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Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter7

2012-06-13T22:11:51Z

204.210.143.148:

==The Abandoned-Mine Battle==

===Part 1===

It was the dead of the night when, after riding their horses throughout the day, the party reached the entrance of Mine Town.

Since all members rode here practically without rest, they were totally exhausted.

However, it wasn't possible to have a carefree rest.

"This is Mine Town Gado... It's like a ghost town."

Rinslet, who dismounted from the horse, calmly muttered.

"It's because several decades have passed since it became an abandoned mine. There should be no humans living here."

"Humans— huh."

Claire squinted her eyes staring deep into the darkness.

Bluish-white will-o'-wisps were wavering here and there near a ruin.

They were low-rank spirits that were floating about. For this sort of ruin, there were many nasty spirits gathered.

It was just like how the «Spirit Forest» was at night.

On the other side of the abandoned town, still containing countless abandoned tunnels, huge mines stood towering over the surroundings.

Gado Mine— It once produced a large quantity of spirit ores, it was the Empire's largest mine.

During the war, the spirit ores were dug up and exhausted, and it hadn't even been twenty years since it became an abandoned mine.

Below that mine, Jormungandr the strategic-class military-use spirit was sleeping; sealed by the Ordesia Knights of that time.


"—By the way, you better get away from him."

Claire glared at Fianna, who was tightly clinging onto Kamito's arm.

"I don't want to, after all, Kamito-kun will protect me."

"You may be in a position to be protected. However, to begin with, what's the matter with your contracted spirit? As that spirit contractor might be hiding in ambush, have it in a state you can use it immediately."

"That's—"

Fianna's words were blocked unusually.

She tightly closed her lips and abruptly turned away.

"I-It still isn't the time. The contracted spirit of the Ordesia royal family must not be summoned so indiscreetly. It's clearly different from your cat."

"Wh-What was that...!"

The ground at where the four were standing greatly shook suddenly.

"An earthquake...!?"

"It seems that we had better hurry. I have a bad premonition."

Claire softly muttered, and in her palm, a spirit magic fire was lighted.


The place of their objective was found instantly without even searching.

At the deepest part of the main street going through the abandoned town— before the entrance of the mine, there was a gigantic grand shrine.

It was a splendid shrine that made use of several gigantic stone pillars.

A grand shrine of this scale existed only in the capital even in the Ordesia Empire.

However—

"How terrible, this..."

The grand shrine, which had its sculptures destroyed, had the spirit ores inlayed in its stone pillar robbed and had let spirits enjoy themselves, had transformed into a ruin that was even tragic to look at.

"How strange—"

The one, who noticed the unusual phenomenon, was Fianna, who had received training as a spirit princess.

"What's strange?"

"This shrine, despite being in such ruins, shows traces of someone taking the trouble to perform a ritual. Furthermore, many times over the period of these several months."

"Ritual?"

Nodding at Claire, who was frowning, with a serious face, Fianna kneeled onto the ground.

It seemed that she was looking for footprints and traces of injury and so forth that were on the stone paving.

"This dance— is probably the Ritual of Releasing. It seems that it was more or less arranged, though."

"The Ritual of Releasing..."


Kamito groaned in a low tone.

It was because he remembered how the spirit contractor, who was also a male spirit contractor just like Kamito, assailed the academy and took away the highly classified material concerning the seal specification.

''Is that brat really planning on releasing the sealed Jormungandr?''

It was impossible for any kind of spirit contractor to control Jormungandr individually.

If that was the case, what was his goal?

At any rate, if the spirit's seal was undone, it was certain that the town in the vicinity would be turned into scorched earth.

"Is the seal almost undone?"

"No, it's still alright. This shrine isn't the superior «true shrine»."

"The «true shrine»...? What do you mean?"

"The grand shrine here, at most, it's purpose was to camouflage the original shrine— Which should be at an important place like the mine. There were many splendid grand shrine built needlessly above ground to hide the existence of the original shrine. Of course, it doesn't mean that this shrine isn't usable, though."

"That means there's a real shrine somewhere?"

"Yes, it's mostly likely being hidden deep in the mine."

Fianna raised her head, at that moment.

"Be careful, there's something here!"

Rinslet, who was on a lookout of their surroundings, suddenly shouted.

Kamito turned around—


In the surroundings of the shrine that the four of them were in, there was a wriggling crowd of figures of people.

"Humans? No, they're—"

"Fire, illuminate!"

Claire recited the incantation, and a spirit magic fire lit in an empty space.

The figures that were shone by the flame's light were—

"Wh-What!?"

It was a crowd of skeletons holding rusty swords and clubs in their hands.

From the gap of their bones, something like a black fog was being emitted out.

"What, are these... spirits!?"

"The skeletons that were left alone seem to be possessed by low-rank spirits."

While muttering— Kamito noticed something with a "hmm".

Claire was slightly holding onto Kamito's uniform sleeves.

"...You, by any chance, are you weak against horror-ish things like these?"

"Th-That's not it— Who do you think I am?!"

"You don't have to push yourself, look out, hold on."

"...I-It's not anything scary."

Claire, who was hiding her face while biting her lips, was a little cute.

"At any rate, it's strange—"


Normally, the so-called low-rank spirits didn't possess a distinct self.

Even if there were rare times when they attacked humans, there shouldn't be a time when they formed a group like this.

"Kamito-kun, these guys, you know. They are the ones doing the ritual here."

"What was that?"

Kamito was surprised and turned around. Fianna nodded.

"The movements of those skeletons are pretty rough, but...it's just like the Ritual of Releasing."

"Don't tell me, the low-rank spirits were doing an advanced Ritual of Releasing?"

Kamito stared at the approaching figures. Now that she mentioned it, he could see that the skeletons possessed by the spirits were moving with a fixed regularity.

"No, such a thing is impossible... There has to be some practitioner manipulating the spirits."

"Well, does it mean that these guys won't come to attack us?"

Claire tightly griped Kamito's sleeve as she said that.

The group of skeletons went up the stairs of the shrine in a slow manner of walking.

"Freezing ice fang, pierce «Freezing Arrow»!"

The ice arrow, released by Rinslet, collected and mowed down the group of wriggling skeletons.

It was the high-rank magic ice spirit «Fenrir's» elemental waffe.

To a spirit contractor, an enemy of this level was only small fry.

From the broken skeletons, a black fog spouted out and vanished into an empty space.


"That's a darkness attribute spirit—"

Suddenly, a flash occurred in Kamito's mind.

''Don't tell me—''

He cast his sight to his left hand covered by his black leather glove.

A piercing-like pain was running in his engraved spirit seal, at that moment—

"...!?"

A terrible explosion sound resounded from the direction of the mine.

"Don't tell me the battle is beginning!?"

"Let's go, Kamito!"

Claire sounded her whip with a snap, and began running.

===Part 2===

It was the spirit ore mine that towered above the abandoned town. They finally arrived at its entrance—

From within the tunnel, the violent sound of weapons reverberated.

"Kamito, that—"

At the deep darkness where Claire pointed at, an intense flash occurred.

The one, who was fighting, was Ellis Fahrengart, wielding her elemental waffe lance.


Her ponytail hair was fluttering in the thunderous-blowing wind.

Her appearance was that she had her Knights armor destroyed and was covered in lacerations. From that, he could see that she had wounds all over her body.

"Ha, as expected of Knights leader-sama, you've entertained me considerably, haven't you?!"

A loud ear-hurting laughter resounded in the tunnel.

Before Ellis, stood a boy with glaring shiny red eyes.

Jio Inzagi— A male spirit contractor, who called himself the successor of the Demon King.

Rakka and Reishia, lay collapsed at his feet, injured.

"You bastard, my comrades, how dare you—"

Ellis swung her «Ray Hawk».

The tunnel wall was destroyed, and the hard bedrock was smashed up like glass.

Jio gave a shrilling laugh as he jumped up. It was not a possible movement for humans— there might be some body-strengthening-spirit possessing him.

"Hey, hey, is that it? Is being a part of the Knights a children's game?"

"You bastard!"

Ellis raged at the insult towards the Knights.

'''"Evil wind, thou, become countless blades and cut up my enemies—"'''

She released the power of her «Ray Hawk» — the elemental waffe of her magic wind spirit «Simorgh».

It was a spear that created blades of wind, something that tormented Kamito in the duel at the academy. Even if he were to avoid it with a paper-thin difference, the countless wind blades that were additionally invoked would cut up the target into shreds—

However.

"How reckless— reflect it, Mirror Wall!"

The moment Jio shouted, a shiny red mirror appeared before Ellis.

The moment when the wings of her lance of wind, clad in wind, touched the mirror surface, the countless wind blades bared their teeth towards Ellis.

"...!?"

Cut up by the blades' while boisterously dancing, Ellis's body was thrown into a wall.

"—Ellis!"

Kamito ran with Terminus Est in his hand.

Having seemed to already notice their presence— Jio turned around, and sneered.

"Yo, more idiots are squirming out."

"Kamito, don't!"

Kamito's movement stopped for a moment in response to hearing Claire's voice from behind.

At that moment, an engraved spirit seal on Jio's right arm glowed—

"—It's fine till the inside of their lungs are sore, manifest, Rafflesia!"

A thick bluish purple smog gushed out with tremendous force.


The skin-burning smog of poison wrapped his whole body, and was invading his lungs—

"Ga, Ha...!"

Pain was running in his eyes. His throat was hot as if it was being burned.

From the gaps between his fingers covering his mouth, blood spilled out and dripped onto the ground.

''This is a poison attribute spirit... is this smog itself its elemental waffe!?''

A muttering groan echoed in the tunnel.

Bearing the burning-like pain, Kamito opened his eyes slightly.

Ellis and the two girls, flat-out bathed in the poison smog, were cowering and in agony.

"Ellis...Kuu!"

His throat muscles had a spasm, so he couldn't speak out satisfactorily. It was still possible to stand over here, but if he continued to advance, he would lose his consciousness before reaching the girls.

''...Why didn't he receive the poison?''

A wide range extermination type spirit like Rafflesia couldn't be handled normally.

As controlling it was hard, if he did it poorly, he would end up dragging himself into the smog too.

However, Jio Inzagi was calmly standing in the smog of deadly poison.

—Then, Kamito noticed it.

There was a slight wind flow in the boy's surroundings.

''...I see, he's using a wind attribute spirit at the same time!''


A spirit contractor that uses multiple contracted spirits— in that case, by combining the powers of the other spirits, he heard that he could also use a spirit that would be originally too much to handle.

"...Damn, isn't that almost like cheating?!"

Kamito cursed in his heart.

''If it was Rinslet's magic bow, could she shoot from outside the smog's effective range?''

He turned around and peeked behind, but—

Rinslet nocked her ice arrow, and without moving, she affixed her aim at Jio.

''—She isn't shooting?''

Rinslet's judgment was correct.

Jio was displaying Mirror Wall, which had reflected Ellis's elemental waffe.

If she shot poorly, she might end up finishing off Ellis and the others, who had collapsed nearby.

It seemed that Claire was standing like she was covering for Fianna, who was performing an aria with her fire attribute elemental waffe.

It was a mere second of thought, but meanwhile, the bodies of Ellis and the others were being eaten into by the poison.

''Damn...''

His body was experiencing a burning-like irritation.

—At that moment.

In the dark tunnel, a faint rumbling resounded.

''Ellis!?''


'''"Oh...winds, mow down my enemies— «Wind Bombs»!"'''

At that moment, the lump of violent wind released blew away the fog of poison without leaving a trace.

And then—

"Haa, Haa...ka...haa!"

Ellis pierced her magic lance of wind onto the ground, and stood up.

Her stab-proof uniform was cut up, and her whole body was full of wounds.

Both her legs, which were covered in her torn stockings, were having severe cramps.

Even so, the appearance of her standing up frigidly and firmly was—

Beautiful to the extent that he was spontaneously charmed.

Ellis prepared her elemental waffe lance, then she glared at Jio and declared in a hoarse voice.

"Putting the pride of the Sylphid Knights on the line, even if I lose... you will be defeated!"

"That hurt... you death escapee."

Jio, who received a direct hit of the violent wind, warped his lips, and clicked his tongue.

"If that's the case, I'll beat you to death as you wish!"

The spirit seals engraved on Jio's whole body ominously glowed—

"—Like I'll let you!"

At the same time as Kamito getting away, two blasts of fireballs were released and attacked Jio.

It was Claire covering him. In the moment when Jio repelled the fireballs, Kamito took his chance and accelerated— drawing close to Jio.


And then, like hacking down the very space Jio was in, Kamito mowed down directly horizontally with Terminus Est.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gaa*— The bedrock, touched by the sword's tip, was smashed up.

"Haa, don't make such a scary face, hey!"

Jio, who dodged the sword swing, jumped up and landed on a rocky area that was about to collapse.

Without pursuing, Kamito went straight towards Ellis and the others.

Ellis was out of breath, and seemed like she was going to collapse at any time.

"Ellis, are you alright? I'll lend—"

"D-Don't do something... unnecessary."

When he tried to lend her help when she wobbled, she shook off his hand.

"I do not need all of your—"

"Don't be stubborn about trivial things, think about them."

Ellis's facial expression stiffened. Rakka and Reshia had collapsed on the ground. They seemed to be alive, but if they were left like that, their lives would be in danger.

Ellis herself was in a condition where all she could do was just barely stand.

"Guu...Kazehaya Kamito, I owe you a debt."

"It isn't something like a loan. It's natural to help my comrades."

"...!"

Ellis's cheeks reddened at Kamito's words.


Laying the injured Ellis by the wall for her to rest, Kamito fixed his sights on Jio.

"You, how dare you—"

Ellis Fahrengart— She was a girl with a strong sense of justice, with her seriousness and her bravery.

Just by looking at her injured appearance, anger surged and seemed to overflow.

"Don't get in my way, it was the long-awaited part where I beat that impertinent girl to death."

Jio smirked as he slowly got off the rocky area.

"—I'm relieved."

Kamito wielded his sword and glared at Jio.

"If it's a nasty rascal like you, I can seriously beat you up."

"Haa, aren't you saying something! It's too bad, but it's impossible for you to defeat me."

"We are also here!"

Claire and the others came running. Holding her Flame Tongue, she stood next to Kamito.

Rinslet nocked an arrow to her ice magic bow, and Fianna was grasping spirit ores in both hands.

"Fianna, could I count on you for the treatment of Ellis and the others?"

"Yes, I'm holding a few healing spirit ores. However, the effect is limited to only giving a temporary peace of mind."

Fianna nodded with a tense expression.

"Kamito, you and I will corner that guy. Rinslet will be the support artillery battery."

"What is a s-support artillery battery! I am a splendid archer!"


Rinslet snarled, but Claire didn't respond.

"—Hey, is the discussion over?"

Jio calmly laughed as he came closer.

The spirit crest engraved on his right arm glowed ominously, and a bluish-white flash of lightning surged out.

What appeared in that hand was— the same sword elemental waffe as Est.

"Shall we find out which is stronger, Gladius or that sword?"

"Don't mess around. You'd better not confuse my Est with that third-grade sword spirit."

Wielding Terminus Est, Kamito ferociously roared.

===Part 3===

And then, the blade dance began.

High-pitched metallic sounds reverberated together. Every time a sword flash occurred, sparks scattered within that dim light.

"Jio Inzagi— what on earth is your goal?!"

"Huh, I don't have anything like a goal. Honestly, to me, I'm indifferent about Jormungandr. I'll defeat you and prove that I'm the successor of the demon king— That's all."

"What successor of the demon king? You megalomaniac rascal!"

Kamito, who stepped into his area, mowed down Terminus Est with both hands. 


The sword's pressure was tremendous. Jio promptly guarded with Gladius— however,

"What!?"

Together with a high-pitched metallic sound— Jio's Gladius was smashed to pieces.

Jio's expression distorted in shock.

"Hey, hey, what an elemental waffe— To do that to my Gladius in one blow?"

"Sorry, my Est is the strongest sword spirit."

Kamito stepped in closer.

Jio recited the summoning, and summoned a sword spirit into his hand again.

"There's still more to come, it starts after this!"

"It's useless—"

Aiming at the sword spirit that appeared from an empty space, Kamito relentlessly swung down his sword.

There was the sound of steel shattering, and his second sword spirit also tragically vanished.

In addition to making his second sword spirit vanish, Terminus Est didn't have a chip on its edge.

It was an elemental waffe that held two names, the «Sacred Sword That Killed the Demon King» and «Demon Slayer».

It was terrifying because even with this, it was not in its complete state.

However, Jio still kept his composed expression.

"Hmm, in that case, this will be next!"

From the spirit seals on his whole body, flashes of lightning gushed out— a third sword appeared in Jio's hand.


''..., this guy, what the heck, how many spirits is he contracted with!?''

As expected, even Kamito's face expressed impatience.

Even the strongest sword spirit Est had a large weak point.

Her divine power consumption was too intense.

As a result of getting used to controlling it, he wouldn't suddenly faint like before, but if the battle was dragged on, he was certain that he'd be exhausted eventually.

