Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 4===

While running in the dark forest–

(Ka-Kamito saw my breasts......!)

Claire reddened.

It was embarrassing to the point that her face felt like it would burst into flames.

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(Jeez, what is this, what is this, idiot!)

He had seen her naked in their first meeting.

But then and now were totally different.

She didn't know why though......

(Wh-Why is my heart......beating this fast, I wonder.)

Claire stopped running and suppressed her beating heart.

That's right, she didn't hate that he had seen her naked.

Having him see her underdeveloped breasts had been a shock.

(Th-This small of a chest is strange, isn't it......)

Rub. Rub.

While feeling her soft chest, she bit her lip.

Claire had read it in a book.

That boys liked girls with big breasts.

That definitely did not exclude Kamito–

After all, Kamito had been all happy around that big-breasted Rinslet.

(Wh-wh-wh-what's this secret lesson about things that can't be said, y-you idiot!)

Remembering it again, she felt her anger resurge.

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Just what were those two doing in the shadow of that rock–

"I-I d-don't really care about who he gets along with......"

–Just as she said that with a pout.

She felt a cold sensation on the back of her neck.

"......Who is it!?"

Turning around, she inquired with a sharp voice.

And.

"Hmm, you're unexpectedly sharp, onee-chan. But separating from the group isn't good."

Appearing from the trees like a shadow–

A single hooded girl.

Slightly visible ash grey hair. Transparent blue pupils.

A young girl that was even smaller than the short Claire.

(–A child in this place?)

Claire was suspicious.

She didn't appear to be a princess maiden of the Divine Ritual Institute.

The only possibility was that she was a member of another team.

"Do you have some business with me?"

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Claire asked while keeping her guard up.

What she had felt just before was close to killing intent.

Even if her opponent was a small girl, she couldn't be careless.

The girl laughed lightly.

"I'll have you disappear, onee-chan. For nii-sama's sake."

"......!?"

Instantly, Claire reacted.

Water came from the ground as many tentacles were formed and attacked her.

(......A water spirit user!?)

The writhing water tentacles splintered the surrounding trees' branches.

Claire landed on the ground and performed her summoning.

–Guardian of the crimson blaze, keeper of the undying hearth!

–Now's the time to abide by the blood contract, come forth and do my bidding!

"–Scarlet!"

A crimson flame-clad hell cat appeared from thin air.

The hell cat immediately transformed into a whip in her hand.

"You, do you understand who you're picking a fight with?"

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"Of course, Claire Rouge. The Calamity Queen's younger sister."

"Looks like you really did your research!"

Claire swung down the flame whip.

Drawing a pure red line in the air, it easily mowed down the forests' trees

But the water tentacles coming from the ground easily stopped the flame whip.

"Wha–"

"There's no way onee-chan's flame spirit can defeat this Scylla."

"......Scylla?"

Claire had read that name at the academy.

It was the name of a special-use militarized spirit that could be used by anyone. That flexibility to switch contractors was deemed too dangerous and it was supposed to have been sealed after the Ranbal War–

And then Claire realized.

If she was an assassin that used sealed militarized spirits–

"Don't tell me, you're the one who attacked the flying ship......kyaa!"

In that moment, a tentacle coming from the ground grasped Claire's foot.

The tentacle wrapped itself all the way around and lifted her into the air.

"......This damn thing, let me go......!"

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She swung her Flametounge with all her might but it did nothing inside the water spirit.

Her opponent's spirit was the worst match-up for her fire spirit.

On top of that, this area weakened flame spirits because of its proximity to water.

Even if it was a high-class spirit like Scarlet, overcoming that was hard.

The tentacles entered into the gaps of her swimsuit.

Wrapping around her thigh, it was a terrible feeling.

"......Ah, n, wh-what are you doing, noo......!"

"Fufu, what a disgraceful appearance, onee-chan. But I'll let you enjoy it soon."

The girl approached Claire who couldn't move.

"......Why are you targeting me?"

"Because onee-chan has corrupted nii-sama."

"......Nii-sama?"

Claire had a realization. The one that came to her mind was–

"Could this be about Kamito?"

"Don't say nii-sama's name so lightly."

The water tentacle slapped Claire's cheek.

"Ku......"

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"If I kill onee-chan, nii-sama will definitely wake up."

"Wh-What do you mean wake up! Kamito is Kamito!"

"Don't speak like you know what you're talking about."

A bone-chilling tone. Shivers ran down Claire's spine.

"Onee-chan, what do you even know about nii-sama?"

"Eh?"

At her words–

Claire widened her eyes.

(......That's right. I don't know anything about Kamito.)

For example, this girl who called Kamito nii-sama.

This girl probably knew.

Kamito's past that Claire didn't know.

She felt a pain in her heart. She didn't know why.

"Good bye, onee-chan."

The girl gave the command to kill what it had caught–

"......!?"

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Then a blade line flashed.

"–Claire!"