Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:BR SS Extra.1 (section)

===Part 5===

The bazaar located near the imperial capital's east gate was where merchants gathered from all over the continent. During the Great Festival of the Spirits, this was a place where massive crowds frequented the open-air stalls.

"The princess maiden this year seems to be Duke Elstein's eldest daughter&mdash;"

"Now that's a prodigy who entered the Divine Ritual Institute at the youngest age. This year's Great Festival of the Spirits is surely gonna be a success!"

Mixed among the noise of the lively festivities, two people were walking in the streets.

"Kamito, your gaze is too sharp."

"Shut up..."

Retorting unhappily, Kamito quickened his pace.

The two of them were dressed in long overcoats with their heads wrapped in stoles. This was typical attire of desert merchants.

Due to a large number of immigrants from the Alphas Theocracy living in the imperial capital's eastern zone, dressing like this in the crowd did not look out of place.

"Hey, wait up. Our cover story is a pair of siblings!"

Hearing that, Kamito halted and looked back.

"...You and I are merely traveling together due to a mission. Don't get in my way."

Saying that, he prepared to start walking again.

"Okay, watch out or we'll get separated."

"Don't touch me, darkness spirit!"

Restia reached out to hold Kamito's hand but he shook her off forcefully.

The surrounding pedestrians looked at them in puzzlement.

"Sorry, nothing's going on here..."

Restia unwrapped her stole and glanced around.

Her dusk-colored eyes instantly produced a mysterious glow. In the next instant, people continued on their way, ignoring the two of them as though nothing had happened.

"Okay, let's go&mdash;"

"..."

With a very reluctant look, Kamito followed behind her.

The main street was filled with festive music. The fragrance of fruit could be smelled from open-air stalls.

Following Restia into a restaurant, the two of them took seats facing the street.

"...Phew, a festival sure is nice. I haven't been this free for a thousand years already."

Sitting on a chair, the darkness spirit girl stretched her arms comfortably.

Naturally, she had not manifested her jet-black wings on her back.

Placed on the table were two fruit parfaits that she had ordered. Kamito did not touch them, simply glaring at Restia.

"Why must I team up with you? I can do it on my own."

"If you were on your own, Kamito, you would've been caught by the Imperial Knights in no time, tortured and interrogated in Balsas Prison right now."

While eating the strawberries in the parfait, she glanced at the building towering in the center of the imperial capital.

It was said that inside the famous Balsas Prison was a jail specialized for imprisoning elementalists. Once captured, even an Instructional School combatant would find it impossible to escape.

"Torture doesn't work on me."

"...That's not the issue here."

Restia sighed in exasperation.

"Looks like it was correct for me to follow you&mdash;"

Saying that, she placed the other parfait in front of Kamito.

"Here, eat up."

"I'm fine with this. It's enough for three days."

Kamito shook his head and took out a small bag from his overcoat's pocket.

He poured out two or three pills from the bag.

This was food made by mixing several herbs with honey and drying it. Instructional School combatants would also carry these on their person during long-term missions.

"...Like I said, that's not the issue here. You're going to raise suspicions around you."

"...?" Hearing that, Kamito looked up with a surprised face.

Couples in the surroundings were looking at them with eyes of suspicion.

Restia silently reached out and took the bag of pills under the table.

"..."

Staring at the parfait, Kamito lowered his head without moving.

"What's the matter?"

Seeing Kamito frozen, Restia asked.

"...How, what's the right way?"

"Huh?"

"...This thing, how to eat it."

While looking away in embarrassment, Kamito asked quietly.

Restia chuckled then said:

"Very well, let me teach you."

Scooping out a spoonful of ice cream, she extended it in front of Kamito.

"Open your mouth."

"...S-Stop joking around, I can eat by myself!"

"That won't do. We won't look like a couple, right?"

Restia glanced at the couple on the adjacent table.

...The girl was asking the boy to say "ah~"

"Huh!? I thought our cover story was siblings&mdash;"

Yelling in panic, Kamito swiftly found his mouth stuffed by Restia's spoon.

"...!"

"How is it?"

(...What the heck!?)

Having almost forgotten the taste of sweetness, Kamito was entranced for a moment&mdash;

"&mdash;This year, it's Rubia-oneesama presiding over the ceremony."

Suddenly, the voices of two girls walking in the streets outside the restaurant could be heard.

"This year's Great Festival of the Spirits will surely be a success. In a few years, I'll make ritual offerings to the great Elemental Lords too!"
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"Always nervous in front of crowds, you wouldn't be able to do it."

"Th-That's not true, I'll definitely become like Nee-sama in the future&mdash;"

"...There there. Look, it is already starting&mdash;"

Soon, the two gradually faded into the distance. Listening to their voices&mdash;

Kamito recovered a grim face like a fighter's.

"&mdash;Confirming the next move."

He lowered his voice as though muttering to himself.

"Once the Princess Maiden of Flame begins the ceremony, Muir's militarized spirit will take action. While the Imperial Knights are in turmoil, we will go steal the sealed spirits that were meant to be used in the ritual&mdash;"

Restia smiled faintly and wiped off ice cream that was sticking to Kamito's cheek.

"...!?"

"It's time to go&mdash;"

"There's still plenty of time before the mission."

"What are you talking about? It's not every day you get a festival, you know?"

Restia extended her hand towards Kamito who was still sitting in his chair.

"Come on, hurry up, will you?"

"..."

"Cover story is siblings, right?"

Lowering his head, Kamito held that hand.

"...Only because of the mission."