If he assumed that Jio Inzagi really was contracted to seventy-two spirits—

''It's bad if this keeps up—''

This wasn't an opponent whom he could decide the victory with one blow, like the rampaging giant spirit at Mine Town.

If this became a prolonged battle, he'd be at a disadvantage.

''...However, is that guy's divine power inexhaustible!?''

If he was using this many spirits, his divine power consumption should also rapidly increase, however—

"Kamito, I'll cover you!"

At that moment, Claire's swung her Flame Tongue, and it came flying in an arc.

There was a red hot afterglow that shone in the darkness— Her carefully-aimed whip quickly entangled Jio's face.

"Tch, don't get in my way!"

Jio summoned a spirit as a translucent ice ball, and aiming at Claire, he threw it.


"What, such a thing!"

Claire released a spirit magic fireball to intercept the ice spirit—

However, that was a trap.

"...!?"

The ice ball, which blasted before her eyes, transformed into countless needles, and cut up Claire's whole body.

"Kyaa!"

"Claire!"

Kamito's awareness strayed for a moment to Claire's scream.

"Don't look away!"

Seizing that chance, Jio quickly drove in for a slash—

Kamito barely stopped the blow with Terminus Est's edge.

However, Jio didn't slow down his attacks. He kept it up, pressing on and approaching closer—

"What's wrong, Ren Ashbell— Is that all you got?"

As he stopped the sword pushing him back, Kamito grit his teeth.

If he was still the Ren Ashbell of three years ago—

He was sure to not have turned towards Claire and gave Jio the chance to use his spirit.

As a spirit contractor, it was a fatal three year blank.

He had a contracted spirit that couldn't draw out its original power.


''Ah, it is certain that I became weak. However—''

Exhaling with a puff— Kamito suddenly jumped behind.

"Freezing ice fang, pierce «Freezing Arrow»!"

At that moment, Rinlet's released ice arrow rained at the spot the two of them were at.

It was a direct hit— Jio's silhouette was swallowed up by the downpour of arrows and disappeared.

"Hmm, it is troubling that you have forgotten me!"

Placing her hand at her waist, Rinslet quickly brushed up her platinum-blonde hair.

While Kamito was stopping the sword, she was holding an aim affixed on him.

From the crumbled rocky area, there was a thick cloud of dust that was rising up.

They didn't think he could be fine after receiving that rain of arrows.

However.

"Hn, did you do something just now?"

Jio— stood up from within the cloud of dust.

He smirked, and turned to Rinslet.

"No way...it should have directly hit!?"

"«Argos»— a earth spirit that protects its spirit contractor automatically."

At Jio's surroundings, cones of rocks that pierced out from the ground were standing tall.

Her Freezing Arrow was defended by that.


"...what a thing..."

"And then, this fellow, uh— can also be used in such a way."

Jio turned over his wrist.

"Kyaaaa!"

[[Image:STnBD V02 197.jpg|thumb]]
At that moment, cones pierced out from the ground at Rinslet's feet, and crucified her to the wall.

Her academy uniform was torn to pieces, and fine textured white skin became exposed.

With both her arms placed in crucifixion, Rinslet bit her lips in shame.

"Guu...Th-This is unforgivable... to do such... to me..."

Glaring firmly at Jio, Rinslet's body quivered, seemingly vexed.

"—Jio Inzagi!"

Kamito raged, and attacked with Terminus Est.

The massive slash collected and destroyed the cones standing in a line, and came close to Jio—

However, it was till that extent.

"Guu..."

Terminus Est which was a large-sized sword suddenly became a small-sized short sword.

It was the result of Est, who consumed a huge amount of divine power, being unable to maintain her form as an elemental waffe.

"Ren Ashbell— you're no longer the strongest blade dancer."

Jio sneered.



"That may be so. After all, I had a three year blank."

"No, that's not it. The reason you became weak is—"

At that moment, a spear of light was born in Jio's palm.

It wasn't a close range weapon, it was a shooting-type elemental waffe.

Kamito, who made a judgment in an instant, was about to dodge, but—

''—Wrong!''

Just before that, he realized Jio's aim.

"Something like this!"

It wasn't an attack aimed at Kamito.

The spear of light—

Was pointed and released toward Fianna and the injured female Knights behind Kamito.

''Damn...!''

Kamito thrust himself in the way at once, and caught the spear of light with his whole body.

===Part 4===

''—What?''

Fianna, who was treating Ellis and the others, raised her face startled.


At that moment, a dazzling flash was produced, and an eardrum-bursting explosion reverberated.

She reflexively closed her eyes. The fragments of rubble, which came flying, struck her whole body.

...Before long, the thunderous sound lessened.

"U..."

She moaned in pain, as she slowly opened her eyes—

Before her, Kamito, who got injured, had collapsed.

"...Ka-Kamito-kun?"

"...Fia...na... are you alright?"

Kamito pierced Terminus Est through the ground, placed his knees on the ground, and tried to stand up.

Having received a direct hit at point-blank range, his academy uniform, which excelled in its defense ability, had turned into shreds.

He seemed to be enduring the pain, and cold sweat was flowing on his forehead.

Fianna quickly surveyed her surroundings.

Ellis and her two female comrades had collapsed. They were specially not in a condition that they could stand up.

Claire was injured and had lost consciousness, and Rinslet was placed in a crucifixion on the wall.

And then— from the front, Jio Inzagi was slowly walking.

—Almost like a death god.

"That's your weakness. I don't care whether or not it was subconsciously, but you had been continuously taking notice of the fellows behind as you were fighting."


"Fianna...back down."

Kamito commanded Fianna, who was about to approach, with his hand.

"Kamito-kun!"

With that body, there's no way he could fight.

He also couldn't sufficiently use his elemental waffe, and it was a hopeless situation even at best, and yet despite that—

"I do not want to lose important things— never again."

Kamito faced the front, and stood up.

It wasn't the light of hope in his eyes. What was dwelling in his pupils was dark despair.

And yet, he stood up.

This boy was once called the strongest blade dancer.

"..."

Jio shrugged his shoulders like he rapidly lost interest.

And then, told him in a cruel voice.

"—I see. Well then, die."

The spirit seal all over his body emitted a glow, and a black fog coiled around his right hand.

"Thanatos— it is one of the strongest spirits I have. I received it from your contracted spirit."

"My... contracted spirit...?"

Kamito muttered in a dry voice.


"...Don't tell me...this is about Restia—!?"

His fingertip clad in death approached Kamito, who couldn't move sufficiently— just before that.

Fianna brushed back her long black hair, and quickly stood up.

"Hey, could you please not touch my things so thoughtlessly?"

"...Ah?"

Jio— was so shocked that he opened his mouth.

"...Fianna?"

Kamito gazed at her face profile with a dumbfounded expression again.

"Move aside, Kamito-kun."

Fianna calmly stood before Jio and blocked his way.

"Hey, is something wrong with your head, ojou-sama?"

"Watch your mouth, who do you think I am?"

Fianna fixed a glare directly at Jio, who sneered.

Four years ago— It was like that time when she stood before and blocked the Calamity Queen.

"Fianna, you idiot, run away!"

Claire, who crawled out from the mountain of rubble, shouted.

Fianna slowly shook her head—

''You protected me— That's why this time, I'll protect you!''

'''"—I'll tell you my name, Fianna Ray Ordesia, the Ordesia Empire's second royal princess!"'''

'''"—I am a punisher as an impartial enforcer, and one who hands down holy judgment in the king's name!"'''

At that moment, a dazzling flash was produced from Fianna's bosom.

Yes, the oath she shouted just now was indeed— the spirit's releasing keywords.

She quickly untied the string at her bosom, and a shiny red stone tumbled down into her palm.

It was a blood-like red spirit ore that was processed like a comma-shaped jewel.<ref>See [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magatama Magatama].</ref>

"No way, that's... don't tell me, the Blood Stone!?"

Claire, who realized its true identity, widened her eyes.

"You witch...!"

He might have felt some sort of instinctive threat, as Jio released Thanatos at the girl before him—

'''"Come out, thou, the sword of judgment that buries the darkness— Sacred King of Destruction «Magna Carta»!"'''

The red spirit ore exploded.

There was a dazzling flash. An enormous pillar of light went through Jio Inzagi.

And then— together with the thunderous sound, the tunnel's ceiling collapsed.

<noinclude>

==References and Translation Notes==
<references />
{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter6|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter8}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter8

2012-06-13T22:10:40Z

204.210.143.148:

==Fianna's confession==

===Part 1===

"Ug..."

"Kamito!"

"Kamito-kun"

When Kamito awakened, there were the faces of the two girls before his eyes.

"...Claire, Fianna."

"Great, you've awakened."

"You're too rash... idiot."

...It seemed that he over exhausted his divine power, and had fainted.

Upon getting up from the cold ground, Kamito looked around his vicinity.

The flickering glow of the spirit ore was dimly illuminating the darkness.

The tunnel had collapsed and it seemed that the path was completely blocked by the fallen earth and sand.

"Both of you, are your injuries alright?"

"Yes, we are... are you alright?"

"Ah, I only over exhausted my divine power a little. What, have I worried you?

"Id-Idiot, it's not I like I was worried or anything!"


"Ouchhhh!"

Claire's palm landed a clean hit exactly on his wound. Kamito writhed in the intense pain.

"...Come on, what are you doing?"

Fianna sighed in astonishment.

Kamito pressed his hurting shoulder as he surveyed the surrounding,

"Are the others safe?"

"Yes...although, it's hard to say that they're safe. For now, I've done some emergency treatment.

When Fianna held up the light, the appearance of Ellis and the others lying on the ground could be seen.

...Their condition certainly couldn't be said as safe.

Rakka and Reishia, who received the poison directly, were in an unconscious critical state.

Ellis seemed to have consciousness, but it seemed that walking was impossible in that condition.

Next to Rinslet, who was leaning on and sitting along the wall, Fenrir was licking its master's wounds.

"What on earth happened to him—Jio Inzagi?"

"Fianna released the spirit that was sealed in the spirit ore. He was swallowed into the pillar of light and disappeared. ...Well, although, I don't think he's dead."

"Was that a spirit ore...?"

When Kamito faced towards Fianna, she nodded with a "Yes".

"However, a spirit ore that can seal such a spirit—"


It was such a destructive power that it forced back Jio Inzagi's Thanatos, and made the tunnel collapsed.

That holy spirit that Fianna released was, without a doubt, a high ranking spirit.

However, he had not heard of something like the existence of a spirit ore and so forth that can seal a high ranking spirit.

"Blood Stone—a treasure handed down in the Ordesia royal family."

"...?"

"Hey you, you also don't know the Blood Stone? It's common knowledge for spirit contractors."

Claire sighed in astonishment at Kamito frowning.

"It can't be helped, I'm different from a noble, and I'm unfamiliar with things like that."

When Kamito said that, Claire shrugged her shoulders in disappointment and gave an explanation.

"Blood Stone isn't an ordinary spirit ore. It can seal a part of a high ranking spirit's power with a special spirit ore that was mined at a sacred ground of Astral Zero. Of course, it isn't something that you can buy with money or power. It is a genuine treasure of national-level, after all."

"Is that so..."

Although her existence was erased from the royal family, Fianna was the former second princess of the Ordesia Empire. The moment she admitted into Areishia Spirit Academy, she might have been made to hand it over in the screening. 

I had tricked the stupid palace guards and pilfered it from the royal family's treasure hall. As I had switched it with an imitation, it's alright."

The princess puffed her chest out.


"Ah, I thought it was like that... Hn?"

Incidentally, Kamito picked up a strange feeling that something was out of place.

The out-of-place feeling's true identity was... Fianna's pushed out chest.

...Small. It had obviously become small.

''That reminds me, just now Fianna...''

She was hiding that spirit ore—Blood Stone in her chest.

Although it wasn't such a big thing, how was she hiding that?

"Ug... D-Don't look..."

Fianna, who noticed Kamito's line of sight, crossed both her hands and bashfully covered her chest.

"Kamito, Fianna, you know, had been deceiving us all this time!"

Claire thrust out her finger at her in a snap like she was blaming her.

"Deceiving?"

"That's right, this girl is a fake-breast princess!"

"..."

Kamito slowly turned towards Fianna with a deadpan look,

"...Uh, is that right?"

"Th-That's right, they're pads... is that wrong?"

The princess' cheeks reddened, and she quickly faced away.


"No, it's nothing worth getting furious, but... why did you do such a thing?"

"...To protect the Blood Stone. No one could steal it, if it was within my chest. Moreover, b-boys all like large breasted girls, I heard so..."

From the start, her purpose for coming to the academy was to ensnare Kamito and make him her comrade.

...That reminded him she had been coming and pressing her breasts at random, but was that for such a thing?

"No, there are also boys who like girls even if their breasts are small."

"Eh?"

For some reason, Claire's ears reacted with a twitch to Kamito's words.

"Ka-Kamito, what you said just now... is that true?"

"Yeah, after all, to each to their own liking of the opposite sex. Well, personally, I think that compared to having none, having them is better... Ouch!"

At that moment, Claire's sharp whip came flying.

"Y-You, you...!"

"No, what I said just now was my personal thought. In the world, there are also many boys of such enthusiastic preference—"

"Uuu!"

Slight tears surfaced in her ruby pupils, as Claire bit her lips.

''Nevertheless, that soft feeling was the pads?...''


...He completely did not notice it. As expected, the technological level of the imperial capital couldn't be made light of.

"Although it was my plan to use that Blood Stone at the «Blade Dance» as a trump card."

Greatly lowering her volume, Fianna clasped to her breasts, as she muttered.

Although, it wasn't that they were that small. They were about normal for a girl of her age.

At the very least, they weren't deplorable breasts like Claire's—

"Uh, what?"

"...No, sorry. It was nothing."

Kamito averted his eyes in a fluster away from Claire, who was glaring sternly with her teary eyes.

Ahem, he coughed and turned towards Fianna.

"However, why did you bring such a spirit ore?"

The spirit and part of its power, which were released from the spirit ore, would instantly return to Astral Zero, it could not be used again.

Therefore, spirit contractors, who possessed contracted spirits, didn't use spirit ores normally. After all, it was certainly more effective to use spirit magic and contracted spirits most of the time in a blade dance.

"..."

When he asked, Fianna looked downwards and calmly sighed.

"Well, it'll get exposed eventually. I'll tell you guys right here and now."

"...?"


Kamito and Claire exchanged glances at Fianna's unusually serious expression.

"—It was four years ago from now, I lost the ability to use my spirit."

===Part 2===

It was this reason that while being expected as the spirit princess candidate next to Rubia Elstein— Fianna Ray Ordesia the second princess resigned from that position and was erased from the royal family.

That was because she could not use her contracted spirit.

"A princess maiden, who can't use a contracted spirit, doesn't have the qualifications to be a spirit princess worth serving the elemental lord."

Fianna looked downwards, and muttered like in self-deprecation.

"..."

A spirit contractor that couldn't use her spirit was —literally— no longer a spirit contractor.

And then, the situation, where a spirit contractor suddenly became unable to use her spirit, wasn't something that unusual.

For example, there were cases where her body may be soiled, or the covenant made during the contract was broken— even outside of such cases, there are cases that one became unable to exchange feelings with her spirit due to some sort of emotional trauma.

In short, the exchange of feelings with the spirit was greatly dependent on the spirit contractor's state of mind.

What was the incident that became the cause of it— She also did not talk about anything concerning that.


Kamito didn't plan on enquiring that deep.

''However, speaking of four years ago—''

It was that major incident that shook the Ordesia Empire.

It was the year that the Calamity Queen's— Rubia Elstein's mutiny occurred.

And then, Fianna was a princess maiden of the same «Divine Ritual Institute» as her.

She experienced that incident, which brought about an emotional trauma to the extent that made her lose her spirit contract power.

A coincidence— he didn't think so.

"I'm sorry for hiding it. Although, I was thinking on telling it someday... If I was known to be unable to exchange feelings with my spirit, I would have become unable to stay in this academy."

"But, how did you pass the examination? If I'm not mistaken, there must be a practical examination."

Kamito passed exceptionally without an examination due to Greyworth's authority, but, originally, there was a strict practical examination in the academy. It was not that anyone possessing the ability of a spirit contractor could enter.

"I concealed several pieces of spirit ore in my sleeves, and released them in sequence. To pretend that it was as if I was using a spirit. Since I had achievements when I was a spirit princess candidate of the «Divine Ritual Institute» once, they were easily deceived."

"You used the valuable spirit ores for such a dishonest entry to the academy?"

"The invigilation also would never think that there would be a person doing such a thing."

"How stupid, even if you were admitted like that, isn't it obvious that you'd be instantly exposed. For you to do such a thing, why did you come to this academy?

"That's—"

Fianna glanced towards Kamito.

Her goal was to join the team with the strongest blade dancer and be victorious in the Blade Dance.

However, he would be troubled if Claire was told that... Very troubled.

Thereupon, Fianna smirked in a way that only Kamito understood.

