Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume8 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 3===
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"......Whew, I'm stuffed."

"Even though it was food bought from a stall, it was pretty good."

Claire who was rubbing her stomach and Fianna who was elegantly wiping her lips with a handkerchief.

Due to Linfa's group's intrusion, the party had become like a banquet, but it seemed like Claire enjoyed it anyway.

Milla had taken Mireille back to the hotel and Linfa's group had eaten all they could and then left like a storm.

The only ones left were Team Scarlet and Carol the maid. As a note, Est had eaten her fill and, possibly because she became sleepy, had already reverted back to sword form.

"By the way, what will everyone be doing after this?"

While looking around at his teammates, Kamito asked.

Before the final battle began, it was customary practice for the Divine Ritual Institute's princess maidens to offer rituals of gratitude to the Elemental Lords.

During that time, the representing competitors were given a two day period of rest.

"I must go report about our advancement into the finals to my father and grandfather."

Ellis said with a meek face.

"Yeah, Ellis' family is a warrior class house, after all."

Kamito nodded.

"I must also visit my parents."

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Rinslet also had her filial duties as a daughter of the Laurenfrost house.

These two had come to the party even though they should have had put more precedence on those matters first.

"......Me, too. I am reluctant to meet with those people, but it can't be helped."

It seemed like she didn't like being around the royal court, including the emperor and his wife. All of what had happened during the time she was called the Lost Queen seemed to have soured her opinion.

"It looks like we will be staying in the hotel arranged for by the empire today. Even though I wanted to finally kiss Kamito......"

"......H-Hey, Fianna!?"

In response to Fianna who was sulking with her index finger in her mouth, Kamito's heart thumped and his face flushed red.

In that way---

The girls left and the shop interior became quite silent.

In the end, Kamito and Claire were the only ones left.

Putting aside Kamito who was an orphan to start with, Claire's parents had been imprisoned following the Calamity Queen incident.

"......"

The two who became bored, for some reason or other, continued to sip black tea wordlessly.

"......Th-That's right!"

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The first one to speak out was Claire.

"Yeah?"

"I'll be returning to the castle to brush up on my tactics."

While clearing her throat in a deliberate manner, she stood from her seat.

"Yeah."

At that time, Kamito realized it.

......Couldn't help but realize it.

(......What a face she's making.)

On Claire's face, a lonely-looking expression was displayed for a moment.

(......She's a sixteen-year old girl after all.)

Now after all this time, he remembered that.

Usually she acted firm as the team's commander but---

With the advancement to the finals settled, her high-strung tension might have loosened a little.

Ever since that day four years ago, she had fought by herself until she met Kamito.

......There's no way I can leave her alone. If I see that kind of expression.

"......Wait."

Kamito suddenly grabbed onto the hand of Claire who was just about to leave.

"Fuaaa! Wh-whwh-what!?"

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Claire's face turned red and she let out an ear-splitting scream.

"If you're free, then accompany me for a while."