Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume8 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 6===

---When Duke Elstein and Margrave Laurenfrost came out of the guest room, it had already been several minutes.

Claire hid behind the curtains and seemed to be observing the mood of Rinslet who was twirling her hair with her finger.

(Haaa, I'm bored......)

Even though Rinslet was approaching her limit, not much time had passed.

"Hey, Claire-san?"

"......Eh?"

Claire's shoulders shook as if frightened when Rinslet called out to her.

"I am your honored guest. Could I at least get some black tea?"

"......Ahh! Y-Yeah!"

Claire nodded and hurriedly brought back a tea pot. Inside the tea pot were small fire spirit crystal fragments which warmed it.

"Ohh, you're using fairly good tea leaves."

"Yes, we used the best black tea because a guest was coming."

<!--110-->
Rinslet voiced her compliment honestly and Claire smiled happily.

"Ahh, we also have snacks. They're really delicious!"

Claire ran off and came back with a plate of cookies from somewhere.

"They seem delicious. Did you make them?"

"No, it's a souvenir that father bought at the capital. I really like the snacks there."

"Hmmm......"

Rinslet elegantly picked a cookie up with her fingertips and placed it in her mouth.

"This flavor is quite good. I like it."

"......I'm glad."

Claire felt relieved since she had been nervous.

While Rinslet sipped black tea, she looked around the guest room.

As expected of a prominent family of the empire, the interior design was extravagant. The taste in furnishings was also good.

However, unfortunately, there was nothing that would alleviate her boredom.

"Haa, I'm bored......"

While holding her head in her hands over the table, she sighed.

"U-Umm......"

And Claire started to mumble as if trying to saying something.

"What is it? If you're a noble's daughter, then clearly say what you want."

<!--111-->
"U-Umm......"

Claire repeatedly opened her mouth and,

"I-I have dolls!"

"Dolls?"

"Y-Yeah, I'll bring them now!"

Claire nodded happily and dashed out of the room.

"......What?"

While staring blankly, she waited and---

At last, Claire returned with both arms filled with stuffed toys.

All of them were lovely cat dolls.

"Here. Choose the cat you like."

Claire lined up the cat dolls on the carpet and,

"I'll lend you this. It's my favorite cat......"

She pushed a red cat plushy onto the perplexed Rinslet.

"Nya---nya---♪"

"......"

"Nya---?"

"......Are you making fun of me?"

Rinslet threw aside the cat plushy.

<!--112-->
"......Eh?"

"Something as childish as playing with dolls, there's no way I'd do it!"

"......S-Sorry."

Claire once again became sullen.

(......I, I might have been a bit too harsh just now.)

......Being shown such a sad expression, she'd obviously feel bad.

Rinslet cleared her throat and,

"A-Aside from dolls, is there anything else that could relieve my boredom?"

"Y-Yeah, umm, then......a storybook?"

"Storybook?"

Rinslet asked without thinking.

"Do you, by any chance, read books?"

"Yeah, Rubia-nee-sama taught me how!"

Claire ran off again and this time returned with a heap of books.

"What an impressive amount......"

"I really like interesting books. What about you?"

"W-Well, I do read. If it's a book on politics, history or spirits."

Rinslet said while putting on airs.

"Wah, amazing! I-I like storybooks!"

<!--113-->
The girl that had been hesitant until just now had her eyes sparkling as the conversation turned to books.

"Like this, or this, and this and this, all are really interesting!"

She piled her favorite books one by one in front of Rinslet.

"Hmph, storybooks are for children!"

Rinslet, who had no interest in novels, turned her head to the side.

"But, they're really interesting......"

Claire cleared up the books while looking sad.

"......Is there anything more interesting?"

"Umm......"

Claire pressed her lips together as if troubled and,

"Hah......"

Pressed her cheeks in slowly.

"......W-What are you doing?"

"An interesting face......"

"......"

Rinslet sighed deeply.

"......Haa, I wonder how long our fathers' conversation will take."

"I was told it would continue until evening."

"Evening!?"

<!--114-->
Rinslet's face stiffened.

"You're joking; I'll die of boredom!"

"Yeah, so let's read a book together!"

"A book......"

At that moment, Rinslet remembered something.

"Come to think of it, I heard that there is a collection of treasured magic books in the Elstein house's underground Sealed Library."

The rumor of the Elstein house's sealed library was widely known amongst the empire's nobility.

All sorts of rare books covetous to elementalists were supposed to be gathered there.

There might be a book there that would peak Rinslet's interest.

"It's just the perfect thing for getting rid of boredom!"

Claire rushed to stop Rinslet who stood up with great vigor.

"Y-You can't! Father said we had to stay in this room. Moreover, there are dangerous sealed magic books in the underground library---"

"Oh my, are you scared?"

Rinslet challenged her.

"That is......"

"You don't really have to come along. I'll just search on my own."

"Ah, w-wait---Rinslet-chan!"

<!--115-->
Rinslet left the room and Claire chased after her.

Rinslet turned around in front of the door and turned to glare at Claire.

[[File:STnBD V08 116.png|thumbnail|right]]

<!--117-->
"Wait, who gave you permission to call me by name?"

"......Eh?"

She thrust her finger out at Claire who was staring blankly.

"Okay? Call me the daughter of Margrave Laurenfrost."

"But, onee-sama said you call friends by their name---"

"W-Who is your friend!"

"Fuaa......"

Rinslet screamed out and Claire backed away with teary eyes.

"......Hmph, I won't acknowledge a crybaby coward as my friend."

Rinslet turned away and quickly walked away alone.