"That's to kiss Kamito-kun—"

"That's not it. Hey, Claire, stop taking out your whip."

Fianna saw Claire's eyebrow lifted up and giggled.

"It's a joke. My goal is to be victorious in the Blade dance and have my «wish» granted. To regain my lost spirit contract power."

"Everyone is the same in aiming for the victory of the Blade Dance. However, why did you think of joining our team? It's also weird for me to say this but our team has the lowest rank."

"..."

Thereupon, Fianna suddenly placed her finger on her lips as she pondered.

"...That's right. Since I thought that you guys would accept me."

It was subtly different from Fianna's usual impish tone.

"What do you mean?"


"After all, you have a male spirit contractor and you are the sister of the Calamity Queen. Even if the Lost Queen, who has lost her spirit contractor qualifications, joins in, it isn't that out of place, isn't it?"

She had that joking tone. She had a lonely expression like she was self-deprecating herself somewhere.

The reason that Fianna came to the academy and approached Kamito.

To be victorious in the Blade Dance, she would use Kamito, who was once the strongest blade dancer— or so she claimed.

However, the true reason —unexpectedly— might be more like this.

Being lonely, being a fibber, the impish princess just wanted friends—

"Well then, I've confessed my secret but—

Ahem, Fianna coughed and said.

"What am I going to do? The team wouldn't need a spirit contractor who can't use her contracted spirit, I wonder?"

The princess stared at Kamito and Claire in front of her with a lonely expression.

Her tone was certainly in the joking manner, but her black pupils were wavering, seemingly insecure.

And then, Claire had also probably noticed. That her fingertips were slightly quivering.

Before long—

"It doesn't matter, such a thing."

Kamito sighed.

"Fianna, you protected us by risking your life. You're our team's comrade."


"...!"

Fianna widened her eyes astonished.

"Hey, is that alright?"

Kamito turned towards Claire—

"That's fine."

Claire nodded as she looked towards Fianna's chest, who had turned pale.

"Fianna, you are my comrade. Comrade of the breastless alliance."

"Don't put me together with you! I have more than you, Claire!"

"Wh-What was that!"

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Gogogogogo*... Claire's red hair flared up, standing on its end; and at that moment.

"...!?"

Suddenly, the ground shook.

From the almost-crumbling ceiling, fragments of rubble were dropping in large amounts.

"...An earthquake again!?"

"Don't tell me... Jormungandr is already about to wake up?"

"It seems so. However, as long as Jio Inzagi hasn't found the «true shrine», he shouldn't be able to completely undo the seal."

"Well then, if we could find the true shrine first—"


Claire stopped in mid-sentence and gasped in surprised.

"The seal specification materials that was stolen from the academy— the location of the true shrine might be recorded in that."

"I see! If that was the goal for him to steal the materials—"

"No, the military materials are already enciphered. Deciphering it should take time."

The one, who raised her voice, was Ellis raising half her body up from the ground.

It seemed that she woke up from the earthquake just now.

"Ellis, can you already move?"

Kamito called out to her.

"No, I still can't walk yet. It's shameful but my legs are being paralyzed by the poison."

Ellis struck her unmoving knees as she bit her lips, seemingly vexed.

"I also have not recovered till the point that I am able to fight."

This time it was Rinslet, who leaned against the wall, raising her voice.

"Fianna, even if you lost your spirit contract power, can you dance the ritual Kagura?"

"Yes, it isn't like when I was in the «Divine Ritual Ceremony», but I can roughly enhance the resealing. As expected, I wouldn't accept a quest that I can't even do.

Fianna nodded and softly placed her hand on her chin.

"Although, we have to first find the hidden true shrine, and seize it."

"Do we have to search the inside of this wide mine...?"


In any case, it was a mine that was abandoned several decades ago. The tunnels weren't being maintained, and on top of that, there was the danger that it'll cave in easily even at a small earthquake like a while ago.

"Besides, we might encounter that Jio Inzagi again."

Everyone became silent at Claire's utterance.

He was the male spirit contractor, who used countless number of spirits.

Even if the members, who boasted of having the top class ability formed a group, they were also no match for him.

''He knows about Restia...''

Kamito instinctively grasped his left hand, which was covered by his leather glove.

''Who on earth is he?''

"That boy, it was as though he was like the real Demon King..."

"Uh, he was driven away by Fianna's surprise attack just now, but I don't think that could have defeated him."

Ellis nodded with a meek expression at Rinslet's murmuring.

At that moment.

"Kamito, I know the location of the true shrine."

A sound came from the sword leaning against the wall.

"Est?"

Kamito touched Est's handle, and cancelled the elemental waffe status.

The Demon Slayer became particles of light, disappeared into an empty space, and transformed into a lovely girl in a moment.


"What do you mean that you know the location of the true shrine?"

"Yes, Kamito, in the olden days more distant than when this place became a mine— several hundred years ago, this very mountain was the high ranking shrine that was used to deify spirits. I visited this place several times before I was sealed in a sword."

That was right, Est was originally a top-ranking spirit, who was sealed several hundred years ago. It was not strange even if she was deified by everyone on the sacred mountain.

"Can you guide us to the location of the true shrine?"

"Of course."

"Remarkable, Est."

"Yes, Kamito. Then, please stroke Est's head."

"Ahh."

[[Image:STnBD V02 217.jpg|thumb]]
<nowiki>*</nowiki>Suri suri*. *Nade nade*.

"Hn, it feels good, Kamito."

Est closed her eyes partly like a cat being stroked on its chin.

"..."

Those two—

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Hyooooooo...!*

The girls stared at them with a freezing-like gaze.

"Wh-What..."



"I've been thinking since before, but Kamito, don't you think you're soft on Est?"

"I-I don't think so"

He instinctively stepped back at the girls' glaring gazes.

At that moment.

"..."

It shook again. ...This time, it was even greater than a while ago.

"We had better hurry."

"Ah—"

Kamito nodded, but— he suddenly turned around and stopped.

Ellis shook her head when she realized what Kamito was thinking about.

"We're alright. While, you were unconscious, I had released and sent Simorgh to the academy. The Knights should be rushing here to aid us at dawn."

"Ellis..."

"Go, Kazehaya Kamito. We failed in our quest. I'll entrust the rest to you guys."

"It seems I am unable to fight, I will stay behind for their treatment."

"..."

Kamito tightly clenched his fist—


"...I understand. I'll come back as soon as possible."

"Let's go Kamito, Fianna."

Claire raised her Flame Tongue over her head, and blew away the mountain of rubble blocking the path.

===Part 3===

"—Tch, oucchh..."

His stifled groan reverberated in the tunnel walls.

Jio was loitering in the thick darkness which was twined around him as though it was his own skin.

As he placed his hand on his injured face, he walked in a ghost-like manner.

"Isn't the long-awaited handsome man ruined, huh?"

A stiff smile surfaced, as he talked into the darkness before him, and the one who replied was—

"You're over conceited, Jio Inzagi. You are negligent."

—There.

Suddenly, an even darker darkness was produced in the darkness, and took the form of a beautiful girl.

"Shut up, it's because your spirit was of no avail."

"I never thought that there would be a holy spirit user. Although Thanatos is at the top-rank for the darkness attribute, its compatibility is bad for a spirit of the holy attribute."


"—Where are they heading?"

"Probably to the «true shrine» that governs the control of Jormungandr. As I am still tied with the bond of the contract to him, I somehow know roughly where he is."

The jet black girl preciously stroked the spirit seal that was engraved on her own left hand.

"Guide me, darkness spirit. I'll make them regret placing an injury on the demon king's face."

"Let it go. He is the real demon king— After all, you, who's no more than a fake, could absolutely not win. Besides, Ren Ashbell has never lost to an opponent he fought once."

"Watch your mouth, darkness spirit. I can even make you mine right here and now."

Jio's red eyes glared at her.

—He showed a red shiny comma-shaped jewel grasped in his hand.

"...Really, what a foolish boy."

The darkness spirit muttered disdainfully, waved her dark-colored dress, and disappeared into empty space.

===Part 4===

—Solid footsteps were heard in the long tunnels that went on endlessly.

The three of them were going deep down underground with Est, who was walking silently, in the lead.

It was as if the mine, which once flourished as a place for mining spirit ore, was a giant maze. It was an excessively large passage for people to use. Large sized spirits might have been used for the digging of the bedrock.

There were many doors that used to be sealed, but they all had been opened.

It was probably the deed of Jio Inzagi's comrade, who had been carrying out the ritual at the shrine above ground.

Suddenly, Kamito's leather-gloved left hand hurt sharply.

"What's wrong, Kamito? Are your wounds hurting?"

"No, it's nothing..."

Kamito shook his head at Claire, who was peering at him worriedly.

Claire pouted her lips, dissatisfied with such a response from Kamito.

"...It somewhat feels like you are always fighting alone."

She muttered with a sigh.

"It was also like that when we were assembling a team for the tournament. No, it wasn't just that time during the match, I felt like that also when you were taking the lectures, and also when you were in the dormitory... how should I say it, shouldn't you trust me, your partner... that's not it, your master, more?"

"Is that so? ...Or rather, I don't want to be told that by you, who have no friends."

"Sh-Shut up, I do have friends!"

"Isn't it only Rinslet?"

"Sh-She's just a childhood acquaintance, it's not like she's a friend!"

"Ah, what a coincidence. I was also always alone while eating my meals when I was in the «Divine Ritual Institute»."


"Fianna, you too? ...What's with this deplorable party?"

As they were having such an endless conversation, they went down a long stairway.

"Hey, are we still not there, Est? Although, we are walking for more than an hour since then."

"A few paths seem different since several hundred years ago. And Claire is noisy."

"Wh!"

"It can't be helped, it was even several hundred years before when Est was sealed."

"Unh, Kamito, you're on Est's side again..."

As they made progress down, down, the endless stairway— finally, they emerged out into a wide space.

Est continued walking straight, and stopped before a gigantic wall.

"Here, Kamito."

"...Here? Isn't this a dead end?"

Claire frowned suspiciously.

There was a stone wall towering over its surroundings before the four of them.

Est held up the light, and the subtle carving that was engraved on the wall's surface was reflected.

It wasn't something engraved during these several hundred years— it seemed that it was a historic ruin from the mythical age.

"This is the carving of the «Five Great Elemental Lords»... or looks like it."

The motif of the carving was quite a typical thing.

Fire, water, wind, earth, holy— The kings of the five attributes that control Astral Zero.


"Hn?"

Suddenly, Kamito felt something out of place in the design of that pattern, and frowned.

It had that composition that had the holy attribute elemental lord arranged at the top and a pentagram drawn.

At its bottom— It had a large scar like the wall was scraped off.

It was as unnatural as if the existence of the thing over there was erased.

Est went straight forward and placed her hand softly on that tore-off part.

"This is the carving of the mythical age— In the later times, Ren Ashdoll had its existence erased."

"...? Est, what did—"

The moment Kamito found fault with that, a thunderous roar reverberated in the underground tunnel.

A closed crevice of the wall slowly opened— a blue light illuminated.

"A hidden door?—"

"This is the historic ruins of the mythical age. The door can only be opened by high-ranking spirits."

Est muttered expressionlessly.

"Terrific, Est."

"Kamito, please praise me more."

"Ah, Est is remarkable."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Suri suri*. *Nade nade*.

"Kamito, it feels good..."


Upon brushing the hair on her head, Est tightly closed her eyes.

"..."

Claire and Fianna glared at the two of them in that manner.

"...As I thought, you're soft towards Est."

"Kamito-kun, if we don't hurry up Jormungandr would wake up."

"Ah, that's right..."

Drawing his hand back at Fianna strangely hurrying him, Kamito walked into the middle of the door.

—Over there, there was an unbelievably gigantic cave.

It had a polished agate floor. It had a stalactite ceiling that was inlaid with countless spirit ores.

Each of the spirit ores emitted a mysterious faint light, and they were dazzlingly illuminating the cave.

At the center of the large cave— there was a shrine made with precious metals and crystals.

Compared to the grand shrine above ground, it was quite small, but its solemnity was the highlight.

"—There's no doubt. Here is where this mine's «true shrine» is."

"All Fianna has to do is to dedicate a resealing ritual Kagura here, right?"

"Yes. However, before that—"

Fianna pointed at a small reservoir near the true shrine.

Clear underground water, which had trickled down from the stalactite, was being collected.

"I must do the purification ritual and cleanse my body."


"That's right, I also want to bathe. My purity has fallen greatly due to the battle a while ago."

Claire muttered— Suddenly, she noticed Kamito's gaze.

"...Err, what should I do?"

"Y-You'll stand watch outside!"

Her whip came flying immediately.

===Part 5===

—*Splash*.

Claire made a lovely "Hyan" voice at the drop of water that dripped down from the ceiling's stalactite.

She had very fair skin. She had a body that depicted elegant curves. Her breasts were certainly reserved, but they were unthinkably charming even seen by Fianna of the same gender.

''They are certainly sisters, she got her beauty from her sister...''

Her facial profile with her red twintails untied certainly made Fianna recall Clair's sister's face.

The Calamity Queen— Rubia Elstein.

The one who completely crushed young Fianna's heart.

It wasn't like she resented Claire, who was her sister.

''Speaking of it, I don't even understand whether or not I hate Rubia-sama...''


Etched into Fianna's heart wasn't hatred, it was just overwhelming fear.

The moment she overcame that fear, her contracted spirit would come back—

Fianna dropped her sights onto the spirit seal engraved on her chest, and was absorbed in her thoughts.

"What? Are you looking at your breasts and immersing in a sense of superiority?"

Claire was glaring at Fianna's breasts with scornful eyes.

"Eh?"

"Even without your pads, aren't yours bigger than mine? I th-thought that we're comrades."

...Claire's eyes held in them a slightly dangerous sensation.

Somehow sensing danger to her body, Fianna cut through the water surface and waded away.

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Sususu*. *Sususu*. *Susususu*.

Finally, she was cornered at the edge of the pond, and her shoulders were firmly grasped.

...She could not escape anymore.

"Hey, Fianna, swallow your shame, I have something I want to ask."

Claire was saying that with a serious expression.

"Wh-What?"

"A gi-girl's breasts would become big if they get the boy they like to rub them... Is that true?"

"...Eh?"


Fianna opened her mouth wide at Claire, who bashfully blushed.

And then—

A "gusu" laugh escaped spontaneously.

Before long, Fianna hugged her stomach and giggled.

"Wh-What! It isn't something that funny!"

"But I had someone ask me the exact same thing as that question in the past."

"...?"

Claire tilted her head to the side without understanding what she meant.

"You're definitely sisters."

As Fianna stifled her laughter, she wiped the tears that surfaced at her eyes.

On that subject, it had been a while since she really laughed naturally like that.

It might be... four years ago, since that day she lost her spirit contract power.

"Claire Rogue, I do not hate you."

"What do you mean?"

"Never mind. Ahh, as long as you grow to adulthood, your breasts will naturally become big."

"I-I somewhat feel irritated... In the meanwhile."

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Funyuu*.

Claire groped Fianna's breast.


"Kyaa, wh-what are you doing!"

"I'm confirming if they'll really become big if they're rubbed."

"Isn't it fine if you confirm that with your own breasts!"

"..., mi-mine are small and can't be properly grasped!"

"He-Hey, stop, hyaa, aan..."

Shrieks and loud water sounds were reverberated in the sacred underground shrine.

===Part 6===

''...I can hear those two here.''

Leaning in front of the closed wall, Kamito scratched his cheeks.

The tunnels caused more echoes than he had thought. It did not mean that he caught their conversation, but the sweet voices of the girls he heard at times were too bad for his heart.

"Kamito, are you eavesdropping on their voices, and getting excited?"

"Uh, absolutely not."

Kamito moaned with a deadpan look.

"Well then, what?"

"—Jio Inzagi, I'm thinking about that brat's true identity."


He was a male spirit contractor, who freely used countless spirits— in a certain way, an existence of greater heresy than Kamito.

However, Kamito was inferring his true identity to some extent from the battle some time ago.

"He isn't anything like the demon king, if my thoughts are right."

"Of course. He is presumptuous calling himself the demon king with that level of his."

Est answered expressionlessly, but her tone seemed a little angry.

"The successor of the demon king— is more like Kamito."

"...? What do you mean?"

"Kamito is the demon king of the night."

"Est, that's different."

Kamito retorted without a moment's delay.

...Honestly, where did this sword spirit learn this kind of things?

"—We've got to stop the frivolous talk here, huh?"

"It seems so."

Kamito separated his body from the wall, and grasped Est's small hand.

"Kamito is a rough master of the spirit contractors."

"Sorry. I will treat you to some parfait the next time at the academy town."

"Suddenly, my motivation came out."

Kamito made a wry smile, and recited the elemental waffe's release chant.


'''"The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil — become my sword here and now!"'''

The appearance of the lovely girl turned into particles of light and disappeared into an empty space—

In the next moment, Kamito's hand was grasping Terminus Est, which was shining in silver.

And then— footsteps resounded from deep in the darkness.

