Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter9 (section)

===Part 4===

(...Ooh, mmm...)

Claire woke up in the darkness that locked her consciousness away.

...So hot. It felt almost like the inside of a furnace.

Her memories were a mess. Currently, where was she&mdash;

(...In any case, I must leave this place.)

Someone important was waiting for her... That was the only thing she could remember.

Feeling her way around and sweeping away the mud-like darkness, she discovered faint firelight in the distance.

Rather than burning conflagration, this was a warm flame that somehow felt nostalgic.

&mdash;ter... Master, where are you...?

Someone's voice could be heard. A dream-like and worried voice.

(...Who?)

&mdash;Master!

As Claire reached out towards the flickering flame, the flame instantly burned intensely and transformed into a petite hell cat.

The hell cat called out happily and pounced into Claire's bosom.

"Ah, hot...!"

Claire could not help but cry out.

However, the fiery hell cat kept rubbing its face against her affectionately.

(...This feeling... I have an impression.)

A hole was broken in her heart. The heat from the burning flame seemed to be awakening memories from inside.

(...I have forgotten? Something important&mdash;)

Looking down at the hell cat she held in her arms against her chest, Claire desperately tried to recall.

The daughter of the Elstein family in charge of flames.

Blessing the Demon King's awakening, the Darkness Queen.

(No, I am&mdash;!)

&mdash;Master, please remember! Master's precious comrades!

The flames began to burn intensely in her bosom, scorching Claire's chest.

(...I know this... I know these flames!)

Indeed, these were the flames that had guarded Claire since childhood.

Always by her side&mdash;

(...Scar...let...)

With trembling lips, Claire called out that name.

&mdash;Yes, Master!

(...You have returned, Scarlet!)

Claire hugged the burning hell cat tightly.

Instantly, the hell cat dissipated into the air as particles of light&mdash;

The spirit seal, symbolizing flames, was instantly branded upon Claire's right hand.

As the power of flames filled her body, the false memories were instantly destroyed.

Then&mdash;

"...Princess, you have woken up?"

"...Mmm, Fian...na...?"

Claire opened her eyes and&mdash;

Her gaze met with the pair of dusk-colored eyes watching her from above.

Fianna's uniform was burned full of holes.

Her gorgeous black hair was in an utter mess.

"Looking like that... What happened to you?"

"...It's actually all your doing, seriously."

Sighing with exasperation, Fianna held Claire's arm and pulled her to her feet.

"Uh... I was taken here by Nee-sama&mdash;"

Claire tried to recall what happened after she came here... Then her head began to hurt.

Speaking of which, why am I dressed in this type of ritual outfit?

"No time to talk now. We must hurry over to Kamito-kun."

"...Kamito."

Claire opened her eyes wide suddenly. Just at this very moment&mdash;

A frightening noise came from downstairs.