Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume17 Chapter7 (section)

===Part 4===

The interior of Quseir Amra was as complicated as a maze due to continual disorganized expansion.

Led by a female attendant, Claire and the girls finally arrived at a public bath located in a different block.

Areishia Spirit Academy's purification facilities were essentially undecorated, contributing to an atmosphere of serenity. Here, the public bath was decorated with colorful flowers with beautiful natural scenery painted on the walls.

"...What a beautiful place for purification. It reminds me a lot of the Elstein hot springs."

Using a towel to cover her still developing chest, Claire could not help but exclaim in admiration.

The bathing area, filled with steam, featured six gigantic tubs built from stone. Several young princess maidens were enjoying a soak in there. Mainstream purification facilities in the Theocracy tended to be sauna-style, using steam for body cleansing, but here, it looked like bathing was method.

"So they use fire spirit crystals for heating water."

"Just like the hot spring at Laurenfrost."

Rinslet dipped her finger into a tub.

"However, this is odd."

Fianna cocked her head and commented.

"How so?"

"After all, this is Ghul-a-val, the land forsaken by the spirits. But this places can use spirit crystals to heat such a large tub in a stable manner&mdash;"

"Now that you mention it, you are right..."

If spirit mechanisms could operate stably in the desert, there would be no need for them to ride that old and battered sand ship here.

"Sure enough, this city is affected by an extraordinary power..."

"Well, putting that aside, let us bathe first."

"I agree."

The young ladies unwrapped their towels and headed to the purification showers.

"...Hwah~ I knew it, hot springs are the best. It's more effective than just a simple bath."

After rinsing themselves at the showers, washing away the sand stuck to their hair, Claire and the girls dipped themselves in the largest tub, filled with cloudy hot water.

Soaked in hot water up to their shoulders, they instantly felt their entire body relax.

"Hmm, it felt like the sand bath did not replenish much divine power. Perhaps because we were in Ghul-a-val..."

Untying her ponytail, Ellis partially closed her eyes in comfort.

"Say, Ellis... Did your boobs grow even larger?"

Saying that, Claire stared at Ellis' chest.

"...! W-What are you talking about!? N-No such thing... I think..."

Ellis went red with embarrassment, stammering. In fact, she recently started to feel that her Sylphid Knights armor was getting a bit tight.

"Oh my, Claire has gotten bigger too, just a tiny bit."

"Hya!"

Fianna pounced on Claire from behind, grabbing her chest, causing Claire to scream adorably.

"...W-W-What, w-what are you doing, you perverted princess!?"

"Dear me, did I guess correctly?"

"Hmph, the bust-upping technique I taught her has finally shown results, I see."

"...<nowiki>~~~~~~~</nowiki>!"

Claire's crimson hair began to ignite, raising the water temperature all at once.

"S-So hot...!"
[[image:STnBD V17 BW07.png|thumb]]

"This is a public bath, remember!"

Rinslet hastily chanted spirit magic, dumping chunks of ice into the bath tub.

Presumably hearing a commotion, maidens in charge of massage services rushed over next, politely speaking in a foreign tongue to remind Claire's group to behave.

...Ignoring their masters' commotion, the contracted spirits were enjoying their break on the side.

Afraid of water, Scarlet was lying on a spirit crystal that had been heated red-hot, licking the spewing flames with her tongue. Simorgh was perched on a deciduous plant with wings outspread. Swimming in a tub, Fenrir was popular with princess maidens of other affiliations.

Georgios' steel affinity meant a particular weakness to steam, so instead of manifesting, he stayed in Astral Zero to rest.

"Mmmm~... This is paradise..."

Claire stretched like a cat while drinking complimentary rose-scented water. For Claire, who grew up as a sheltered daughter of nobility, a harsh desert journey was still quite tiring for her.

"Yes, we must thank that merchant."

When Rinslet replied quietly&mdash;

"..."

Claire and the others fell awkwardly silent.

"...W-What is the matter?"

"Actually, about that&mdash;"

Ellis spoke seriously.

"Was everything the merchant said actually true?"

"Yeah&mdash;"

Next, Claire nodded with a solemn expression.

"Although he doesn't look like a bad guy, I think it's dangerous to take his word completely. He said he's a merchant from Zohar, but I really doubt the truth of that."

Putting aside whether the kind Rinslet believed or not&mdash;

Claire and the others found the merchant quite suspicious.

The Sphinx that had appeared in the desert, this guardian spirit should have been tasked with determining whether a visitor was worthy of entering the Demon King's Capital.

Would it really help a mere collapsed merchant?

"I remember he said there were others brought here apart from himself. In any case, we should ask those people first&mdash;"

"...Assuming he was speaking the truth about that."

In response to Fianna's suggestion, Claire shrugged and replied.

"B-By the way..."

At this moment, Ellis spoke with hesitation.

"What's the matter, Ellis?"

"Umm, it dawned upon me once again just now... I-I am still afraid of dealing with m-men."

"Y-Yes... I get it too."

"Yes... I can sympathize."

...Hearing Ellis' honest comment, Claire and Rinslet nodded.

Although spending their days with Kamito had helped them adjust somewhat&mdash;

They were sheltered young ladies at the core.

"Hmm, yet of all people, you're not afraid of Kamito-kun?"

Fianna pinched Ellis' arm.

"K-Kamito is special... Wait, w-what are you making me say!?"

Ellis turned bright red in the face, steam rising from her head.

"...Good grief, be more honest."

While wringing her wet hair dry, Fianna spoke with exasperation.

"...~Then Your Highness, what do you feel about..."

"About what?"

"...That is, uh... A-About Kamito... What do you feel&mdash;"

With Fianna staring straight at her, Ellis stammered ambiguously in contrast to her usual style of stern dignity.

Seeing that, Fianna sighed and shrugged mildly, Then...

"&mdash;I love Kamito-kun."

She said it simply.

"Y-Your Highness!?"

Ellis widened her brown eyes. Claire and Rinslet also felt their hearts beating hard.

Fianna also turned her gaze to the two of them, blushing while blowing bubbles on the water surface.

"...How exactly do all of you feel?"

"...I-I... uh... feel positive, a-about Kamito..."

"M-Me too... Uh, umm..."

Rinslet seemed particularly concerned and looked at Claire.

Claire was blushing intensely, her mouth opening and shutting.

"I-It's not like I... l...love&mdash;"

"Love?"

"...<nowiki>~~~~</nowiki>! O-Oooooh... F-Fine, I'll say it!"

Claire cried out with almost complete resignation.

"I love Kami&mdash;"

BOOOOOOOOOOOM!

At that instant, a thunderous explosion was heard and the public bath shook violently.

"W-What the heck!?"

"What is going on!?"

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