"Yo, let's settle the score and end this— Ren Ashbell."
[[Image:STnBD V02 231.jpg|thumb]]

With his red eyes glaringly shining, Jio Inzagi showed up.



<noinclude>{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter7|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter9}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter4

2012-05-26T06:14:58Z

204.210.143.148: /* Part 3 */

==Cat Fight==

===Part 1===

"Neeveeer, I'll not accept this!"

It was evening. Claire's angry voice reverberated throughout the Raven Class dormitory.

"I've already had to concede to her joining the team temporarily due to the guarding mission, but—"

She brushed her red twin-tail hair in irritation.

"Why is this girl in the same room with us?!"

She faced Fianna, who was drinking her cup of black tea in elegant small sips, and thrust her finger toward her.
[[Image:STnBD V02 099.jpg|thumb]]

Turning away standoffishly, Fianna sighed and muttered.

"What a small room, I wouldn't have thought that this is a place where a noble would live in."

"Sh...shut up! If you have complaints, why don't you take it up to the academy director?"

"What I am talking about is how messy the room is. Can't you catch the sarcasm of the remark?"

"Grh...I...it's usually properly tidied up!"

Kamito sighed as he was at his wits' end. These two have already been like this for some time now.

"Hey, Kamito-kun, don't you think so too?"

"Err, well..."

Casting a glance at Claire who was on the verge of tears, Kamito answered vaguely.


"That reminds me, Ren Ashbell's true identity—"

"Ahh, it's certainly messy. Claire should at least clean it up."

Claire bit her lips with teary eyes.

''...Sorry, Claire. I'm unable to defy this princess.''

Somehow, the girl knew Kamito's true identity.

Kamito's intent was to quickly press the question, but, in this situation, Claire would also learn about it.

This princess seemed to have no intention of telling the secret to Claire, but she had been threatening him by leaking that name since a while ago.

Feeling like a cat on hot bricks, Kamito tediously sighed.

While the invisible fireworks scattered, Est was playing with Scarlet with a green foxtail.

It seemed that Claire realized that she was no match for Fianna in the battle of words, and diverted the flow of the argument to Kamito.

"Besides, why should it be my room?!"

"Well, because you're the only person in the dormitory who occupies the room just by herself."

"It's not only me, even not just two of us. Including Est, it's three people."

"Aren't you treating me as your slave spirit? By the dormitory rules, spirits are not counted as roommates."

"Uh, that's so, but..."



"Well, with all of us, I guess the room will be cramped, as expected. I'll leave."

In the first place, Kamito should have been living in a hut outside.

Moreover, it would be no good if rumors about a guy sleeping in a girl's room were to spread.

"Hey, what are you going to do when you leave? Do you plan on going as far as sleeping outdoors?"

"For the time being, a tent would be sufficient. I'll manage one way or another."

Claire grabbed the back of Kamito's neck as he tried to leave the room.

"What?"

"No."

"Huh?"

"That's no good. After all, if you're gone..."

Claire looked downwards and tightly bit her lips.

"Who will do the cooking and the laundry?!"

"...Err, you do it."

"No way. After all, the meals you make are delicious..."

It seemed that Claire, who used to live on canned food, had her stomach held captive by Kamito's home cooking.

"Besides, if you were to leave, wouldn't that mean you and Est are left all alone together. That's no good. Rinslet and, like just now, Ellis may come meddling. No, it's not just Ellis and the others. After all, there are many girls targeting you out of curiosity."


"If I'm being targeted...Est and I can fend off most of them."

"I...it's not what I meant... Stupid."

Claire released her hold on the back of his neck.

"Y...you are mine after all. I'll not give you to anyone."

"...Even if you said that..."

Kamito softly sighed—

"Hey, what do you mean by yours?"

Fianna muttered in soft tone.

"Claire Rouge, what kind of relationship do you have with Kamito-kun?"

"Wh...what kind of relationship... that's..."

Claire bashfully blushed,

"A...a sl...slave and a master relationship!"

"Wh...what did you say...!"

Fianna looked at Kamito with an astonished look.

"D...don't tell me, you have such an insane relationship..."

"Wait, don't utter something that'll cause misunderstandings!"

"Hm...hmm, besides, what kind of relationship do you have with Kamito? Despite being a freshly admitted student, aren't you being very intimate?"


In reverse, Claire was the one asking back this time.

When she did, Fianna coughed—

"Me? I'm... his little sister, Kamito's."

"Eh!"

"...? A sister, I ..."

"Hey, listen, the truth is that Ren Ashbell's true identity—"

"Ye...yes, she is my little sister, my little sister!"

Fianna murmured the magic words and Kamito nodded right away.

"Li...little sister... I see, so you had a little sister."

Claire stroked her chest for some reason.

"However, I'm his stepsister."

"Stepsister!?"

"That's right, furthermore, a naughty stepsister."

"A nau...naughty stepsister!?"

Claire's face turned bright red in a split second.

...What on earth was she imagining?

"Here's a hint, a stepsister can be married to her brother, right, onii-sama ♪"

Suddenly, Fianna tightly pressed her large breasts unto him.


Kamito was spontaneously startled by that duly soft sensation—

"Wh...wh...wh...id...idiot, you brute pervert!"

"Ouch, wait, it's a misunderstanding, stop—"

For some reason, tears welled up in Claire's eyes as she hit Kamito with her whip. Pishi! Pishi!

"Hey, what are you doing to Kamito-kun!"

Phishi!—Fianna grabbed Claire's arm that swung up.

"Uh, wh...what!"

"Kamito-kun isn't your slave."

"Yea, that's right."

Kamito nodded.

"He is mine."

"No, I'm not yours either, you know?"

Kamito retorted with half-opened eyes.

''...Good grief, I wonder why such people are all around me.''

"Too bad. Kamito is my slave spirit, after all...??"

"After all?"

As Fianna asked back, Claire's cheeks slight blushed,

"After all, err... I even...did the spirit contract ceremony with Kamito."


"..."

Fianna opened her mouth.

She faced Kamito, whose head was made to squeak.

"Hey, is that true? Kamito-kun."

She had a devilish smile.

"No, that's..."

Honestly, he was getting embarrassed just by recalling that time.

He turned bright red and cast down his eyes, which was roughly the same reaction Claire's shown.

If it was that embarrassing, then don't mention it – she thought, but.

After witnessing such reaction from both of them, Fianna calmly muttered.

"I see...you kissed."

Her tone was certainly calm, but it was the tone that concealed something dreadful.

...She was angry. She was certainly angry.

''No, why is Fianna angry in the first place?''

As Kamito showed a doubtful expression, Fianna quickly stood up –

Faced Claire, who was bashfully turning red and sharply thrust her index finger at her.

"Let's have a match, Claire Rouge!"

"A match?"


"Yes, a match, where the winner is the one who can love Kamito-kun."

"No...no way, not such a thing! To begin with, Kamito is originally mine!"

"I've been saying that's not it..."

Kamito tried to cut into their conversation, but the two of them didn't seem to hear him.

"If you win, I'll leave this room. Then, you can do all the perverted things you'd like with Kamito-kun, just the two of you."

"I...I...I won't do such things!"

"Ahh, then, is doing it by yourself more to your liking?"

"Wh...wh...wh...what are..."

Claire turned bright red and the steam vented from her head.

''...She was thoroughly toyed with.''

Claire was extremely weak toward the reprehension in such an area, she was a super innocent ojou-sama.

"Or perhaps, you have no confidence? You just don't want me to take away Kamito-kun?"

Fianna further provoked Claire, who has finally snapped.

"Guu... A...as you wish! Come forth, scorching hot hellcat!"

She summoned Scarlet and held in her hand an elemental waffe – Flame Tongue.

"Hey, do you plan on destroying the dormitory?! The people from the Sylphid Knights will dash here!"

"It's alright, because I'll settle it before they come."


"That's completely not alright!"

Claire-san, her eyes were serious. ...She was determined.

"Don't be in such a hurry, Claire Rouge."

However, Fianna waved her hand with a composed expression.

"What, now that it has come to this, are you pleading for your life?"

"I didn't say anything about having a match in blade dance. I wonder if trying to settle everything with violence is something proper nobles do. Did all the nutrition that's supposed to go to your head go to your breasts –"

Fianna looked at Claire's breasts and smiled.

"— I guess that's not the case."

"Burn all to nothing, red hot inferno ball!"

"Wait, Claire! Stop the spirit magic!"

Kamito flustered and held her hands to her back as Claire tried to recite fireball.

At their best, they were hovering near the bottom of the inter-school ranking. If they caused any more problems, <Team Scarlet's> score would drop to the lowest rank.

"Guu...then, what kind of match are we having?!"

"Yea—"

Placing her index finger at her chin, Fianna slowly looked around the room.

—Then, her gaze stopped on a mountain of canned food, piled up in the kitchen.


Kamito overlooked that her eyes were sparkling.

"Then, the first one who satisfies Kamito's body, wins – how's that?"

"Sa...satisfies his body...!?"

Claire's face turned bright red.

"No...no way, not such a thing! After all, I don't know any skillful methods... that's not it, su...such a thing is definitely not allowed!"

"I don't know what kind of misunderstanding you're having, but what I'm talking about is a culinary showdown?"

"Culinary!?"

Claire's face froze.

It was natural. The first time he met her, she was only eating canned food.

She couldn't possibly cook something decent.

"No way, I can't accept such a duel!"

"Ah, offering a meal for a spirit to enjoy itself is the same type of <Kagura> as a blade dance, a skill of a splendid spirit contractor. Isn't it also among the academy's core subjects?"

"Th...that's..."

"Or, are you lacking confidence? ...Like that chest of yours."

She snapped. At that moment, the sound of something snapping was heard.

"I...I get it..."


"Uh?"

"I...I accept it, this culinary match!"

Claire faced Fianna and sharply thrust her finger at her as she accepted the match.

At that moment, the princess expressed an impish smile.

''By the way, Claire, she has seen through the fact that you're weak in cooking!''

===Part 2===

Just like that, the culinary showdown between the two of them somehow began but—

The two beautiful girls, who put on aprons, were standing at opposite sides of the kitchen.

It was the common kitchen at the first floor of the Raven Class dormitory. It seemed that as long as one was a boarding student, it was alright to freely use the ingredients available there.

Est the judge sat well behaved at the table and was tightly grasping a spoon.

While being nervous about the other meaning of having Scarlet take care of the leftovers, Kamito paced around the back of the kitchen.

''...Frankly, Claire has no chance of winning.''

He certainly had never eaten Claire's home cooking but, in any case, she was the ojou-sama, who got through with mostly canned food in her meals since she came to the academy.


"Ehh, canned tuna, mackerel tuna... and I splurge a little and also open the canned crab."

While humming, Claire arranged the canned food ingredients. Kamito had doubts about approving her combination of canned food but, for now, it looked edible, so Kamito took a breath of relief.

"Fruits are easy to eat after being cut."

Upon seeing Claire slowly taking out the kitchen knife, Kamito interrupted her.

"Are you alright with that? Don't cut your finger."

"I'm alright, after all, I was always watching you prepare food."

"I see...hn, you were always watching?"

"Idi...th...that's not it, I do not mean something like that!"

"Waah, it's dangerous, don't swing the kitchen knife!"

Bun! Kamito splendidly dodged the kitchen knife, which grazed his nose tip.

"Hmm, be...because you said something stupid!"

Claire's face, up till her ears, was bright red and she quickly turned away.

"Putting that aside, what on earth are you making?"

"Seafood curry, the one that you often make. Because I like that."

"Eh, you don't normally use canned tuna and canned mackerel for seafood curry, you know?"

It seemed that she tossed the ingredients into the sauce from what she learned by watching him.


"Sh...shut up... It's not like there's a reason to the fishes' name one by one. It's the same as not remembering the face of the partner, who you danced with at the ball."

"...That's terrible. Do remember that."

Besides Claire's character, just her appearance was that of a transcendent beautiful girl. He was without doubt that there would be as many young nobles as the number of stars, who would be hard-pressed by her lovely looks and ask her for a dance.

"...At any rate, Claire, you're in a dress?"

"What, I was once too the daughter of a Duke family before my lands were seized, so I do at least wear dresses... Or perhaps, is it that I look strange wearing a dress?"

"No, I just thought that you looked good wearing it."

"...Wh...wh...what are you saying, idiot."

Kamito spoke his honest thoughts and Claire turned red increasingly and looked downwards.

She slightly raised her head and looked at Kamito with an upward glance—

"Hey, do you re...really... think I look good?"

"Yea, I think that your red hair looks pretty with that pure white dress.... I don't want to admit it but honestly just your looks are prettier than any princesses."

"...!"

"Well, while wearing a dress, your breasts volume is overwhelming lacking though. Using paddings there to make do with it is the only—"


Then, Kamito suddenly shut his mouth.

Gogogogogogogo... The kitchenware were clattering.

...It seemed that he stepped on another unnecessary landmine again.

"Ah...no... I'm sorry."

"...Th...th...that's right. Unless I use paddings, I can't even wear a dress, right?"

"Hey, Clare, why are you holding such a thing? That's a handy tool you use to peel vegetables, it's not something you use on people... owaa, wai—"

===Part 3===

"Kuu, I can't believe that there's such a way to use a vegetable peeler..."

As Kamito cursed, he turned up at Fianna's corner this time.

There were numerous scars like cat-scratches on his cheeks.

"Despite being poor at using the cookware, she completely mastered it using it as a weapon."

At this rate, the day that Claire's elemental waffe became a peeler from a whip might also be close.

''Turn into bonito flakes...? What a terribly unpleasant future.''

While pressing down on his cheeks, which were suffering a prickling pain, he was thinking about such a thing,

"—Hmm, you two are on pretty good terms."


Raising her face from the chopping board, Fianna said with half-opened eyes.

Somehow, she seemed a little displeased.

"Is that how it looks like? Princess, your eyes are also surprisingly bad."

"Not everything you see is the truth – That was a saying from a certain senior of mine."

"That indeed seems like words that a princess maiden of the <Divine Ceremony Institute> would say."

Kamito shrugged his shoulders and stood beside Fianna.

She was slicing a carrot with a nice tapping rhythm.

Because she was a <Kagura> expert, who pleased spirits, as expected her skill was good.

"You seem full of confidence."

"Of course. During the time at the <Divine Ceremony Institute>, although there was a ceremony to offer cooked meals to high ranking spirits once a month, all of them were satisfied with my offered meals and returned to Astral Zero."

"Really? That's amazing."

Kamito was honestly in admiration. That seemed to be a great expectation. Naturally, because appearance was more important than taste for the meals offered to spirits, he wondered if it would differ from the cooking humans eat.

"By the way, what was that one bottle you poured into the pot just now?"

"Capsicum. I'm using it as a subtle seasoning."

"I see, a subtle seasoning."

A subtle seasoning. The soup in the pot certainly became red and was making the ingredients subtle to see.


However, did subtle seasoning generally have such a meaning?

"...Is that okay?"

"Yea, it has such a vibrant and pretty color, doesn't it?"

...That somehow invited anxiety but he gave up on investigating it.

Fianna nodded, seemingly satisfied, and casted her sights onto the chopping board again.

While listening to the rhythmic tapping sound, Kamito gazed at Fiannas face profile.

She had black pupils of long slits and virgin-snow-like white skin.

Her black hair, which reached up to her waist, was currently tied up to not let it fall.

Her white nape was mysteriously erotic.

Without thinking, Kamito was charmed by that somewhat mature face profile.

''With just tying her hair up, her impression has greatly changed...?''

Her tied up hair. There was something stuck in Kamito's mind.

''...This girl, as I thought, have I met her somewhere?''

Despite that it should be the first time they met, the girl somehow knew Kamito's true identity.

''However, I don't have any princess acquaintances...''

It was irritating that he seemed to recall something but yet he couldn't recall anything.

He was staring at Fianna's face profile in that manner—

"Hey, Kamito-kun? Why have you been visually raping me since just now?"


Fianna turned towards him with a slightly troubled look.

"Ah, no ... visually raping!?"

"That is certainly things like turning this fallen princess senseless, or training her like a slave. Kamito-kun, it's your free-will to make these various perverted delusions but... well, honestly, it doesn't really feel good to be used as a adolescent boy's delusions."

"What kind of person do you think I am?"

"Ah, I would like for you to not take a princess maiden, who serves the elemental lords of the <Divine Ceremony Institute>, lightly. I can read your mind like picking something up."

After saying that, Fianna drew her face close and gently placed her hand onto Kamito's forehead.

He was reflexively startled by the sensation of her cold soft skin.

"...Eh? No way, a nude maid, that's shameful..."
[[Image:STnBD V02 115.jpg|thumb]]

"What's shameful is your mind!"

Kamito spontaneously shouted.

Besides, what was a nude maid? Was it a variant of the naked apron? He was a little curious.

At that moment—

"Kamito, it's about the meat's grilling adjustment though, is medium good? Or, well-done?"

"Ahh, I prefer medium... owa!"

Upon turning around, before he knew it, Claire was standing there with a smile and a fireball floating.



