Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 1===
Good grief. I have suffered quite a lot since coming here.

One hour had passed since then. Slowly rubbing the pain in his back away, Kamito walked through the courtyard of the academy.

Although he had not been turned into cinders after receiving a hit from that flame whip, maybe Claire had held back some of her power. Still, it didn't change the fact that it was quite painful.

Claire must have been getting harshly admonished by Ms. Freya in the punishment room.

Having eluded those female classmates who had enthusiastically pursued him, Kamito finally obtained a moment of peace.

Unlike other students, he had no classes for the afternoon. After all, he had entered the school just now and had not registered for the courses.

Areishia Spirit Academy operated on a credit system in which the students could freely choose their preferred courses so long as they could meet the requirements. Because of the enormous diversity of the contracted spirits of the students, a uniform curriculum wouldn't be able to fully develop the potential of each and every princess maiden.

"For the time being, I'll make some preparations for school life starting tomorrow."

Kamito finally reached his specially prepared dormitory, a hut erected on the side of the stable.

Its appearance now looked even worse than when it was seen from the window. On top of that, it had the smell of cattle.

The door opened with a squeak. Kamito timidly stepped in.

"Hmm, surprisingly, it's not too bad."

Kamito expressed his impression of the interior.

First of all, the bed was clean. Looking from the inside, the room itself was spacious. Straw bed, table, chair, cabinet and other furniture were prepared after all. Cooking utensils were present as well. Anyhow it wouldn't be too troublesome living here.

Kamito immediately laid down on the straw bed, and although it prickled his back a bit, the smell of sun dried straws was good for a comfortable sleep.

"Oh, well, no matter how I look at it, I just need to endure it for two months."

Lying still on the bed, Kamito fixed his eyes on his left hand, covered by the black leather glove.

Two months from now, the Blade Dance would be held in Astral Zero.

Before that, he must find four more teammates in order to enter the contest.

It was not clear what Greyworth would have him do.

But there was something he had to check with his own eyes.

A name that was deeply tied to the fate of his own self.

Participating in the contest of the Blade Dance 3 years ago, the Strongest Blade Dancer.

That accompanying her was a spirit of darkness that took the form of a human girl.

Who on earth were they?

Ren Ashbell shouldn't exist in this world anymore. Besides Greyworth, only a very small number of people were aware of this.

Even though one was just an impostor who gained the title of Strongest Blade-Dancer by fraud, it couldn't be for this reason that the witch took this much trouble to summon him here. Greyworth must be holding a huge secret.

No matter what, to find out the truth, the only way was to directly cross blades with her in the Blade Dance in two months.

"But, in your current state, you won't be able to defeat her." Greyworth had said.

That is most likely true. The witch was not lying. But surely she was not telling the truth either.

In the end, it all comes down to 'the current state'.

But in merely two months, he had to regain what was lost in the past three years.

"..."

....*Guu*, suddenly his stomach growled.

Feeling exhausted, Kamito lowered his arm that was raised towards the roof.

After all, he had not had anything to eat since wandering into the Spirit Forest this morning.

However, he decided to endure his empty stomach.

The reason was that he was out of money. Although there were restaurants for the students in the academy, the price was surprisingly high. This had already passed the level of a school for high class ladies, a school for princesses indeed.

What's the point of one cup of soup being as expensive as a normal folk's salary?

"It can't be helped. Maybe I'll ask Ellis to show me around the academic town tomorrow."

One should be able to find cheaper and delicious restaurants in the academic town at the foot of the hill.

With the cooking utensils, he could also just buy the materials and cook it on his own. For the fire all he needed to do was to go to the Spirit Forest and catch some low level fire spirits.

"Bacon and mushroom pasta sounds really good..."

He got more hungry by thinking about food.

"Should I go to the Spirit Forest and collect some mushrooms now?"

As he started to seriously entertain that thought, from somewhere, the smell of delicious soup flowed in.

"....Hmm?"

Frowning, Kamito got up from the bed.

It seemed the smell was coming in from the gap of the half opened door.

Twitching his nose to inhale the smell, Kamito opened the door...

In front of him was a bowl of soup that gave off white steam.

