Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume13 Chapter4 (section)

===Part 2===

Ignoring the other customers in the tavern, Rinslet walked straight up to the bar.

Her long, dazzling platinum blonde hair was attracting every pair of eyes in the tavern.

(...Oh well, it's an expected sight.)

Kamito felt slightly helpless inside. Although that was not to say that the tavern customers were ill-behaved, in terms of common sense, this was really not an establishment that highborn ladies would ordinarily visit.

But Rinslet did not mind at all, walking directly to the counter.

"A glass of hot wine please, the best you have."

"N-Noble lady... The best we have is only a ten-year-old vintage from Arber..."

"No problem. Also, bring some simple food."

"Umm, I'll have the same&mdash;"

Kamito sat down next to Rinslet.

"Say, Rinslet, you actually drink?"

Alcoholic beverages were essentially banned at Areishia Spirit Academy, with only exceptions for when princess maidens made offerings of kagura dance.

"Inhabitants of Laurenfrost frequently drink hot wine to stay warm. A small sip is enough to warm your entire body... So, how about you, Kamito-san?"

"In my case, I can only drink a little."

Kamito answered ambiguously. He was actually not that bad at holding his alcohol, but it was just that during his former days working under Greyworth, being forced to be her drinking partner every night had left him with substantial mental trauma, thus preventing him from enjoying drinking in an active sense anymore. That was the actual truth.

Two glasses were placed on the counter, filled with hot wine. A sweet fragrance of raw ginger and citrous fruit wafted over. Taking a light sip, Kamito instantly felt a scorching sensation down his throat.

"...This wine really works a great effect."

He could feel a warm flow spreading gradually in his body.

"Yes, this is an indispensable drink for Laurenfrost winters."

Elegantly savoring the fine wine, Rinslet went slightly red in the cheeks. Under the dim lighting, this sight was almost making Kamito lose control.

(...W-What's with this crazy pounding in my heart?)

Kamito frantically took his eyes off the girl's profile.

"Oh right, there are a few things I would like to ask about&mdash;"

Rinslet put down her wineglass and spoke up.

Not to Kamito but towards the barkeep standing inside the bar.

"Has this great snowstorm persisted all this time?"

(...I see.)

Kamito realized the purpose of Rinslet choosing to sit at the counter. Before entering the Kyria Mountain Range, they should at least gather some useful information from locals.

"Yes, noble lady. Although not every single day, the weather has been like this for the past two weeks. After the Empire's representative team won the Blade Dance, we were originally hoping for the climate here to become milder..."

Hearing the barkeep's laments, Kamito suddenly had a thought occurring to him.

(...Oh well, it should be fine.)

The Blade Dance spectators were mostly nobles from various nations on the continent. Team Scarlet's name aside, ordinary people probably would not know Kamito and his teammate's faces.

"Ever since the snowstorm began, has anyone entered the Kyria Mountain Range?"

This was Kamito's question.

"That's impossible. Trying to cross that mountain range would be suicide. Also&mdash;"

The barkeep lowered his voice all of a sudden.

"It's not just because of the snowstorm. Rumor has it that monsters are appearing."

"...Monsters?"

Kamito and Rinslet exchanged glances.

"Recently, people have spotted ice dragons flying in the air near the mountain range. Rumors are all over town by now."

"Ice dragons?"

"The ice dragons of Laurenfrost have already gone extinct. Could there be a mistake?"

Rinslet was skeptical.

The Ordesia Empire was home to powerful dragons, but that was on the eastern side bordering Dracunia. They were not supposed to fly all the way to a place like Laurenfrost.

"Indeed. That's why there are also many townsfolk saying these might be warning signs of Zirnitra's revival. Because the ice dragons are the minions of this guardian spirit."

"I have no interest in such ridiculous rumors."

Rinslet was a bit disappointed.

"These are just rumors after all, noble lady. I don't know what's the actual situation. The only thing I'm sure of is that entering the mountains now would be suicide."

The barkeep shook his head.

(...Monster in the snow mountains, huh.)

Leaving the two to their conversation, Kamito fell into deep thought.

Dragons were indeed a powerful race, but to Kamito right now, they were nothing more than fodder. In fact, Kamito had already defeated monsters and spirits more powerful than dragons on numerous occasions.

(...But on mountains where it's difficult to walk in the snow...)

If they were attacked on a cliff, fighting while protecting Rinslet&mdash;

"Anyway, it would be best to rest in this town for now first."

"...Yeah. Let's set off after dawn."

Climbing snow-covered mountains in the night would be quite unwise. Furthermore, their bodies were currently quite exhausted as well.

Dinner provided by the tavern consisted of turnip lentil soup, black bread and salted salmon sauteed with dried fruit.

The taste was not bad despite being simple food. For Kamito's empty stomach, there was no food better than this.

While drinking hot wine, the two of them enjoyed dinner with great satisfaction.

The problem was what came after...