office, though Kirche and Saito tag along as well. Longuevuille briefs them on their gathered information about the thief and shows them a sketch of Fouquet, further confirmed by Louise and Tabitha. Amidst suggestions to seek help from the Palace, Osmond decides to take the matters at hand, asking help from his fellow mages who wish to take the mission in catching the thief. Not one from them are up for the challenge, except for Louise and, later, Kirche and Tabitha. Longuevuille volunteers to go with them as their guide.

As they head out in their mission, Longuevuille explains how some mages are not necessarily nobles, as some have been demoted to peasants, just like her case. Kirche asks her how she lost her rank, but Louise stops her "rude" behaviour. Eventually, Kirche gives Saito the shiny sword she had purchased for him. Later, they stop near a shack that is believed to be Fouquet's hideout. Upon preliminary inspection, there seems to be no traps, so they head inside to further check. Louise leaves herself behind to guard outside, while Longuevuille would scout the surrounding area. Inside, Saito and Kirche do not find anything, though Tabitha discovers the Staff of Destruction. Just then, a golem attacks them; Tabitha and Kirche attack it, but fail to take it down. Tabitha summons Sylphid; Louise tries to attack it from behind, but to no avail. Standing firm with her principles as a noble, Louise disregards Saito's protests for her to flee. As the golem launches an attack, Saito saves Louise and slaps her, snapping her out of her previous tantrum. As he takes Louise out of the scene, using the sword given by Kirche, Saito attacks the golem, but the sword breaks.

Derflinger advises Saito to use him, despite the latter's initial worry that he might break, too. As he draws Derflinger, Saito feels the same sensation and strength that he felt during his duel with Guiche. Despite cutting through the golem easily, the monster regenerates itself; Louise takes the Staff of Destruction, but does not know how to maneouver it.

Saito recognises it as a rocket launcher and uses it on the golem, defeating it. Longuevuille arrives and takes the Staff, revealing herself to be Fouquet all along. Fouquet points the Staff to them, but Saito thrusts the back of Derflinger on to her, knowing that the rocket launcher is a single-use weapon, defeating her. Back at the Academy, Osmond reports that Fouquet has been taken into custody and that the Staff of Destruction is secured in the Academy Vault. He tells them at the three of them (minus Saito) are guests of honour in the banquet later at night. Saito stays behind to talk to Osmond and Colbert about the Staff of Destruction -- a rocket launcher that came from his world into Halkeginia. Osmond explains an incident from thirty years ago, where a mysterious man once saved his life from a dragon using the Staff of Destruction.

Later, at the night, the banquet commences, but Saito becomes frustrated that he almost had the answer to find his way back home. As Louise arrives, she asks Saito to have a dance with her. They have a dance, with Derflinger remarking how a familiar and a master are dancing together.

Aftermath
At the Palace, Princess Henrietta offers Louise knighthood, but the latter declines this. As compensation, Henrietta thanks Louise and Saito for their effort in capturing Fouquet. Later, she asks the two to go undercover in the village to investigate the goings-on around in discreet, especially with various rumours revolving the oppression of nobles on plebeians.

Academy Summer Vacation
As part of their cover, Louise purchases some clothes for her mission and attempts to buy a horse or a place for them to stay. Realizing that they were only given a moderate amount of money, Louise ends up gambling -- and losing -- all their money in the casino in hopes of augmenting it. Desperate and hopeless, they are encountered by Scarron, owner of the Charming Fairy Inn. He invites them to the place to stay in the condition that Louise, for her beautiful appearance, works as a waitress in the tavern.

At the inn, Louise is introduced by Scarron to the rest of the waitresses as Saito meets Jessica and enlists his help to clean the dishes. After work, Saito calms a hysterical and humiliated Louise, reminding her that everything is part of the mission. The next day, Saito learns that Jessica is the daughter of Scarron. Louise takes a break; she sees Saito conversing with Jessica, suspecting him to be lechering the woman. She throws a bottle at his head, rendering him unconscious. Jessica tends to him and suspects that Louise is not Saito's sister, a cover they have employed in the mission. Saito attempts to prove her wrong, making her more interested in him. As she makes advances at him, Louise bursts the door open and catches them; Saito quickly acts out of the situation, only to earn a kick in the groin.