"Yo...yo...you are the wo...wo...worst, something like nude maid, you're the worst!"

Gogogogogogogo......!

"Wait, it's a false accusation – Fianna!?"

He requested for help but Fianna had already left the scene with an impish smile.

"Tu...turn into cinders together with your insolent delusions, you pervert!"

The fireball Claire released blew Kamito away together with the kitchen.

===Part 4===

Just like that, 30 minutes passed.

At the table where the judges were sitting, the food cooked by the two of them was lined up.

Est, Scarlet and Kamito, who was worn out, were sitting side by side in a line.

As the result of drawing lots, they would start eating Claire's cooking first but—

"...Ah, I have to at least ask, what is this?"

A black lump of something was laid down on the plate before him.

Wasn't that probably the cinders thing Claire was always saying?

"If I remember, it was seafood curry... right? That was what you were making."

"...I...It looks a little overcooked."


The thing before him was completely carbonized... It was no longer about the taste.

"Ehh, is it bad if I don't eat this?

"I...it's not about appearances, what's important is the taste, right?!"

"It's awfully bitter."

Est, who sampled a mouthful, muttered that expressionlessly.

"...Est, you betrayed me."

"Isn't that obvious? Est, you've done well."

"Wh...what, Scarlet is deliciously eating it."

"That's because it's a fire spirit. It probably doesn't have something like the sense of taste."

That burnt-black lump was completely eaten by Scarlet, but he had the feeling that rather than eating something, it was incinerating waste. After it finished eating, it puffed out a small fireball.

"...Isn't Est also a spirit?! I don't think she understands the taste of a delicate cuisine."

"Use of abusive language towards a judge. Claire gets a point deduction."

Expressionlessly, Est raised up a point-deduction card.

"Guu..."

"With just a black thing, there's no need to eat it. It's my victory."

Fianna placed her hand near her mouth and a wide smile appeared on her face.

Well, there seemed to already be a winner decided, but they had to also at least eat and compare her cooking.

...Gutsu, gutsu, gutsu, gutsu, gutsu.

They saw the cooking that was carried over—

"Th..that's..!"

Kamito was lost for words. Est widened her eyes unusually, Scarlet purred.

It seemed to be a boiling...stew.

It was red. It was more red compared to the time Kamito saw it a while ago, It was a stew whose ingredients could not be seen.

"Ehh, what is ... this?"

"This is the Ordesia royal family's speciality, the white stew."

"How is it white!?"

At least on the surface, all he could see was one color, red. And then, there was a dreadful smell that even thrust up into his nose.

It was because of the subtle seasoning she used just now, he was certain of that.

"Wh...what is this?! There's no way anyone could eat such a thing!"

Claire pushed aside her own matters and complained. ...Well, she understood that feeling.

"Ahh, the daughter of the Elstein family is complaining without even trying it."

Fianna brushed her glossy black hair and looked down at Claire.

"This isn't fair. I doubt that's something nobles, who are exemplars to the masses, do."

"Uggg....!"


Unfairness aside, Fianna also did not eat Claire's burnt-black thing, but Claire, who blew her top, seemed to not have noticed such a thing.

Or perhaps he should put it that she was basically weak to provocation to things about noble ojou-samas. She was even weaker especially when it involved her family name and her pride as a noble.

"I...I get it, it's alright if I eat a mouthful of that, right? I'm good with spicy things, after all."

The moment Claire nodded, Fianna expressed a wicked smile.

"Hey, Claire, that's seriously dangerous—"

Without time for Kamito to stop Claire, she put the spoon into her mouth.

And then, at the next moment.

"Hyguu—!?"

......Patan.

Suddenly, she collapsed onto the table.

"Cl...Claire, are you alright?!"

Kamito helped her up in a fluster but Claire's eyes were spinning.

"...Sh...she's completely knocked out."

"It's my victory."

Fianna placed her hand at her waist and smiled.

"Err, it was that kind of match?"


"Is that not it?"

Fianna looked surprised.

Well, he felt that it was certain that they did not decide on the precise conditions to win.

"You certainly did say that you made the spirits satisfied with a ceremony of the <Divine Ceremony Institute>, right?"

"Yea, just by eating a mouthful, they returned to Astral Zero seemingly satisfied."

"Uh, I think that they probably did not return satisfied."

"A cooking that even destroys a spirit sense of taste...Unable to prohibit the trembling."

Est leaked out such a mutter.

===Part 5===

''Good grief... today was a troublesome day.''

Since then, one hour had passed, Kamito was using the shower installed in the bathroom.

Because Fianna said she would shower later, Kamito ended up entering the bathroom first without any reservation.

By the way, Claire was being nursed by Scarlet in the room. She should probably be groaning on the bed currently. Kamito thought she was pitiful but he could not even do anything.

It was already time for Est to sleep. She could not return to Astral Zero, so she needed to get a lot of sleep, and she would usually sleep for about half a day.


"At any rate"— Kamito muttered while having his shower.

''Fianna Ray Ordesia... huh?''

She was a girl, who was the second princess of the Ordesia Empire and the second spirit princess candidate next to that Calamity Queen –Rubia Elstein. Why did she know Kamito's true identity? He did not clearly understand what her aim was for approaching him.

''It also doesn't seem like she's going to expose my true identity.''

Rather than seriously threatening him, Kamito thought that it was more like she was having fun with his reactions.

''...What on earth is going on?''

At the moment Kamito tried to stop the spirit device shower.

"Hey, Kamito-kun, I'm coming in."

Such a voice came from the direction of the dressing room.

"Hn, Ah—"

He replied.

"Wh...what!?"

Kamito turned behind in a fluster.

Gararaa—The door opened.

Over there was—

"...What's the matter? You look so surprised."


A princess with a sheet of bath towel wrapped around her body.

"Wh...wh...wh..."

Kamito fell into a panic state for a moment.

"Fi...Fianna, what are you doing?!"

"Uh?"

The princess slightly tilted her head and made a lovely smile.

She had a slender white nape. She had an elegant narrow waist. And then, there were her large swelling breasts. He thought that her bare white legs, seen from the silt of the bath towel, were bewitching unlike those of a 16 year old girl.

Kamito was dumbfounded—

"What, even for me, doing this thing is... embarrassing, you know?"

Her knees touched each other and she bashfully muttered.

Slowly, Fianna gently dropped her towel.

"...!?"

Kamito instantly covered his eyes with both hands—but,

"A sw...swimsuit...?"

Fianna was wearing a separate black swimsuit beneath the bath towel.

It was a water festival swimsuit, where thin veils were attached at the chest area and a pareo was wrapped around her waist.

She had both nicely tightened legs and a narrow waist that depicted her elegant curves.


Her slightly flushed body was beautiful like descending goddess.

Kamito was charmed instantly—

"Eh, what's ... the matter?"

"Wh...what?"

"Sh...showing my bare skin to a boy...Kamito-kun, you are the first one, you know."

Fianna's voice slightly trembled as she embarrassedly muttered.

"Wh...why..."

Kamito gulped.

...He did not understand the point. Why was she doing such a thing?

As if his doubt was painted out—

"Hey, sit."

Fianna gently touched his shoulders with her hands and made Kamito sit facing the reverse direction.

It was the sensation of a girl's cold soft hands. His heartbeat beat faster right away.

"Fianna, what are you trying to—"

Fuyon.

"...!"

Suddenly, a soft sense of elasticity was pushed onto his back.

Kamito's back jumped in a startle.


Fianna coughed –

"A...a princess like me is giving your back a wash. Consider this an honor."

She began washing Kamito's back with a bubble-foaming body towel.

"Er, wait a while, why are you –"

Kamito couldn't comprehend it and was completely bewildered.

However, if he turned around, he would end up looking directly at Fianna's bewitching swimsuit appearance, so he didn't move.

"Be...behave yourself, do you plan on making me embarrassed?"

She said that in a sulky tone and strongly scrubbed his back,

"Ho..how is it? Does it feel good?"

"Well, even if you ask something like that..."

Honestly, it felt good.

Or, with a cute girl so close like this, there's no way that it doesn't feel good.

However, he felt like he'll lose something important as a person if he said his honest thoughts.

"Yo..you're surprisingly stubborn... Hurry up and get ensnared by me!"

"Ensnared!?"

Funyu. Funyun.

He felt like he heard some sort of dangerous word just now, but his senses were taken away by the sensation of her breast pressing on him, and his mind immediately became hazy.


''This is... bad...!''

Kamito, who was brought up as an assassin since he was young at the <Instructional School>, did not even do training against this kind of allurement. As, he was at the age where he did not yet require a counter-measure for such a thing, and his contracted spirit was keeping all approaching females completely away from him.

However, Kamito was now of the marriageable age of a youth.

He was already on the verge of losing his reason to the sensation of her breasts, pressing through her thin swimsuit.

"H..hey... where are you touching!?"

"Be...behave yourself! I'll tell your true identity to that girl."

"Th...that's right! Why do you know about Ren Ashbell—"

Kamito was about to turn around and ask her – at that moment.

Bam!—Suddenly, the bathroom door opened.

"...!?"

Over there was –

"C...Claire...?"

Claire Rouge, who was looking downwards and whose shoulder was trembling.

"Kuu, I can't believe you already recovered..."

Fianna tightly bit her lips.

"Yo...yo...you guys, wh...wh...wh..what are you doing?"


"You...you're mistaken, this is, err—"

Gogogogogogogogo...!

Claire's red hair bristled like flames flaring up.

Kamito resigned to being turned to cinders like usual.

"..."

Claire's movement, after raising her whip up, suddenly stopped.

In her ruby pupils, flames were burning up, as she was sternly glaring at Fianna.

Fianna expressed a composed expression. Pitoo— she stuck her breasts onto Kamito's back.

"Fianna!? Wh...why are you doing something like adding fuel to –"

Kamito tried to separate his body in a fluster but his arms were tightly held.

"I'm now washing Kamito-kun's back. Could you please not bother us?"

"Kuu, yo...you guys..."

''Ah... I'm so dead.''

Kamito strangely closed his eyes with a calm mood.

However, the move Claire took next was completely unexpected.

It wasn't the usual where she blew Kamito away with her Flame Tongue—

"I...I'll... also wash your back."

"Eh?" "Huh?"


She sternly glared at the dumbfounded two of them – and informed them.

"I mean I'm also entering the bath!"

===Part 6===

[[Image:STnBD V02 004-005.jpg|thumb]]
"Ho...how is it, Kamito? Does it feel good?"

"Ah, I'm the one who's making you feel good, right?"

''Wa...wait, what... kind of situation is this!?''

Three minutes later, Kamito's head was completely in a panic.

...He wondered if he was having a nasty nightmare. However, this sensation he felt on his back was real.

In a bathroom for 1 person to use, he ended up being covered in bubble-foam with two beautiful girls for some reason.

Furthermore, Claire wasn't even wearing a swimsuit. Her naked body was just wreathed around by a bath towel.

Her vivid crimson red hair looked pretty on her fine milky-white skin.

She had a petite build and slender proportions.

That lovely-fairy-like body of hers was more than charming enough, even if she was lacking breasts.

There were red belt marks on her thigh seen through the slit of her towel. Claire had her animal-training leather whip wreathed around her thigh. Those marks were strangely captivating.

Kamito eagerly tried to not look at the two of them, but because the room was small after all, he would end up closely stuck to their skin with just a slight movement. That sensation ended up further boosting his imagination.

"Kyaa...hey, what are you touching, idiot!"

"Ah, if you move like that, you'll rub my front...Hyauu."

It was that situation just by twisting his body a little due to the ticklishness.

''Give me a break...''

If boys of about the same age heard this, they might think that it's the Shangri-La of dreams, but, as for Kamito, he felt like it was as if he was sitting on a bed of nails.

...Why was this happening, he did not understand the point.

It was probably because Claire had an opposing heart towards Fianna that she ended up blurting out such a thing, and it became that she couldn't back out but – as for Kamito, who was dragged into this, this was intolerable.

He should be getting out from here as quickly as possible, but if he moved even a little, he would end up directly coming in contact with their skin, so even if he planned to get out, he couldn't get out.

"Hey, I'm the one who's making you feel good, right? Say that it feels good!"

"Ouchhh, you're peeling off the skin on my back."

"Eh, it hurts so much? ... Wow, your back is full of injuries."

"Ah, that's because I've always been hurt by a certain somebody."

"I...I'm sorry..."

Kamito groaned with a deadpan look and Claire awkwardly apologized.


"—No, I'm joking. Those are old wounds from the past."

The injuries on his back were gotten from the time when he called himself Ren Ashbell (Strongest Blade Dancer) before.

"...Hn? Fianna, what are you looking at?"

—Claire frowned and looked at Fianna.

"I...it's nothing."

"What's the matter with my spirit seal?"

Fianna had been intermittently gazing at Claire's spirit seal on her right hand since a while ago.

"Di...didn't I say that it's nothing!"

Fianna let out a flustered voice unlike her usual self and quickly averted her eyes.

Claire stared at her in such a state, seemingly puzzled—

"...Your spirit seal is at such a place. How unusual."

She had gotten a quick look at a part of her spirit seal at Fianna's cleavage, who was wearing a swimsuit.

"If I recall, you're a holy spirit user?"

"Yea... that's right."

Fianna, who replied her, had a slightly stiff expression.

"What kind of spirit is yours, summon it and show it to us."

Kamito also had an interest in that. As teammates participating in the same mission, they should at least have a grasp of the type of spirits being used. That was also, without fail, the duty of being in the team.


However, Fianna turned away with a seemingly displeased look for some reason.

"I'll show it to you when necessary. A spirit contractor doesn't thoughtlessly summon her contracted spirit."

Certainly, there were also spirit contractors with that kind of thinking among the academy students.

As there was the possibility that their spirits would be seen through by rivals from their appearances to their attributes, weaknesses and so on.

On the other hand—

"If you don't make communications with your contracted spirit daily, mutual trust can't be created."

There were also people who thought like Claire, and they were the majority in the academy.

As either opinions also have a reason, either side couldn't be unconditionally said to be correct, but—

For some reason, those words of Claire seemed to have got on Fianna's nerves.

"...You won't understand. Claire Rouge."

"...? Hey, what do you mean by that—"

"I'm getting out already."

Fianna muttered with an ice-like voice and quickly stood up.

—At that moment.

He heard the faint sound of weapons from afar.

It was something normal humans would fail to hear, the sound of metal clashing.

However, Kamito, who once received training at the <Instructional School>, certainly heard it.


"Kamito, what's the matter?"

"There's battle occurring within the academy—"

It might be fellow academy students' duel. No, if that was the case, the Sylphid Knights should have immediately stopped it.

"I have a bad premonition."

That was a pure uneasiness — to be honest. His intuition as a spirit contractor, which was honed as he went through countless battles— that was the only one he wanted to believe that did not dull as he expected.

''There's no doubt, there's a terrible fellow—''

He dashed out of the bathroom, nimbly put on his uniform, and then Est turned up, rubbing her eyelids and looking sleepy, in her pajamas. It seemed that this sword spirit felt an unusual phenomenon.

"Kamito, there's something not good outside."

"Ahh, sorry for waking you up, Est."

"No, Kamito. I'm your sword."

Kamito grasped Est's small hand, and the girl's body turned into particles of light in a moment.

At the next moment, Kamito's hand was gripping the elemental waffe –Terminus Est.

He felt that her sword body was smaller and her radiance was also duller compared to usual but because she had just woken up, it couldn't be helped.

Kamito jumped out from the room's window.

"Wa...wait up... ahh, come on! Come, Scarlet!"

Claire called Scarlet and jumped out chasing Kamito.

<noinclude>{{SeireiDance Nav|prev=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter3|next=Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter5}}</noinclude>

Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter6

2012-04-24T01:16:53Z

204.210.143.148: /* Part 3 */

==Chapter 6: The Blade Dance at Midnight==

===Part 1===

—It was 2 am. The time when the academy students slept and forest spirits began stirring.

On the stone paving path illuminated by the moonlight, Kamito was walking alongside Claire.

“The atmosphere is very different, the academy at night.”

“Of course, the night is the time for spirits.”

Claire kept facing front and bluntly replied. Solid sounds of walking resounded loudly.

Since some time ago, Claire had not said much. She might be tense about the duel with the Knights.

“Where are you planning to do it?”

Private battles should be prohibited within the academy according to academy regulations. Is there a place for a duel outside?”

“Over there –“

Claire abruptly stopped.

In front of what she was pointing, there was a gigantic stone circle.

Its ground was dimly shining in bluish-white.

“That’s the – 'Astral Gate'!”

“Yea, the gate that connects this world with the Astral Zero. The reason why the academy was built in such a remote place.”


“…I see.”

He was surprised that there was a ‘gate’ within the academy premises. That stone circle was perhaps a prehistoric ruin, which was used with an unknown art. It probably had a function to stabilize the unstable 'gate '.

“Isn’t it dangerous? There are spirits that cannot be controlled by humans roaming about in the Astral Zero.”