Filled with a lot of onions and chicken with bones, the soup looked delicious.

"...Am I imagining things, or is this the kindness from heaven for my unending misfortune?"

Drawing a blank because of the hunger, Kamito reached out with his hands towards the bowl without any suspicion.

Suddenly the bowl rose up a bit.

He stretched out his hand again.

Once again the bowl was raised.

Then in front of the Kamito was the face of that princess with platinum-blonde hair.

Her name should be Rinslet Laurenfrost if he remembered correctly.

Behind her, the girl Carol in a maid's uniform stood courteously.

"What's the meaning of this?"

Kamito asked with half-closed eyes<ref>An expression one shows when humoring another especially when it is too bothersome to go against the other.</ref>.

"Fuu, you must be hungry, right? Kazehaya Kamito?"

"Yeah."

Kamito nodded honestly.

"Bark, woof, and then swear that you will be my slave, and I'll let you have this bowl of soup."

Rinslet held the bowl still, and puffed up her large chest.

"I refuse. Bye Bye."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bang*.

"Ahh, wait, wait a second. Listen to what I say, you insolent person."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Bang!* *Bang!* The door was kicked repeatedly.

It would be troublesome if she breaks it. Kamito opened the door again.

"What's that? Are you going to let me have the soup now?"

"Right away if you lick my foot... Ah, why are you closing the door again!"

Rinslet quickly stuck her foot into the gap of the door, like a veteran debt collector.

"Ouch! That hurts!"

That looked painful... What the hell was she here for anyway?

"Are you alright, milady?"

Worried about Rinslet, the Maid, Carol, asked.

Kamito had no choice but to open the door, Rinslet glared at him with tears in her eyes.

"How can you be so insolent after I offered my hands of kindness towards you?"

"No, you... Hands of kindness?"

It appeared that she was serious. Slowly, Kamito's head starts aching.

(Sheesh, all the princesses of this academy are so troublesome.)

Kamito complained inside his mind.

"Ah—"

After Rinslet got a glimpse of the inside of the hut, her face started to twitch.

"Ah, you, why are you living inside a stable?"

"The stable is next door. This is my dormitory. Home is where you make it."

"..."

"Stop looking at me with such pity. It makes me feel sad."

Her face looked like that she was seriously concerned about it. Kamito's attitude softened a little bit.

"Rather than living in a condition like this, you should come to my house. I'll specially hire you as a servant."

"Ah, milady, I believe he will look great if we dress him as a maid."

Carol showed her support with a big smile. (This girl is troublesome as well.)

Well, even so, it seemed as if Rinslet was genuinely worried about his circumstances.

"Your sympathy is appreciated, but I don't plan to throw away my pride." Kamito shook his head.

Displeased, Rinslet perked up her lips.

"So you don't like becoming my servant?"

"That's right. It is no use to try to placate me."

"So full of yourself, even though you wag your tail at Claire Rouge."

"When did I wag my tail at her?" Kamito grumbled with half-closed eyes. Well, many people might think the same—

Could it be that this princess was trying to get close to Kamito mainly out of her rivalry with Claire?

(Yare yare, such an unexpected annoyance.)

Kamito let out a heavy sigh.

"I got it. That's fine with me if that's how you want it." Rinslet cleared her throat, and placed the bowl on the ground.

"Hmm?"

"I'll leave the soup here. From the very beginning it was because Carol cooked too much of it and it will be a shame to waste the leftovers. You should be grateful for my benevolence."

"Eh?"

(This young lady, by any chance)—

[[Image:STnBD V01 113.jpg|thumb]]
Rinslet turned around elegantly and was about to leave.

"Ahh, Wait, Rinslet!"

Kamito suddenly called out.

Rinslet winced and stopped in her steps.

"Wh-What is that? Suddenly calling other people's first name—"

"I can't be your servant, but we can be friends."

"Eh?"

Rinslet's emerald green eyes open wide.

"Thank you for being worried and coming to see me."

"Wh-Wha, you, you insolent. Of-Of course that's not true."

Rinslet suddenly blushed and turned her face away.

"Fufu, milady is so..."

Carol covered her mouth and giggled.