Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume16 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 2===

Led by Siska, Kamito and company advanced through the vast interior of the Demon's Fist.

"Th-This time they won't ask us to take off our underwear or stuff like that, right...?"

"No, I don't think we need to worry about that."

Seeing Claire rub her legs together in worry, Kamito reassured her.

...Or rather, he hoped that Dracunia was one too many countries to have that kind of custom.

"Just so you know, Onii-sama, my panties are striped♪"

Holding Kamito's hand, Muir leaned herself against him.

"M-Muir?"

"W-Wait, what are you doing! Get away from him!"

"No, Onii-sama is mine."

Muir stuck her tongue out at Claire.

"&mdash;Please remain silent, you two."

Walking in the lead, Siska turned her head back and expressionlessly warned the two girls.

Inside the base, there was virtually no one. Though both were military strongholds built inside a mountain, this place was completely different from Dracunia's dragon rock fortress that made full use of a natural cavern. Whether the floor or the ceiling, this place was covered with flat and plain rockfaces, giving a claustrophobic feeling.

At that moment, walking beside Kamito, Ellis murmured softly:

"The atmosphere here inexplicably reminds me of the mine at Gado."

"Yeah, definitely..."

The abandoned mine city of Gado in Ordesia was where a strategic-class militarized spirit, Jormungandr, had been sealed and scrapped. For Ellis, this was also a place of painful memories where she had lost to Jio Inzagi, thus leading to her comrades Rakka and Reishia getting injured.

"Jio Inzagi huh? That guy was rambling something about the Demon King too&mdash;"

"Just an impostor."

Hearing that, Claire shrugged.

"Speaking of which, esteemed sister, you were incarcerated with that man at Balsas Prison, right?"

Hearing Ellis' question, Velsaria nodded simply while walking ahead.

"Indeed. In the prison, that man kept insisting he was the Demon King's successor. Naturally, no one paid attention to him&mdash;"

Then she murmured as though only remembering now.

"I recall that he escaped when the Cardinal assaulted the prison."

"What!?" "Are you serious, esteemed sister!?"

Claire and Ellis both cried out in surprise.

"Yes. The Cardinal originally planned to recruit him, but he quickly reneged on his promise and fled."

"No way&mdash;"

"That woman is unexpectedly naive..."

Hearing that, Muir commented with resignation.

"Hopefully, it won't lead to trouble..."

Jio Inzagi, who styled himself as the Demon King's successor, was particularly obsessed with Kamito, the holder of the Demon King's power. Left alone, there was no telling what Jio would do.

&mdash;At that moment...

"Don't worry. I have sealed away all of his memories about Kamito."

Descending lightly along with black feathers, a girl in a dress of darkness appeared out of thin air.

It was Restia, who had remained in her demon sword form until now.

"It would be a problem if he told Ordesia's knights about you and me, right?"

"...Well, that's a relief."

"By the way, Muir Alenstarl&mdash;"

Suddenly, Restia's dusk-colored eyes stared at Muir.

"What is it, darkness spirit?"

"Who permitted you to hold Kamito's hand? His right hand is on loan to Miss Sacred Sword, but I do not recall yielding any rights to his left hand to you."

"Shut up. Watch out or I'll use the Jester's Vise to crush you, okay?"

Muir glared back at Restia defiantly.

"H-Hey, you two..."

Seeing a fight about to erupt between the two, Kamito hastily tried to stop them.

For some reason, these two had been on poor terms even during their days at the Instructional School. It even led to frequent fights that damaged the School's stronghold, Cave Castle.

"My oh my, your mouth sure has toughened up, Muir Alenstarl. Yet in the past, you used to be a frequent bedwetter, too scared to venture out to the toilet at night."

Hearing Restia's accusation&mdash;

"...!?"

Muir's face gradually turned pale.

"...W-What, d-darkness spirit... w-w-why do you know, that kind of..."

"Fufu, I know everything. Including many other secrets..."

Restia smiled with confidence.

"...Ah, ooh.. N-No, don't believe her, Onii-sama, wetting my bed, no way&mdash;"

Tearfully, Muir desperately denied it.

"Uh, yeah, sure..."

Kamito turned his gaze away in response.

In fact, Kamito had washed Muir's soiled sheets and underwear many times in the past, but she had remained blissfully unaware.

"You were a child then, right? I do not think it is anything to be ashamed about."

Did she pity Muir? Ellis comforted her.

"Indeed. Claire was still wetting her bed at the age of nine."

"R-Really?"

"H-Hold on, Rinslet!?"

Never expecting her own secret to be exposed, Claire hastily covered Rinslet's mouth.

"Please be quiet, everyone&mdash;"

Siska looked back and said coldly.