“You see, that 'gate' connects to a safe area where there are only low-level spirits. If not, the academy wouldn’t leave it alone, right?”

Claire murmured ''stupid'', and stepped into the middle of the stone circle.

She recited the words of opening the gate in the spirit language and the blue light on the ground further increased its brightness.

“Come on, you, faster! Get on too.”

Led by Claire, Kamito hurriedly jumped on top of the formation of lights.

At that moment, his field of vision was filled with a white flash.

He had a feeling that his whole body was attacked with dizziness. And then –

…

–After opening his eyes, a scenery of another world spread out.”

There was a deep dark forest with twisted trees standing tall.

Shining brilliantly in the night sky was blood-like red moon.

There was a pale purple smoke-like fog shrouding nearby.

Astral Zero –another world where spirits live in.

“If it’s here, nobody can disturb us. Even if we were injured, it would not be serious, so this place is often used by the academy students for duels.”

In a situation such a thing occurred, the physical body of humans possessing divine powers would be treated the same as spirits, this meant that there’s almost no physical damage received.

Naturally, this was not absolutely safe. Pain was felt normally; in exchange of the physical body not receiving damage, the mind would suffer an equal damage.

To fall into a lethargic state was still a good thing but in the case of receiving a serious injury, one would receive severe memory impairment and the destruction of the mind, there was also the possibility of not regaining consciousness.

“—Flame, illuminate.”

Claire recited the spirit magic and a small fire ball was born on her palm, dimly lighting up a narrow open path in the middle of the forest.

“Let’s go, Kamito.”

Claire gently brushed her twin-tails and calmly walked.

“Do we have a chance of winning?”

“That depends on your ability. …Honestly, it might be a little hard.

“Is that so?”

Kamito was surprised. For a spirit contractor of Claire’s level, it was unexpected of her to say such a thing.

“Putting aside the other two, Ellis is strong. She isn’t the Knights leader just for show. Besides, Scarlet exhausted some strength from this morning’s fight with the ‘Sealed Spirit’. Rinslet’s ability is –well, I at least recognize it, but her teamwork is the worst.”

“…That was a surprising calm battle strength analysis. I thought you were the more impulsive type.”

“You, what do you see me as?”

“A dangerous fellow, who instantly swings a whip –Ouch!”

Pashii –A whip was promptly swung down onto Kamito’s back.

…After walking a while, there was a historic ruin of a gigantic theater in the forest.

It was something from when Astral Zero and the human world were one –a long gone mythical era.

The crumbling looking stone gate greeted the two. It seemed that here was the stage for the duel.

“First of all, you, the sword spirit contractor, are the attacker. Rinslet and I will provide cover.”

“I’ve got the most dangerous role! Isn’t it your duel?”

“What! Do you have a complaint? Alright, if that’s the case, I’ll let you choose a position. Attacker or cinders, which do you like?”

“I get it. I’ll be the attacker.”


“A wise decision.”

Claire nodded seemingly satisfied.

“By the way, you can properly handle that contracted 'sword spirit', right?”

“Hn, ahh…probably.”

“…Probably? What do you mean?”

Claire’s eyes lifted up with danger. Kamito backed off in a panic.

“Well, you see, isn’t it bad if it was summoned poorly and went out of control? That’s why, I have not summoned it even once since I contracted it this morning.”

That was somewhat of an explanation – he thought. Actually, it was half of the explanation.

The truth was that by contracting with another spirit he felt guilty to her.

He felt a sense of betrayal about using a new contracted spirit.

“You succeeded in contracting in just one try, therefore there should be little chance of losing control but—well, it is a sealed spirit with a history and it certainly won’t be funny if anything happened.”

However, Claire seemed to have agreed for once.

“For the time being, try releasing your elemental waffe. You are able to do that, right?”

“A…aahh… Yeah.”

The releasing of an elemental waffe was not something anyone could do but –

(Can’t seem to get into the mood, it can’t be helped –)

Kamito closed his eyes and concentrated his consciousness to the 'spirit seal' engraved on his right hand.

“The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil –“

He recited the summoning in the spirit language and the crest of two swords crossing faintly shined.

The path with a contracted spirit would be normally connected – however,

(What?)

…It was strange. He could not feel the presence of such a powerful sealed spirit.

No –he could pick up its presence but it was something like gears not fitting together.

“—now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!”

At that moment, small particles of light gathered at Kamito’s palm.

And then, what appeared was –

“…”

One short sword.

To be more precise, it was a small sword almost like a knife.

…Shin. An awkward silence arrived.

“…Is that that sword spirit’s elemental waffe?”

Claire said with her face twitching.


For an incarnation of the powerful sealed spirit that cut down Scarlet in one blow –

…Honesty, it was too shabby.

“D…don’t judge it by its appearance, it might actually have an amazing ability.”

“Y…ea, that certainly may be true!”

Claire nodded momently while having a stiff expression.

Kamito tried cutting a buckwheat tree as a test.

Bekii. The short sword very easily broke and vanished.

“…”

…Ahh, how should I say it, it is probably that.”

Kamito beared the frozen Claire’s gaze and calmly opened his mouth.

“Truthfully, this is the first time I used a contracted spirit in three years. I have not regained that perception.”

“…Huh?”

Claire blankly opened her mouth to that shocking confession.

“You’re lying… after all, didn’t you so easily tame that sealed spirit!”

“That time was because I was franticly trying to save you. To be honest, I don’t really understand myself why I succeeded the contracting.”

No matter how powerful a spirit one contracted with, there was no point if one could not fully draw out that power. When an inexperienced spirit contractor contracted a spirit beyond his means, it was often the case that its power would be too much to handle.

(…However, for my case, it’s a little different.)

Kamito stared at his left hand, inserted in a leather glove.

(Probably, within my sub-consciousness, I thought about her.)

—Therefore, he could not connect the path with the new spirit.

“Wh..wha..what’s with that…”

He heard a dead groan. After lifting her head, Claire was tightly grasping a leather whip, used for training animals, with her shoulders trembling.

“No, I mean, um, my battle strength is lacking…” 

“What do you mean! I am counting on your battle strength!”

Pishii! Pishii! Pishii!

“Ouch! Wait..stop!”

A tempest of unforgiving whips descended onto the escaping Kamito.

Then, there –

“What in the world are you doing? Claire Rouge.”

From the other side of the dark tree grove, that voice was heard.

Claire stopped her whipping and sullenly turned around.


The ones who appeared were Rinslet and the maid Carol.

“You’re late, Rinslet.”

“Aah, a lady getting dressed takes time.”

Rinslet proudly brushed her extravagant platinum blonde hair.

“…? What, is Carol here too?”

“Of course, as milady’s supporter.”

After Kamito heard that, Carol took out a flag from out of nowhere and began swinging it.

“By the way, why were you spanking Kazehaya Kamito?”

Rinslet placed her index finger at her chin and frowned dubiously.

That was – before Claire answered, Carol interrupted.

“Milady, that’s something unrefined to listen to.”

“What do you mean?”

“That was a form of a slightly unusual love. In a unique way, that was a perverted play.”

“Ehh! Is that right, you two!?”

“T…th..t..that’s not it! W…what are you saying, you stupid maid!”

Claire’s face became bright red as she denied it.

...Indifferently, he wanted fuse-blowing whipping to stop. As it hurt.


(…Why am I already worn out before the duel.)

Kamito began to seriously think about the absurdity of his life. At that moment.

“—Your side seems to be all present, Raven class.”

A cold voice descended from right above.

“…!?”

The four of them looked upwards together.

There, above the crumbling theater wall was –

A figure of a gallant female knight with her blue hair fluttering in the gentle breeze.

Beside her, two knights, also wearing the same silver armor, were standing.

He heard their names from Claire. The one with the short hair was Rakka. The one with the braiding was Reishia.

“—Ellis Fahrengart, for how long were you here!”

“By the way, you wouldn’t by any chance be waiting for a chance to appear at a cool moment, right?”

“Wha… T…there’s no such thing! I just only got here!”

After Kamito pointed it out with his half-opened eyes, Ellis was frankly disturbed and ended up almost falling.

…Somehow, that was a rather deplorable Knights leader look.

Ellis sharply glared at Kamito and the rest, and drew her sword from her waist.


“Let’s go, Raven class. Let’s finish this duel by day break –“

At that moment. The illumination of a large flame lit the stage of the theater.

The one shined on by that illumination –

“That’s –!?”

A large eagle was spreading its enormous wings and making an appearance in the red night.

“Let me introduce to you, Kazehaya Kamito. This is my contracted spirit – magic wind spirit, 'Simorgh'!”

With a howl like the wind – The large eagle, clad in wind swooped down.

===Part 2===

At a point of an attack in-place of a greeting, —

The magic wind spirit glided closer and dived with its aim at the ground, where the four were.

An ear-splitting thunderous roar. Stone paving came unstuck and large amounts of earth and sand were whirled up.

A strong wind, brought forth from the force of the explosion, hit Kamito and his body was easily blown away.

“…Gahaa!”

He was thrown into a wall. With that bone shattering impact, he stopped breathing for a moment.

Even if one received an attack of a spirit of a purified form, the physical body cannot be hurt, however, the physical damage from a crashing impact and fragments of rubble were different. Small rocks fluttering up in the squall were cutting at Kamito’s whole body. While covering his forehead with both his hands, Kamito clicked his tongue.

(…What destructive power! If I directly took a blow, I’ll faint.)

That magic wind spirit… Simorgh.

Comparing just destructive power, it might surpass even Claire’s Scarlet.

(That’s right, where’s Claire?)

He stood up and surveyed his surroundings, his two allies were at their respective positions.

Claire was providing direct cover from a mid-distance. Rinslet was providing rear support with a long distance attack.

Carol was…waving a flag at the outside of the theatre where she escaped to.

The thunderous wind that was blowing violently stopped. At that interval, Kamito began to run –

“Not yet, Kamito!”

“…!?”

At the same time Claire shouted, the roar of the magic wind spirit resounded.

From an empty large hole in the ground, a large magic bird flapped its wings—

“What are you doing, faster release your elemental waffe!”

“Hn, even if you say that –“

At that moment, a cluster of wind that held an enormous mass gouged the earth while rushing over.


The stone paving came ripping off in a straight line. Kamito quickly jumped sideways.

While tumbling on the ground, he quickly recited the summoning of the spirit language in his mouth.

The spirit seal faintly glowed but as before the path with the contracted spirit was not connected.

(… It’s no good, huh!?)

Just as he was about to give up, a glowing short sword was constructed in his palm.

It was the same unreliable elemental waffe but it was better than nothing.

“Are you just escaping? Kazehaya Kamito, I have misjudged you!”

Ellis, with a pony-tail hair swaying, alighted onto the ground.

“Ahh! I just have to fight, right – “

Kamito prepared the short sword and charged towards Ellis. The first to strike wins. If he defeated the spirit contractor first, then the summoned contracted spirit would vanished –

“Kamito, behind you!”

Claire’s voice came from behind him – Kamito jumped straight to the side.

The wing of the magic wind spirit mowed down at the place Kamito was at just now.

“… What speed!”

Among the five grand elemental spirits, the ones boasting of being the fastest was the wind-attribute spirits. Ellis was completely controlling that.

The magic wind spirit, dancing in the night sky, turned in an arc –and swooped down.


Kamito jumped again. The magic wind spirit that crashed into the ground blew up a large quantity of earth and sand – and then it immediately transformed into countless blades of the wind and cut into Kamito’s arms.

“…Kuu!”

Tremendous pain was running in his right arm. Actually, it did not mean that his arm was cut off –but that pain was violently jolting his consciousness.

(—Well, I never thought it’d turn into the blades of wind with that timing.)

Kamito was astonished in his mind. Ellis’s spirit contractor’s competency was something substantial.

“Kamito, I’m covering you!”

At the same time as her voice, A blazing flame illuminated the night sky red.

Claire wielded Scarlet’s elemental waffe –'Flame Blaze'.

The flame slash mowed down all the attacking blades of the wind in an arc—

“I won’t let you interfere with the leader!”

The braided hair knight, Reishia, attacked Claire.

The elemental waffe held in her hand was a transparent ice sword – it seemed she was the same ice spirit contractor as Rinslet.

Nonetheless, her spirit’s rank was completely no matched for Rinslet’s Fenrir. It seemed she had the competency to release her contracted spirit into its elemental waffe but she had not made that hers.

She was not Claire’s adversary – Kamito concluded so and adjusted his direction to Ellis, who was in front of him.


In that moment, simultaneously as the violent blasting sound, the ground in front of him was being completely gouged.

“…!?”

“Huh, try taking on my elemental waffe –Rock Breaker!”

The short-hair knight, Rakka, shouted in a spirited tone.

Her specialized weapon was a large hammer with a long handle. That was easily being swung about by the thin arm of a girl.

Kamito jumped and backed off, getting some distance between them. She seemed more hot-blooded than Reishia.

While keeping his distance, he was chasing Ellis, who was within his sight—

Ellis had linked with Rakka’s attack and was already moving.

As expected of the Knights leader, Ellis’ commanding ability was high.

First was to use the magic wind spirit to launch a preemptive attack to cause chaos on the battlefield. Next was to strike Claire on mid-guard with Reishia and Kamito on advance-guard with Rakka. While the two were pinned down, Ellis with the most battle strength would attack Rinslet on rear-guard. That was the so-called strategy.

(… Before attacking Ellis, firstly, I have to do something about this fellow.)

Kamito nimbly stepped in and let loose a slash. The flash of the silver sword shallowly cut Rakka’s arm.

As it was an attack from an elemental waffe, blood did not flow out –but pain should be felt in the same way.

“This guy…!”

Rakka’s face was dyed in anger. She aimed at the top of Kamito’s head and swung her Rock Breaker down.


There was a thunderous roar. The ground was gouged and rubbles were whirled up. It was probably a spirit of the earth attribute. As expected, its destructive power is great but its movement was a large swing, making it easy to avoid.

“Chii, how restless!”

She too seemed to have yet to master her elemental waffe. Or perhaps, her contracted spirit’s rank in contrast to her competency was too great – The spirit she was supposed to be using was manipulating her.

“Don’t run, fight properly, male spirit contractor!”

“This doesn’t mean that I’m just running away. In a group battle, you should pay more attention to your surroundings.”

“What?”

“A capable hunter is taking aim.”

At that moment, an ice arrow came flying and pierced the girl’s chest.

Rakka was flashily blown off and bounced on the ground.

The elemental waffe, 'Rock Breaker', turned into particles of light and vanished.

“Fuu, nice shot!”

Kamito turned behind where the voice came from.

On the outer wall of the theater, there was the appearance of Rinslet brushing her hair.

“… Why are you, the support position, standing at such a conspicuous place?!”

“Ah, it’s natural for me to be at a more conspicuous place than Claire!”


“Th…That stupid dog…! You were moving around and sniping, right!”

Claire shouted like she was gnawing.

“Fuu, as a worthy lady of the noble Laurenfrost family, I won’t be satisfied if I’m not at most conspicuous place at a dance party.”

“That’s milady!”

Carol was delightfully swinging a flag from above ground.

“Hmm, you’re pretty composed, Raven Class!”

—At that moment, at the back a strong squall was winding up.

Spreading its wings, the magic wind spirit roared and flew with its aim at Rinslet.

“A good target! Freezing ice fang, pierce –'Freezing Arrow'!”

Rinslet quickly released the Freezing Arrow—

The magic wind spirit immediately transformed to the countless blades of wind and rushed at Rinslet.

“Kyaa!”

“Rinslet!?”

In front of Claire, who planned to rush over, the braided hair knight blocked her way.

She quickly entered into the range of the whip in the gap that Claire lost her focus and slashed with her ice sword. The moment she got into the range, a sword was overwhelming advantageous. Claire was gradually pressured.


“Why you! How dare you do this to Rakka!”

“Kuu –Kamito, chase Ellis!”

“Ahh!”

Claire was in a predicament but Ellis ought to be stopped now.

Ellis was running on the stairs of the theater. Her intention was to completely take out Rinslet.

Kamito aimed at Ellis’s legs and threw the short sword. He concluded that it was dangerous to ignore her – Ellis jumped to the side and got into the audience seating.

In the vicinity, a high-pitched sound reverberated. The elemental waffe short sword hit the wall and got smashed up.

“Hmm, that’s a pretty fragile elemental waffe.”

While Ellis said that, she called the magic wind spirit to her hand.

And then—

“—Evil winds, pierce through my sworn enemy’s heart, become a magic spear and lodge within my hand!”

The moment she recited the releasing in the spirit language – winds blew violently and in her hand a very long spear appeared.

It was a ceremonial long spear and delicate patterns were engraved on its handle.

Its tip, illuminated by the red moonlight, was clad in sharp winds and was faintly making wind sounds.

Her pony-tail hair, which reached her waist, was agitatedly swaying and flowing in the wind.

Ellis completely spun the spear in one hand and stared at Kamito with a cold expression.


“This is my elemental waffe –'Ray Hawk'.”

Kamito –

“…Beautiful.”

