Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume12 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 5===

The Academy town, located at the foot of the mountain where Areishia Spirit Academy was situated, had large crowds gathered.

The town was divided into five large zones based on the Five Great Elemental Lords. Open air stalls covered the road side space along the main roads passing through the town. At the plaza, there were even princess maidens sent from the Academy to perform ritual dances.

Unlike the Academy, nobles were rarely seen here. Most of them were local commoners. However, the gender ratio was still skewed towards females.

Kamito had never seen such lively streets before.

The aroma of food drifting from the open air stalls made him swallow his saliva involuntarily.

"We are responsible for the Undine Area  near the outer gate, a place where leisure facilities prepared for the students are gathered. It is also the Academy town's central area."

Ellis explained while walking.

"With so many people, won't criminals try to sneak in?"

While walking and avoiding the crowds, Kamito muttered.

In actual fact, Kamito could invade any time he wanted.

"The main gate has a guardian spirit to perform identification checks. People are not allowed in without documents issued by the Empire. But it is true that people have gotten past it. You may not remember, but a few months ago, there was a black market merchant from Murders who infiltrated."

"Virrey Branford also forced her way in."

"That guardian spirit has been dismissed. Now, the Imperial Knights are serving as guards. Mere terrorists should not be able to force their way in."

"So we need to look out for spirits running amok?"

"Yes. Exactly."

Ellis nodded.

"By the way..."

Suddenly, she looked around uneasily.

"...S-Starting a while ago, I have been feeling gazes."

"...I don't think you're imagining things."

In fact, Ellis's appearance was still very attention grabbing amidst the festival's hustle and bustle.

Striking ice-blue hair. Stern and dignified dark-brown eyes.

Also, there was&mdash;

Her massive bust, quivering under her formal dress armor.

Walking beside her, Kamito could not help but feel very aware of that swaying entity during all this time.

"Ooh, I-I do not want to be stared at by any man apart from Kamito..."

Blushing, Ellis looked quite embarrassed.

"Knight lady from the Academy, here's a special discount for you!"

"Come check out my shop, my donuts are very tasty."

Unconcerned with Ellis's appearance, the various shop keepers called out to her one after another.

"You're not going to buy something?"

Seeing that, Kamito tried asking.

"We are currently on duty."

A serious answer very much in line with her style.

"Being hungry is not good, though."

"W-Well..."

Ignoring Ellis in her serious dilemma, Kamito bought a kebab sandwich with roasted meat.

Wrapped in the wheat bread, there was a generous amount of meat and vegetables topped with a spicy sauce.

The hot aroma was very appetizing.

"Here, we can eat this while we walk."

"Hmm, mmm..."

Bite.

Ellis took a bite out of the sandwich.

As expected of a young lady from a prestigious family, her manner of eating was very graceful.

"Th-This is very delicious...!"

After a taste, she widened her dark-brown eyes.

"Oh, so noble young ladies have never eaten this kind of thing before?"

"Do not take me for a fool. Of course I have eaten things like kebab sandwiches before."

Ellis pouted.

"However, eating like this while walking feels quite new as an experience."

"I see. But you look like you're not very used to eating this."

"What?"

"There's some sauce here."

Kamito used his finger to wipe the sauce next to Ellis's mouth and licked it off.

"...W-W-W-What...!"

Instantly, Ellis's face went bright red while her mouth opened and closed.

"What's wrong?"

"Y-You, to think you did that out in full public&mdash;"

Just at this moment...

"Hey there, knight lady!"

A five or six-year-old girl came up to Ellis.

"...Yes, what is the matter? Are you lost?"

Ellis instantly recalled her duties and recovered a solemn knight's expression.

The girl shook her head.

"Lady, you're an elementalist, right? I wanna see a spirit."

"My apologies, but summoning spirits recklessly on the streets is against school rules."

"But during festivals, there are many spirits."

"My contracted spirit is a pure combat type, so unless it is absolutely necessary&mdash;"

"No, don't make things difficult for the knight lady!"

At this moment, a woman who appeared to be the child's mother came over and took the girl's hand.

"Sorry, miss knight. My daughter is too willful&mdash;"

However&mdash;

"Eeeee&mdash;, I wanna see a spirit, I wanna see&mdash;"

The child began to cry loudly.

The surrounding adults also began to clamor.

At this rate, the crowd was going to block the way.