When Chelenne arrives at the tavern, he insults and mocks Louise's small bust, earning a kick from her. With Chelenne's men ready to attack her, Saito comes to her aid, but realizes he left his sword in the attic. Fortunately, Louise has kept her wand with her and manages an explosion. Ultimately, Chelenne yields and offers Louise a huge amount of money before fleeing with his men. Because of the huge amount of money given by Chelenne, Louise wins the tip race. With their cover blown, Saito decides that it would be best to leave the tavern. Meanwhile, Louise wears the Charming Fairy bustier to show Saito; the latter remarks it to be "très bien" ("very good" in French).

Saito and Louise return to the Academy and see Kirche and Tabitha about to depart to Gallia (Tabitha's hometown) for the summer holiday. In their room, Louise angrily orders Saito to clean her clothes. Along the way, Saito witnesses Guiche and Montmorency having a misunderstanding. He also sees an old and giant pot; he asks permission from Marteau if he could borrow it, to which the chef happily allows. Derflinger asks what he shall do with it, but Saito merely gives him a hint that he shall use it later at night.

At night, Saito utilises his giant pot for a hot bath, reminiscent to Japan's. Siesta happens to pass by and sees Saito taking the peculiar bath. She decides to join him in bath, despite Saito's initial protests; Saito describes his place of origin to Siesta. After the bath, Saito heads back to their room; as Louise reprimands her familiar (who also saw him with Siesta), the potion starts to take effect, immediately confessing her love for Saito. Montmorency comes to their room, anxiously confirming that the potion had taken effect.

Under the effects of the love potion, Louise continues to be kind and lovestruck to Saito. Montmorency explains that Louise has mistakenly drunk a love potion supposedly for Guiche. Upon hearing this, Guiche becomes flattered that she would go that far for him. Saito demands Montmorency to bring Louise back to normal, but she shrugs this off, as the potion's effect would wear off from about a month.

Later, Saito and Louise are greeted by Siesta; the lovestruck Louise repeatedly hits Saito for his apparent two-timing, while Siesta begrudgingly and silently shakes with emotion. Siesta, sarcastically wearing a fake smile, and Louise leave Saito behind. Saito goes after Siesta and tells her that Louise had mistakenly drunk a love potion as explanation for her actions, but she does not believe him because drugs that alter people's emotions are lawfully banned. Saito heads back to their room, only to find Louise scantily clad. He tells her that she's acting strange due to a love potion, but she does not believe him. With the situation getting out of hand, Saito goes to Montmorency and blackmails her into reverting Louise back to normal if she does not want to get apprehended by authorities for making illegal potions; Montmorency reluctantly agrees.

The next day, Saito, Louise, Montmorency, and Guiche, go to Lake Lagdorian to meet with the Spirit of Water. Along the way, the area near the lake is heavily flooded; Montmorency deduces that the Spirit of Water is upset. At sunset, Montmorency commands Robin to contact the Spirit of Water. Later, the Spirit emerges; Derflinger exclaims that he quite recalls the Spirit himself. Montmorency introduces herself and asks for a piece from the Spirit, but they decline. Saito begs the Spirit to offer them the Spirit Tear in exchange for anything they wish him to do. The Spirit asks them to fend off attackers, which Saito promises to defeat. At night, the group waits for the attackers. When hooded figures arrive, Guiche and Saito engage them in battle, but the enemies overpower them. Louise steps in to save Saito and manages an explosion; the hooded figures are actually Kirche and Tabitha, who are in the middle of a mission to defeat the Spirit of Water. The whole group then goes back to the Spirit of Water to ask the reason behind its anger. The Spirit tells them that their possession — the Ring of Andvari — was stolen by someone called Cromwell, leading them to overflow the water in search of it; Saito promises to find and return it. The Spirit believes him, recognising him as Gandálfr who once kept an oath to the Spirit in the past, hence offering them the Spirit Tear.

Though reverted back to normal, Louise recalls her memories while being lovestruck. Embarrassed, she starts whipping Saito; just then, Henrietta arrives in their room.

Trivia

 * Saito is named after Gennai Hiraga, an Edo period Japanese scientist.
 * His name is written as "Ability Man".
 * His favorite food is teriyaki burger.
 * He dislikes his P.E. teacher.
 * His hobby is spending time on the Internet and he has special skills in action games and swordsmanship.

Quotes

 * (To Louise) "I don't mind if I sleep on the floor. I don't care if my meals taste awful. It can't be helped, so I'll keep going. But, if I don't want to bow my head down to someone, I can't bow down to him!"
 * (In his dream) "A Japan without Louise's presence... It would be meaningless to return back home! Louise... Louise!!!"
 * "I'm not a man if I can't make the girl I love smile!"