Without a thought, let out such a voice.

“Hah, you too understand –the beauty of this 'Ray Hawk'.”

Displaying her truly prided spear, Ellis loosened her cheeks, slightly delighted.

“Idiot, I mean you! Don’t make me say that, it’s embarrassing.”

“Wha..Me..!?”

Ellis turned bright red and became flustered.

“Hey, y…you’re mocking me, right? Kazehaya Kamito!”

“No, I’m just normally fascinated.”

“F…fascinate… Ah…..”

Ellis’s face increasingly redden… as if purging evil thoughts, she shook her head.

“Ehh…Such a practical joke… As I thought, you are mocking me!”

“No, you really are beautiful –Owaa!”

Being enraged, Ellis thrust her spear with her face bright red.

As a result of losing her composure, it was easy to dodge.


However, when the magic spear tip grazed the side of his abdomen, at that moment –

The blades of winds were released and cut his whole body.

(Guu…!?)

In response to the sharp pain, Kamito clicked his tongue in his mind.

(—That elemental waffe can create the blades of wind, huh!)

While bearing the pain attacking his whole body, Kamito jumped away to the back in one go.

That magic spear could create the blades of wind, so there also was no point evading with a paper-thin difference.

However, Ellis jumped again and released a stream of attacks like a tempest.

“Are you trying to escape… you insolent guy! I’ll turn you into tiramisu!”

“What? Is candy-making also your forte? You cute sullen young lady.”

“I…I am currently practicing making candies. For the sake of the gentleman that I’ll marry in the future –Eh… What did you make me say! And who’s the sullen young lady!”

Ellis pierced the theater wall with all her might in one blow and fragments of rubble flew around.

(…This person, she’s seriously strong!)

As expected of someone, who served as the Knights leader in this academy that gathered spirit contractors.

It was a beautiful blade dance like modeling after Kagura, which spirits enjoyed themselves in.

The wound in his left hand ached.


He understood that his senses were gradually getting sharper.

The serious blade dance was causing his blood to boil.

His body was recalling the sensations from three years ago.

(However, it wasn’t something like this.)

It was irritating that his legs did not move as he wanted. His instinctive ability to read his opponent’s movements was also falling.

(I –)

“You, don’t run!”

Releasing a sharp thirst for blood and being clad in gales, Ellis came attacking.

It was not a clever thrust. It was a blow with all her might to decide the match.

However, there was a fatal chance born—

“Freezing ice fang, pierce – 'Freezing Arrow '!”

Rinslet, who had recovered and was awaiting for a chance to snipe, released her Freezing Arrow without delay.

Simultaneously—

“Dance, crimson flame that invites ruins – 'Hell Blaze '!”

After Claire settled Reishia, she released her flame attribute elemental waffe.

“…!?”

Ellis opened both her eyes in surprise.


The timing was perfect. The released ice fang and infernal flame went straight at their target—

Pariiiin!

They collided with each other in the air.

“…Wha!?”

Kamito’s face twitched.

Ellis, in front of him, was also standing still, dumbfounded.

“Hey, Rinslet! Why did you get in my way!”

“W…what? You’re the one who should please not get in my way.”

At that moment, the two of them began to quarrel.

“T…those two…”

Kamito forgot that he was in the midst of the duel and deeply sighed.

(…They have the ability, yet their teamwork is really all over the place.)

“—How foolish, to fall out among yourselves!”

Ellis Fahrengart raised her elemental waffe spear once again.

Thunderously, a strong wind, unseen before, was winding up.

“T..To make a mockery of me by saying that I’m beautiful, I’ll make you regret –“

There was already nowhere to run to. Kamito resigned his fate, at that time –


“Wait, Ellis! Something is strange…”

“What? Now then you’re begging for your life.”

Stopping mid-way – Ellis shut her mouth.

It seemed she noticed it too.

“What, this presence is …?”

The atmosphere of the vicinity was heavy. That sensation, like one’s back turning chilly, was –

“What?”

“What is this?”

Claire and the others seemed to have noticed it too. They looked up at the hazy night sky and really tilted their heads in doubt.

Suddenly, a thunder-like sound roared.

And then –from a tear in the sky, that appeared.

===Part 3===

That was – a giant jaw, floating in the sky.

It had neither head nor body nor a tail. It was an eerie jaw with just rows of teeth lined up making a chattering sound.


“That’s, …don’t tell me, … a magic spirit!?”

The sudden appearance of that spirit made Kamito groan and terrified him.

A magic spirit – that was something with a spiritual make-up that greatly differed from humans, thus, that was a grotesque spirit that can never be tamed by spirit contractors.

“A magic spirit, why is it at such a place…?”

At that moment.

Vo…Ruoooooooon—

The magic spirit’s rising ear-splitting roar caused the girls to cower.

There was a tremendous sense of intimidation. That divine power felt on his skin was comparable to a magic human-class spirit.

Moreover—

(It’s… in frenzy?)

Kamito dropped his voice and carefully observed the magic spirit in sky.

A magic spirit was certainly a grotesque being but it was unlikely that it would be in a frenzy without even a reason.

(…What’s going on?)

Groaning within his mind – Kamito recalled.

That reminded him, before the duel – the water spirit of the spirit device in Claire’s room had went out of control.

It was a phenomenon that was normally unimaginable but if the water spirit was in a frenzy at that time, it was natural that Claire also could not control it. …Was that phenomenon something related?

Besides—

(Claire said that powerful spirits don’t appear frequently in this area.)

For the appearance of that magic spirit to be by chance, it was too unnatural.

(What the heck –)

The jaw floating in the sky mowed down many trees of the forest, and bit and crushed the ancient historic ruins to tiny pieces. The smashed-up rock fragments rained down from high in the sky.

“Claire Rouge, for now, we’ll stop the duel. Is that alright?”

“…I understand.”

Claire obediently nodded at Ellis’s words.

Everyone in this place understood the danger from that magic spirit.

It did not mean that that was summoned in a purified form like contracted spirits.

If bitten by those teeth, the human body and so forth were mere scraps of paper.

“We’re taking refuge. I’ll take the rear, you all carry the fainted two.”

Ellis prepared the Ray Hawk and gallantly got down to the center of the historic ruins.

“No, I’ll take the rear. That is not something an ordinary spirit contractor can do one way or another.”

The way of fighting spirits and fighting human spirit contractors were completely different. Of course, this didn't mean that the girls didn't learn how to fight spirits but – it was an opponent too dangerous for Ellis to fight alone.

“Stop the jokes. What can you, who can’t even fully use his contracted spirit, do?”

“That’s…”

Kamito firmly groaned. Certainly, it was not an opponent he could fight with that unreliable elemental waffe.

“There’s no time to talk. Leave this to Ellis, let’s hurry!”

Rinslet whistled and Fenrir, in a white wolf appearance, came giving both fainted Reishia and Rakka a lift. Carol also came running.

“Claire, what are you doing daydreaming!”

Rinslet pulled Claire’s sleeves.

—Claire was looking downwards like she was thinking about something and she suddenly raised her head.

“Ellis, I’ll take the rear.”

“What?”

Ellis opened her eyes. Claire whipped her leather whip and called out her contracted spirit, the hell cat.

“…”

Claire’s red pupils became nailed onto the figure of the magic spirit, raging like a storm.

…It was like she was completely entranced.


In response to Claire's appearance –Kamito realized and was taken aback.

(This fellow, don’t tell me—)

Claire was obsessed with obtaining a powerful spirit.

For the sake of knowing the truth concerning her sister, Rubia Elstein, she needed power.

Therefore, she still reached out to the dangerous sealed spirit.

“You, don’t tell me – you plan to make that your contracted spirit!?”

“…”

Claire did not answer. She just motionlessly gazed at the magic spirit in the sky –

“That’s crazy! That’s a magic spirit, furthermore it’s in a frenzy!”

Kamito shouted, Claire swung her twin-tails and finally turned around.

“…It’s a once in a lifetime chance.”

She bit her lips and muttered with an expression like she had thought hard over it.

“There’s firstly no such thing as encountering a spirit of that level in the 'Spirit Forest'. Besides, it is not like there weren’t any spirit contractors who contracted magic spirits.”

“You mean Greyworth? She’s a witch.”

“I too may have the qualities of a witch.”

“Stop doing something stupid, you’ll die.”


Kamito grabbed Claire’s arm, who was planning to dash anytime.

Claire sternly glared at Kamito.

“Don’t get in my way. My reasons to want a strong spirit, I’ve said it, right?”

“Ahh, I understand. But that’s no good. Your skills can’t manage it.”

“…Shut up, let go! You weakling, be silent!”

Claire shook Kamito’s arm and shouted.

Within her ruby pupils, glaring at Kamito, genuine hatred surfaced.

“Despite snatching my sealed spirit! You can only use a weak elemental waffe, what qualifications do you have to say something?”

“That’s—“

Kamito looked downwards. It was natural for Claire to be irritated. While he contracted with such a powerful spirit, he couldn't pull out that power completely.

“What? … I was expecting a little something.”

Claire awkwardly averted her eyes.

“I'll handle that alone. You all please escape.”

“Claire Rouge, you –“

“Ellis, try to protect everyone. I don’t want to think about it but if I –“


Claire did not speak after that.

And then—

“—Scarlet!”

She called her partner, flame spirit’s name and ran towards the magic spirit, devouring the forest.

“Claire!”

Kamito held out his hand in a fluster.

At that moment, the magic spirit roared.

A lump of shock struck. The trees in its vicinity were thoroughly blown off.

“Winds, grant us the hand of divine protection – 'Wind Wall'!”

Right away, Ellis recited the spirit magic and protected everyone at the back.

(Damn, Claire—)

While defending against the pebbles that were blown off, Kamito followed Claire with his eyes.

Claire was – dancing in the air.

She got on the winds like sparks dancing in the air.

In her hand was her flame spirit released into its elemental waffe –'Flame Tongue', which she was grasping.

The blazing crimson killing flash cut off the evening darkness.

Claire landed onto the ground and while running through the gaps of the tree grove, she drew closer to the magic spirit.


The magic spirit opened its giant jaws and made chattering sounds with its lined-up rows of teeth.

(…It’s no good, this is too reckless!)

The girl, Claire Rouge, that Kamito knew was an excellent spirit contractor, possessing calm judgment and an insight for tactics at least in a battle.

However, she had lost sight of herself now.

Her feelings for her sister, Rubia Elstein, caused her to lose her calm judgment.

Her anger towards her sister, who betrayed her. Yet, her overwhelming love – caused a great number of conflicts to be mixed and that changed into a craving for great power.

“How tenacious! Become mine!”

The flame whip dance splendidly. Her red twin-tails danced in the dark night.

That was –spirit contractor, Claire Rouge’s blade dance.

“…”

Beautiful— he thought.

Despite being at such a time, Kamito, for a moment, was fascinated by that appearance and forgot everything.

…It was same as that time.

That time when she was fighting that rampaging sword spirit alone.

Kamito calmly clenched his fist and turned behind. And then—



“Ellis, Rinslet, I’ll entrust the rest to you.”

“Wha… are you an idiot!?” ”Are you an idiot!?”

Both of them shouted at the same time. His ears shrilled.

“…Ah, I’m an idiot. Truly an idiot.”

If Greyworth was here, she would have had relentlessly poured abusive words.

To take back the precious thing he lost, he had lived with lifeless eyes for these three years.

Yet, he was recklessly giving his life away for such a thing.

However—

“I am her contracted spirit.”

Therefore—

“That’s, hm, I have to help her, that returning hell cat girl.”

“Wait, Kazehaya Kamito!”

Kamito shook off Ellis’s hand that planned to stop him and began running.

The crimson flame was dancing with the magic spirit in a blade dance.

It was no good for that noble flame to be extinguished. –He did not want her to die.

After all, she was –a normal girl.

Full of ego, hot-tempered.


Putting on a strong front, easily lonely…. truly kind.

Liking canned foods and romance stories—

Merely a princess found anywhere.

Oooooo…oon—

The magic spirit roared.

It released a shock wave like blowing away the forest and Claire was thrown onto the ground.

“—Claire!”

===Part 4===

“…Ah…Aah, Ah…”

Claire, thrown onto the ground, cowered.

The grotesque magic spirit made a creaky sound with its giant jaw.

It seemed – like it was laughing.

She planned to escape but her legs were shivering and did not move.

It was frightening. While she was fighting, her sensations paralyzed. However, presently—

“Y…you are not scary, therefore, become my manservant!”


The magic spirit, floating in the air, had no reason to even respond to that jeer but –it loudly laughed.

Claire’s body trembled and spontaneously, she closed her eyes. The roots of the teeth did not bite at the same time. Towards an unfamiliar thing, instinctive fear bound her body.

—At that moment. The Flame Tongue in Claire’s hand suddenly vanished.

It was not that she canceled the release of her elemental waffe. Scarlet opposed Claire’s will and voluntary returned to the form of a hell cat.

“Scarlet!? Why…?”

Claire muttered in a blurry voice.

Was she finally even abandoned by her contracted spirit—

However, the hell cat, clad in flames softly growl and kicked the ground and flew up.

“…!”

At that moment, Claire finally understood. Scarlet –

“Noo—Scarlet!”

Claire’s scream resounded.

Scarlet did not stop. It pared its ferocious fangs and rushed at the magic spirit.

It was a red hot flame that even melted steel. However, it was not effective against the magic spirit.

In an instant, the magic spirit’s teeth mercilessly bit and crushed Scarlet’s body.


It screamed of agony. The flame spirit, which was bit and crushed, vanished in the sky like a whirlpool winding.

“…Ah…Scar…let…”

Claire, as if all her body strength left her, sank down to the floor there.

Following reason, she knew that she should be escaping.

It was a last chance Scarlet made for her.

Despite that, her legs were trembling bit by bit. She could not even stand.

The extreme deep despair paralyzed Claire’s whole body.

(Because of me, Scarlet—)

In the blank eyes, where the flame vanished, tears overflowed.

(…I’m an idiot. Kamito stopped me and yet.)

(—despite being unable to win, I plunged in alone.)

She was unsightly defeated.

Her contracted spirit, which was precious like a family, was also lost.

While the magic spirit was making the chattering sound, it slowly descended.

Those sinister teeth that just ate and tore up Scarlet –

“No…”

Tears flowed along her cheeks. A stiff voice came out from deep in her throat.


“Save me… Save me—Nee-sama<ref group="1"> Older sister </ref>!”

She closed her eyes in despair, and at that time.

“Claire!”

She heard his voice.

===Part 5===

“Oooooooooooo!”

While making his war cry, Kamito rushed towards the magic spirit.

The spirit seal, engraved on his right hand, emitted a bluish-white glow.

— The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil!

— Now form a sword of steel and be the power in my hand!

While running with mud splashing, he recited the summoning.

At his palm, particles of light were born and transformed into the form of a sword—

However, it was not good like this. Against the magic spirit that brought down Scarlet’s level of spirit in one blow, that short sword cannot be effective.

(—I beg you, lend me your power, stubborn spirit!)


(—I know it, your power is just like that!)

The wound on his left hand sharply ached.

Again, the opened path with the contracted spirit was closed—

However, without minding it, Kamito continued to pour divine power into the spirit seal on his right hand.

It was an intense overload. Pain like burning was running throughout his arm’s nerves.

(—Sorry, Restia. What I need now isn’t you.)

Yes – what he needed was not the past.

It was the power to protect her here and now.

From the spirit seal on his left hand, violent flashes of lightning surged.

That sensation from three years ago was resurrected.

Everytime he kicked the ground to speed up, his whole body’s sensation sharpened.

Just that magic spirit’s movement was seen as slow motion.

(Recall it, that feeling—)

The sensation of the blade dance – where he danced together with his partner, dark spirit.

(I am –)

Kamito kicked the ground and jumped high up.

(I am the strongest blade dancer – Ren Ashbell!)


At that moment, a conspicuous dazzling flash was born in his palm.

From the spirit seal on his right hand, a huge amount of divine power came surging out.

The path to that sealed sword spirit was connected!

At the next moment, in Kamito’s hand; he was grasping a sword that people wielded.

It was too gigantic for people to wield – the Demon Slayer.

And then—

“—Begone, jaw rascal.”

The swing of the lump of the steel pulverized the magic spirit jaw into many pieces.

===Part 6===

The rain that began falling soaked Claire’s back.

Her red twin-tails withered and closely clung onto her bare skin.

“Claire…”

Kamito called out to her back, who was cowering on the ground.

“Hmm… it’s good that you’re safe.”

“It’s…not good…”


Claire muttered in a shivering voice.

“My… My Scarlet…”

She turned around and from her red pupils, a drop of tear came out.

“You—“

“You’re late… Idiot! Despite being my contracted spirit.”

“Ahh. My bad…”

Kamito awkwardly looked away.

“Why?”

“Eh?”

“You have such great power and yet, at the beginning, why –“

Claire firmly grabbed Kamito’s uniform collar—

“…”

She weakly removed her hand.

“…No. It’s because I’m weak.”

She let out such a defeated voice.