"Well, just a look would be fine, right?"

"...I-I guess. Very well, this is an exception."

Coughing lightly, Ellis stroked the child's head.

Instantly, the girl's face brightened.

Ellis took a breath and raised her arm lightly&mdash;

"&mdash;Hailing from the far beyond, the violent demon wind spirit, Simorgh!"

She spoke the words of summoning.

Instantly, a whirlwind blew above and a demon bird appeared out of thin air, spreading its wings.

The surrounding spectators all cheered.

Seeing the demon wind spirit flying in the air, the girl widened her eyes&mdash;

Keeeeeeeeeee!

At this moment, Simorgh gave a great cry in the air.

Instantly, the girl's face went livid.

"Uwaaaaah! So scary!"

"There, there! The knight lady summoned it just for you!"

The girl ran away crying while her mother chased frantically.

The demon wind spirit landed on Ellis's shoulder, its shoulders slumping.

"...Looks like it scared her off."

"Even though the spirit is clearly so cool."

Hearing Kamito's comforting words, Simorgh cooed and called out.

&mdash;After that, Kamito and Ellis walked towards the central plaza.

There was a large spring at the plaza, attracting many spirits with its sacred properties.

"This is the famous Spring of Undine."

Ellis explained.

"Rumor has it that throwing in coins will grant wishes."

"Here..."

Indeed, there were many coins at the bottom of the spring.

Ellis took out silver coins from her pocket and quietly tossed one in.

Seeing her, Kamito did the same as her and tossed a silver coin.

"Ellis, what wish did you make?"

After he asked this...

"...S-Secret. What about you, Kamito?"

"Recovering my memory, first things first&mdash;That's it."

"I see."

Kamito's gaze settled on the surface of the spring water.

Reflected on it was his grownup sixteen-year-old self.

"Actually, I should have a wish I want the most, but I just can't remember it."

"Kamito, you&mdash;"

Ellis was just about to speak when...

Suddenly, a pillar of water rose from the spring.

"...!"

Bathed by a large amount of splashing water, standing in front of the spring, Ellis was thoroughly drenched.

"Ellis, are you okay?"

"Y-Yeah, just that my clothes are wet..."

Seeing Ellis soaked, Kamito felt his heart pound uncontrollably.

Her hair in a ponytail was soaked.

The jet-black formal dress clung tightly to her skin, revealing the outlines of her white underwear beneath.

Even the patterns of delicate lace surfaced clearly.

Kamito frantically diverted his gaze.

"A-Anyway, let's go somewhere with fewer people."

"I-Indeed! The clothes must be dried."

Taking Ellis by the hand, Kamito ran away from the plaza into a small alley.

While the main roads were filled with crowds, there were extremely few people in the alleys.

"O wind&mdash;"

Running behind a shop, Ellis chanted an incantation for wind.

A whirlwind swirled and started to blow her clothes dry. As a result, her skirt fluttered and exposed white panties, causing Kamito to hastily turn his gaze away.

"Did that spring's spirit anger because I'm male?"

"No, I think it is likely that the spirit was intending to grant my wish."

"...What do you mean?"

"U-Uh... L-Letting Kamito witness my victory underwear, something like that..."

"...?"

Mixed in the sounds of the wind, Kamito could not quite catch what Ellis was saying&mdash;

"&mdash;Oh, you two are here. Kamito-kun."

A laid back voice was heard, causing Kamito to look back frantically.

Over there was&mdash;

"Fufu, am I disturbing the two of you?"

"L-Lurie-san&mdash;"

Lurie Lizaldia of the Numbers.

Dressed in vestments, her arms were holding a great amount of snacks including apple pie, sugar churros, roasted corn, a chocolate banana, etc.

On the side of her head was even a weird mask bought from a stall.

"Dame Lurie, why did you come here without even a bodyguard knight!?"

Ellis exclaimed in surprise.

"Why? Of course it's for sightseeing. It's been a while since I last visited a festival."

Her vestment's sleeves swayed. Seeing this, Ellis sighed.

"You cannot go without a bodyguard. If something were to happen to you, as one of the Numbers&mdash;"

"Don't worry. This Academy town is probably the second safest place in the entire Empire."

"Be that as it may&mdash;"

Ellis did not get to finish her sentence. At this moment...

A shocking explosion was heard, coming from somewhere in the Academy.

"...!?"

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===Translator's Notes and References===
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