Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume16 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 2===

Claire and the girls arrived at an open-air purification facility inside the Demon's Fist and soaked themselves in the hot spring there.

Since the Demon's Fist was built on an active volcano, the hot spring was not natural, but by heating the spring water using highly pure fire spirit crystals, it was still effective in helping their bodies recover from fatigue.

"Mm~, this feels so good... The water quality could give the Elstein springs a run for their money."

Claire stretched her arms out like a cat, partially closing her eyes in pleasure.

"According to local legends in Mordis, this is supposed to be the place where the Demon King's concubines recovered their energies."

"Eh..."

"Your Highness, is this really true?"

"Who knows? It's just a legend after all. No one can confirm its truth. However, doesn't it feel great to be able to enter the same hot spring that the Demon King's concubines used?"

Leaning against a rock, Fianna chuckled.

"...N-Not in the slightest! W-What concubines!"

"H-Hmm, multiple concubines, what an awful custom&mdash;"

"I-Infidelity!"

The other three girls protested with blushing faces.

"But that's only according to Ordesian culture, right? Within the Theocracy, it is very common for the king to marry multiple brides. In my view, it isn't particularly depraved or anything."

"W-Well..."

Unable to muster a rebuttal, Claire began to blow bubbles on the surface of the water.

Having entered the Divine Ritual Institute since childhood, Fianna frequently had the chance to meet princess maidens from other countries. As a result, she did not find it difficult to accept culture and customs foreign to Ordesia's. In contrast, Claire, Rinslet and Ellis had all grown up in prestigious households of Ordesian nobles, hence they had trouble understanding Theocracy customs that went against their concept of traditional marriage, viewing it as immoral.

"By the way, should Legitimate Ordesia allow polygamy like the Theocracy, I wonder?"

"W-What, w-what are you talking about!? Th-That's unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable!"

"Oh dear, but I am the monarch of Legitimate Ordesia, you know? I have the right to decide laws."

"Th-That's tyranny!"

"We demand setting up a council!"

"Good grief, this is why the nobles of Ordesia are such stubborn fools..."

Fianna shrugged in exasperation.

"However, contrary to expectations, perhaps Kamito-kun might agree."

"Eh?"

The three girls looked at one another.

"W-What do you mean by that..."

"How much of Kamito-kun's Demon King mode earlier do you think was acting?"

"...!"

Claire and the girls looked at one another.

Indeed, Kamito was acting differently from usual when he put on the Demon King's mask earlier.

Even though Kamito insisted he was merely acting, was that really all there was to it? Perhaps he had a disposition in that direction to begin with and dressing up as the Demon King merely revealed it&mdash;

If this were true, Kamito could very likely agree with Fianna's proposal and make his move on every woman around him, setting his eyes on every female encountered, showing no fidelity at all&mdash;

(N-No, n-no way&mdash;)

At that moment...

"Fufu, this looks pretty fun. May I join in&mdash;?"

"...! Y-You&mdash;!?"

Hearing ''her'' voice from who knew where, Claire widened her eyes.

Out from the shadows of the rocks emerged the darkness spirit with jet-black wings.

She was not wearing her usual dress in the color of darkness. Completely naked, she dipped herself into the water.

Clear eyes the color of dusk. Illuminated mysteriously under the moonlight, her figure was so beautiful that Claire could not help staring mesmerized despite being a member of the same sex.

"Darkness spirit, w-what are you doing here!?"

Claire stood up warily.

Things were fine when she had lost her memories, but now, she was not someone to be trusted.

Although she looked like she was not going to turn against Kamito, one could not say the same for Claire and the others.

"Nothing. I am not here to do anything, Miss Hellcat&mdash;"

Restia chuckled.

"I am simply here to enjoy the hot spring. I originally wanted to share a soak together with Kamito, but he lectured me, saying no. So that leaves me no choice but to come to this side."

"What&mdash;I-Is, isn't that obviously unacceptable!"

"Th-That is correct. E-Even for a contracted spirit, a m-m-mixed bath is&mdash;"

Claire and Ellis cried out with reddened faces.

"&mdash;By the way, aren't you a spirit? There's no need to clean yourself, right!?"

"Oh my, but spirits enjoy hot springs too, you know? After all, it is suitable for replenishing divine power."

Splash. Restia stretched out her legs in the water.

Her beautiful and lustrous black hair, seeming like it would meld into the night, spread out on the water surface.

"&mdash;Also, I would like to thank all of you."

"Thank?"

Hearing that, Claire frowned, full of suspicion.

"Yes, during my amnesia, didn't you all help to look after the other me? Although my current self never experienced it, the memories have been preserved in whole."

Restia swept her gaze across the faces of Claire and the girls.

"Although we have had many differences in the past, let us reconcile."

She gently extended her hand towards Claire.

"...R-Reconcile?"

Claire showed surprise on her face.

The trio of Ellis, Fianna and Rinslet looked at one another with equally troubled expressions.

Claire glared at Restia before her and said:

"Y-You still remember everything you did to us, right?"

She had given Claire a berserk spirit when she was sad over the loss of Scarlet, she had directed Jio Inzagi to attack the Academy, she had also partnered with the dark monster Nepenthes Lore during the Blade Dance's preliminary round to assault Team Scarlet's base&mdash;

Their complicated past with the darkness spirit could not be reset to a clean slate so easily.

"You have a point. I have done things to you that merit bearing a grudge. I apologize."

Seeing her bow her head sincerely, Claire fell silent.

She actually knew in her heart. Everything this darkness spirit had been done was with consideration for Kamito.

Her sacrifice for Kamito was genuine. Precisely because she knew this, Claire had such complicated feelings in her heart. However&mdash;

Claire looked at the trio behind her.

Then with calm expressions, they all nodded gently.

(...That's right. I should act a bit more mature.)

Claire quietly sighed then stared into Restia's eyes intently.

"...I guess there are things I need to thank you for too."

"...Eh?"

"I heard it from Kamito before. You were the one who helped Kamito recover his heart and feelings when he was approaching breaking point. If you hadn't nurtured Kamito, we never would have met the current Kamito&mdash;"

Claire sighed and shook Restia's hand.

"...Fine, let the past be water under the bridge."

Restia's eyes widened slightly in surprise. Then...

"&mdash;Thank you."

She spoke words of gratitude.

"Then may I join you?"

"Sure you may, but put away those wings. They're against the rules."

"Fufu, I see..."

When Claire pointed that out, the jet-black wings turned into particles of light and disappeared.

Soaking herself up to her shoulders in the hot spring, Restia recited an incantation. Immediately, several small cups appeared out of thin air.

"This is rose wine, a specialty of Mordis. Let this be my gift of reconciliation."

"...Let us drink."

Under the moonlight, Claire and company quietly toasted.