Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume14 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 3===

A hidden flight of steps led underground from beneath a set of shelves in the back of the shop.

Holding a torch for illumination, the merchant kept descending into darkness.

"This is a place Murders uses for smuggling goods."

"...A sewer? But if that's the case, there should be water noises..."

While using a spirit crystal to illuminate the walls, Kamito commented.

"Underground ruins. A relic dating back to the Demon King War when Sacred Maiden Areishia converted this city into her stronghold. These types of underground ruins are abundant in the imperial capital, more than you can count."

"Sheesh, can't you remember from Freya-sensei's class?"

"Oh really?"

"I remember hearing about them too, but this is actually my first time entering one&mdash;"

Ellis examined the walls around her while murmuring quietly.

"The Empire leaves places like this alone?"

"Completely burying all the vast underground ruins is impossible. Besides, the Ordesia military finds value in such underground passages."

At this moment, a large rat ran past Claire's feet.

"...Huahh, a r-rat!"

"Be careful, there are even worse rats in these parts."

"...Rats huh. I remember that it's a euphemism for Umbra's special operative knights."

"Yes, that's why it's best to keep quiet from this point on because running into them is a possibility."

...Advancing silently lasted roughly half an hour.

Then Kamito, maintaining a high level of focus, heard a tiny sound.

Friction from boot soles. Breathing from multiple people in the darkness.

(...Oh dear.)

Kamito sighed secretly and stopped walking.

"Kamito?"

Walking in front, Claire and Ellis showed surprise.

"Say, Mr. Merchant..."

"What can I do for you?"

The merchant smiled cordially and turned his head back.

"You mentioned earlier, right? Something about a set of scales in every Murders merchant's heart&mdash;"

"...Sure, what about it?"

"What's the other side on your scales?"

Kamito asked calmly.

Hearing that, the merchant rested his chin against his hand and made a thinking look.

"Hmm, yes. For example, if I were to hand you over to the Imperial Knights, I could make a tidy profit. After all, you are wanted criminals, my dear customers."

"But you're an illegal merchant. You can't make contact with the knights, right?"

"Precisely. The scales are tipped towards you, dear customers. Please rest assured."

"Oh really? In that case&mdash;"

Instantly, Kamito drew a dagger from his waist&mdash;

And parried countless silver slashes flashing the darkness.

"What is the meaning of this?"

"...! Kamito, we're surrounded!?"

"Yeah&mdash;"

Kamito focused his mind and detected the presences in the darkness.

(...That's quite a lot. Seven or eight ahead with three or four behind?)

Under this sort of darkness, it was no easy task to ascertain enemy numbers. It was possible for several people to lie in ambush.

(Don't tell me that all of them are elementalists?)

The faint smile on the merchant's face earlier had vanished.

"...I can't believe you deflected all the blades of the assassins&mdash;"

"If they're assassins, they'd better train more on how to hide their killing intent, okay? Although I can't see them, their directions are completely clear to me&mdash;"

"Traitor!"

Saying that, Claire released her elemental waffe, Flametongue.

Blazing crimson flames illuminated the darkness in the underground passage.

A masked group of differing ages and appearances came into view.

Rather than Ordesia's Imperial Knights, they were most likely&mdash;

(...Rogue elementalists hired as mercenaries huh.)

Although rare, talents as an elementalist would occasionally blossom in people without noble heritage. Those people would be forcibly sent to educational institutions for elementalists, but depending on circumstances, some of them would end up bought by Murders and other criminal organizations to become illegal mercenaries.

Although they were vastly inferior to elementalists trained at the Academy&mdash;most of them were unable to deploy elemental waffen&mdash;these elementalists had gone through actual combat training, so they were still able to overwhelm mighty opponents through sheer numbers.

"I knew it. A dirty Murders merchant simply cannot be trusted in the first place."

Ellis readied Ray Hawk and glared angrily at the merchant before her.

"Hoho... Truth be told, I have made quite a fortune on selling militarized spirits to the Cardinal. However, it's simply not enough to tip my scales towards her, that's all."

"Then what's being weighed on the other side of the scales?"

Hearing Kamito's question, the merchant shrugged.

"In a word, authorization to trade in the Holy Kingdom of Lugia's Alexandria. Can you offer anything better than that, my dears?"

"...No way! The Holy Kingdom can't possibly make a deal with Murders!"

Claire widened her eyes.

"The continental situation is changing every second, little lady."

"Is Arneus your newest customer?"

"Oh dear, I might've said too much."

The merchant laughed and took a step back into the darkness.

"I don't want to get caught in this, so I'll be running away now."

Throwing his torch to the ground, he rushed into the underground passage.

"...! Wait, hold it right there!"

Claire swung her fiery whip&mdash;

But before that, a stone wall rose up. It was a spirit used by a rogue elementalist.

"...Kamito, we must give chase. If he runs away, we won't be able to get out&mdash;"

"Yeah&mdash;"

Kamito drew the Demon Slayer and smashed the stone wall. However, the merchant was already out of sight. Taking his place, a number of rogue elementalists were blocking the way with weapons readied.

Naturally, this quantity of opponents were no match for Kamito's party. However, inside this narrow underground passage with dismal visibility, defeating all of them looked like it could take some time.

(Breaking through by force seems to be the only option huh&mdash;)

Kamito entered a stance for a group fight. Although he wanted to avoid wasting too much divine power, circumstances did not permit&mdash;

Then at that very moment...

"...Gahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

A scream sounded from the depths of the underground passage.

"...!?"

It was the Murders merchant's voice. Kamito and his friends exchanged glances with one another. The rogue elementalists hired by the merchant also paused.

"W-Why!? Why are you here...!?"

"Unfortunately for you, this is my backyard, little rat."

A cute voice was heard, accompanied by nimble footsteps, standing in stark contrast against the merchant's scream.

A swaying spirit crystal's illumination approached, illuminating the underground passage.

The merchant appeared with his arm twisted behind his back. Pressed against the side of his head was a weapon with extremely limited circulation across the entire continent&mdash;A hand gun.

Kamito had some recollection of this hand gun that was embedded with spirit crystals.

"You're&mdash;!?"