“It’s because I’m weak, that I couldn’t protect Scarlet. It’s because I’m weak—“

—She could not stop her sister.


“If I had more, more power, such…”

While being struck by rain, Claire repeated that with a blank expression.

“Oi, get yourself together!”

Kamito grabbed Claire’s shoulder –

(…Eh?)

His body slanted.

His field of vision was dark. …His consciousness suddenly went far away.

It seemed that the strike of the previous elemental waffe had thoroughly exhausted his divine power.

(Damn, what a bad fuel consuming… spirit…)

While cursing in his mind, Kamito lost consciousness.

==Translator's notes and references==

<references group="1" />

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Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter5

2012-04-24T00:22:22Z

204.210.143.148: /* Part 2 */

==Chapter 5: Claire's Feelings==

===Part 1===
(…Sigh, I have totally gotten myself into something troublesome.)

While walking on the stone pavement of the academy, Kamito sighed a number of times today. In front of his eyes was the culprit with her red twin-tailed hair swaying about.

As before he had an empty stomach, he had lost his house and to make matters worse that was the outcome from a duel by fellow spirit contractors.

…No matter what the circumstances, this is beyond misfortune. It has to be none other than the Dusk Witch’s curse.

“Unh, are you grumbling? How unmanly!”

Claire turned around and snapped her fingers.

“My house.”

“U…”

Kamito groaned with his eyes half-opened. Claire averted her eyes to look far away.

“Pyromaniac. Criminal.”

“…I… I get it! I also feel a little bad!”

She blushed and pouted her lips. It seemed she was at least aware of her crime.

As it was the right moment, Kamito blatantly sighed.

“Oh boy, the homeless me will have to sleep out in the 'Spirit Forest'.”

“……”

“Sleeping at night in the Spirit Forest is seriously a suicidal act. But it can’t be helped, after all, my house has been completely burnt down.”

Kamito dropped his shoulders unnaturally for Claire to see.

Claire gnawed her lips. And then, she tip-toed -

And stared into Kamito’s eyes, motionlessly.

Her face was near. Kamito was involuntarily startled as his nostrils were lightly tickled by the scent of a girl.

“…Okay then. I…I’ll compensate you, properly!”

“Compensate?”

Kamito’s face somehow twitched to a bad premonition.

===Part 2===

— Kamito was brought to the front of the female dormitory of the Raven class.

Although it was called a dormitory, it was not a normal building. It was an elegant mansion akin to the residences of upper aristocrats.

“…Eh, what’s this?”

“For a while, I’ll allow you freeload in my room. Please be grateful.”

“Huh?”

…What did she suddenly propose, this ojou-sama.

“After all, if I left you outside, Rinslet would come meddling. And because you are my slave spirit, it is natural for me, the spirit contractor, to take care of you.”

Claire informed him, bending her empty chest.

“No, that’s not it… you are still a girl of age and I may do something, did you not consider that?”

“D…Do you plan to do something to me?”

Claire glared. Kamito shook his head horizontally.

“Scarlet will stand watch. If you try to do something…cinders.”

“Isn't it a violation of the dormitory rules? A guy like me, entering the female dormitory.”

“It’s alright, because you will be treated as my contracted spirit. The same as Scarlet.”

“That is completely not alright.”

Kamito retorted with his half-opened eyes, Claire was fidgeting with her hair irritated and snapped her fingers.

“Ahh, come on, do you want to stay? Or do you want to turn into cinders? Which?”

“… Why are there only those two choices?”


Kamito dropped his shoulders and sighed in resignation.

Claire’s room was on the second floor of the aristocrat residence like female dormitory.

“Don’t make too much noise, because the dormitory secretary is super scary.”

“A…aah…pardon my intrusion.”

For Claire, who is ideally pictured as arrogant, to be afraid of the dormitory secretary, his interest piqued a little.

While thinking of that, he timidly stepped into the room.

No matter how rough her personality was, Claire was a girl.

In addition, she was an outstandingly, pitifully, beautiful girl; even Kamito could not help but admit that.

As expected, when he entered the room, he grew tense.

“—Flame, illuminate.”

Claire recited the spirit magic and the room was lit up.

Claire’s room was –

“……”

In senseless disorder.

There was a collapsed mountain of a large number of books. Clothes were left crumpled, plush toys and small items and so on, were scattered here and there till there was no place to stand.

It did not look like a room of a pedigree ojou-sama.

“…You should at least do some cleaning.”

“U…usually, Scarlet does the cleaning. Come on, quickly get in.”

Claire kicked Kamito’s back, sending him to the middle of the room.

“Ouch…good grief, you actually use such a powerful fire spirit to clean the room, if the spirit contractors across the world hear about it, they'll all cry you know.”

“Hmm, Scarlet is different from you, she is clever you know. She also burns the trash.”

“Ahh, I see. It is good as long as it’s convenient.”

As soon as they were arguing, a hell cat, cladded in flames, manifested and started to put the room’s trash together and tidy up. … Indeed, there seemed to be a place where the wastepaper was incinerated.

“…Are you fine with just that?”

If that fire spirit of Claire grew, it could match up with even a large dragon type.

…What a sorrowful sight? Was it being made to do things like cleaning the room?

“Thank you, Scarlet. Good girl.”

Suri suri.  Nade nade. 

Meow. Meow.

“Are you a cat!?”

Kamito retorted, without thinking, to the fire spirit fawning happily.

(…That proud spirit is completely tamed…)

Well, if one was gently stroked like that by Claire, whose outward appearance at least was that of a beautiful girl, it was understandable to be completely attached.

For now, since there was no place to stand, Kamito too helped with the cleaning.

A long time ago, because of Greyworth working him hard, housework became his forte.

He started carrying the books that were in a huge pile at his feet to put aside at a corner of the room.

Then, he caught sight of the titles written on the books’ front cover.

'The Count And The Naughty Princess', 'Tease Me More, Master!', 'The Princess Abducted By Pirates'… Indeed these are what teenage girls like. There were ten-odd such romance novels, which were intended for teenagers.

“Hmm, so, you like this kind of stuff. That was a little unexpected.”

“…Id… Don’t look!”

Bofun.

The pillow, Claire threw, landed a direct hit on Kamito’s face, and he toppled over and was squashed by the books.

“If you don’t want anyone to look, you should have tidied up. It’s no big deal, I feel, even to like such novels.”

“S…shut up, it…it’s not like I like them! … Err, yea, I borrowed them from a friend, so I have no choice but to read them!”

“Hmm, I see. You borrowed fourteen volumes of novels you do not like.”

“S…shut up!!”

Poka poka poka. 

Claire got partially teary and hit Kamito. It was weak, possibly due to being embarrassed.

Kamito shrugged his shoulders and placed his hand on the floor to stand up.

And, just then, that hand came in contact with–

(…Hn?)

A cloth that was somewhat nice to touch.

Was it silk? It was soft, silky and very nice to touch.

Unintentionally, he grabbed it. At its edges, white flutters were attached to it.

(—…, white flutters!?)

With his face twitching, he stared at his hand.

Kamito’s hand tightly grasped an undergarment attached with fine laces.

…Surprisingly, it was a rather mature silk panty.

Cold sweat broke out on his forehead.

“Hn, what are you doing?”

“Owaa!?”

Kamito got flustered and stuffed it into his pocket.

—…, what was he going to do stuffing it in!

(What am I doing! Doesn’t this make me a real pervert?!)

“What? Why are you so shocked?”

Claire frowned and drew her face near with suspicion.

“N…no, it’s nothing!”

Kamito stood up while shaking his head. Was there a topic he could distract her with? He looked around… then he realized.

“…By…by the way, about this room, don’t you have a roommate?”

Even if this was a dormitory of the academy attended by princesses, the room was a little too big for one person to be living in it.

With the room so messed up, wouldn’t the roommate girl get angry?

Speaking of it, was it good to take in a guy without even getting permission from her roommate?

Thereupon, Claire tightly bit her lips and look downwards.

“I don’t. Nobody wants to be in the same room as someone like me.”

“…? Don’t tell me, you do not have a single spirit contractor partner?”

“W…who needs things like partners. As long as I have a strong spirit, I, alone, am more than enough.”

Claire folded her hands and declared so; she looked like pretending to be tough with all her might.

(…Why is it so?)

This person sure had a hard personality but, as a spirit contractor, her ability was top class.

He thought with such ability, she could ignore any team, however.

“But without gathering 5 people, you can’t enter into the 'blade dance'.”

“…I… I’ll manage it somehow. If I have to, I’ll somehow gather up just that number of people.”

Claire averted her line of sight awkwardly.

It seemed like she did not want to touch on this topic.

“Ig…ignoring that, you are hungry, right?”

Claire cleared her throat forcefully.

“Hn, Ah… your long-awaited soup, which you blissfully received, was wrecked.”

It was a certain somebody’s fault, Kamito glared scornfully at Claire.

“Hmm, it can’t be helped. Today, I’ll specially feed –treat you.”

“Did you say feed? Did you say that?”

“It was your imagination. Come on, bring out that table.”

While sighing, Kamito took out the table.

Claire started lining up a large amount of canned food, taken from the shelves.

Canned tuna. Yakitori. Salted cod. Vegetables boiled in soy sauce. Beef stew….etc.

Kamito was dumbfounded and looked down on the pyramid of cans. Canned foods are preserved foods that soldiers carry with them on a long campaign. It was at least not dinner for an ojou-sama attending the academy.

“…W…why is it nothing but canned food? It is definitely bad for the body, you know.”

“What a foolish question, it’s because I like canned food.”

“No, no matter how much you like it, having just canned food is just –“

“What, it’s no problem, after all I like them. If you have complains, then I won’t give them to you.”

Claire embraced the mountain of canned food with a sullen face. That face of hers was subtly red.

With that, he got it.

…Aha. That’s right.

“You can’t cook, right?”

After directly pointing it out, Claire stiffened her back.

“Th…th…th…that’s not it!”

“That reaction revealed it all. Even if the mouth lies, the body is honest.”

“D…don’t speak lewdly, idiot!”

“To misinterpret a very normal speech, I think that you’re the lewd one. You read too much of those novels. Claire is a lewd ojou-sama."

“U..uuuu!”

Tears flowed out faintly from her red eyes, Claire bit down on her molars.

…Damn it. He teased her a little too much.

(…What should I say, I unintentionally ridiculed her.)

The result of going overboard was frightening. Kamito honestly apologized.

“S…sorry… It was my bad. I said a little bit too much.”

“….!”

Claire was groaning. Like a wild animal of the feline family.

“S..such a glare… how about, to make up to you, I’ll make dinner?”

With that, Claire, with her bristled hair, opened her eyes.

“You can cook?”

“Well, it’s pretty much my forte. Do you have seasonings?”

“Such things are at the shared space at the front of the dormitory.”

“Okay, if I arranged things a little, even these canned foods will become something like a cuisine. As for the fire –“

“Scarlet.”

Claire snapped her fingers and Scarlet breathed out a small fire ball.

The fire ball drifted lightly in the air and stayed still on top of Kamito’s hand.

“…This is convenient.”

“I know!”

—And with that, after a few minutes.

In the room, the sound of something being fried resounded.

Spinach, bacon and sliced garlic were fried with butter.

Next to the frying pan, there was pasta just enough for two, boiling in a pot.

“If I recall right, she said she likes it al dente.”

He chewed one piece of pasta to check.

“Hn, this is just right. Claire, where are the cutlery –“

He put down the frying pan and turned around… There was no one in the room.

“…Eh? Where is she?”

He looked around the room restlessly.

The hell cat, lying down near his feet, purred and reached out its forelimb.

Once the fire was extinguished, he looked at the front of its forelimb –

From the other side of the door in the room, faint water sound could be heard.

“Oh, she’s showering.”

The shower installed in the room was a type of spirit device, which used the power of the water spirit.

To be clean in both mind and body at any time was – the ironclad rule of spirit contractors.

Kamito, feeling relieved, ignited the fire once again –

(… Shower!?)

He turned around again.

(W…why… is she so thoughtlessly defenseless at such a vital moment!)

“…”

Kamito swallowed his saliva.

Saaaaaaa –

Once he was aware of it, the water sound, which resounded in the room, strangely sounded bewitching.

Even if she has a child-like chest, she is still a sixteen year old girl.

Furthermore, her face, without flattery, was cute. Extremely cute.

Her chest was quite a shame but… nevertheless, it was there.

Suddenly, the memory of meeting her in the forest this morning revived.

Her beautifully nude body, with red hair clinging to it.

That properly elastic sensation his hand touched.

(Waaa, don’t recall it, me!)

He shook his hand, shaking off his worldly desires.

At that moment.

“Kyaaa!”

He heard a shriek from the bathroom.

Kamito was taken aback and came to his senses.

(… A scream?)

Perhaps she lost control of the water spirit, causing cold water to come out.

(No, a spirit contractor of her level should not fail in controlling the spirit device –)

“Nooooooooo!”

Bam! The bathroom door suddenly opened and Claire dashed out.

“Wha..!?”

Her dripping wet hair disheveled –

She ran nude towards him in a straight line.

“… Hey, what’s with your appearance–“

Then, Kamito’s hair froze.

She was – not nude.

She was nude but she was not exactly nude.

Transparent jelly-like water was twining itself slimily around her smooth, bare body!

“What’s wrong!? What the heck is –“

“…K…Ka…Kamito, he...lp me…!”

In front of his eyes was Claire, who collapsed on the floor and was gasping in agony.

“…No, don’t look… idiot.…Aaaa!”
[[Image:STnBD_V01_183.jpg|thumb]]
Biku, bikun!

Claire turned red and her nude body was jumping about like it was convulsing.

(…Sorry. It is impossible to not get excited!)

Kamito got flustered and averted his line of sight. On the ther hand, hearing the heavy breathing, stimulated his imagination.

“Ah… Hyaa… don’t…do… that…”

It seemed that the water spirit of the spirit device went wild. Claire was frantically trying to control it but there was no way she could do it in that condition.

“Hold on, I’ll help you right now!”

Kamito closed his eyes and concentrated.

“Unruly spirit of water, comply with my command and settle down!”

While he murmured softly sprit words of Chinju, his right hand was charged with divine power –

“Claire, grab my hand!”

“No, ahh…h!”

While Claire let out a hot long breath, she somehow reached out her hand.

The moment the tip of their fingers touched.

Paan!

The water spirit, which was running wild, had its form collapsed and immediately returned into water.

Claire stayed collapsed on the flooded floor and with her face flushed; she was breathing roughly.

Her untied red hair clinging onto her skin was strangely erotic.

Kamito turned away in a fluster.

“What’s wrong? With a spirit contractor of your level, how did such –“

“U…urm, when I was using the shower, the water spirit suddenly went crazy… such a thing has never happened before.”

While Claire moaned, she slowly got up.

“Fo…for the time being, why don’t you wipe your body. You will catch a cold after all.”

Kamito, with his face turned away, took out and handed over a handkerchief from his pocket.

“Th…thank you…”

Claire nodded and accepted it—

….

“Hey, Kamito”

“Hn. What is it?”

“What is the meaning of this?”

Claire’s voice trembled.

Moreover, somehow the room’s temperature had rapidly risen.

“Ah”

Kamito finally realized it.

….That was right. What was in his uniform’s pocket was not a handkerchief.

That was something he hid in a fluster a while ago.

That silky panty.

Gogogogogogogogogogogo….!

In Claire’s hand, an earnest flaming ball of spirit magic was born.

“Wa…wait, clam down. You’re mistaken, this is a mistake, if I explain you’ll –“

“Shut up! T…turn into cinders, you pervert –!”

===Part 3===

“Kamito, get me another serving!”

“...You sure can eat. You’ll get fat, you know.”

It was minutes after that event. The table was lined up with numerous of Kamito’s home cooking.

There was tuna potato salad to go with the spinach-and-bacon pasta. Pumpkin potage with gratin from the canned salmon, and for dessert, there was fruit yogurt.

They were made with the canned food, of which a great amount was found on the shelf as ingredients; however, Claire seemed full of praise. The act of her gleaming her eyes and stuffing her cheeks with pasta was somewhat awfully cute.

The fire spirit, in the form of a hell cat, was also devouring the canned tuna beside Claire.

Spirits can maintain their own existence, so they do not need material sustenance. However among the high ranking spirits, there were also some rare ones that like human food. Although, it was only as a luxury.

“No problem, I have a constitution that doesn’t get fat.”

Claire placed pasta on the plate and said that with a nonchalant face. Certainly, using spirits consumed physical strength, so it was true that there were a lot of ladies with a slender figure.

“Hey, don’t eat the dessert early. Despite being an ojous-sama, you have bad manners.”

“Unh, shut up! That’s up to me, right, you panty thief!”

“Guu…..”

Kamito groaned. Once she said that, he could not say anything back.

“You are demoted from slave spirit to panty thief spirit.”

“… What kind of spirit is that?”

Somehow, another new variety of spirit was born.

“You really are the worst. O…of all things, you stole my number one favorite panty!”

“I have been saying it wasn’t on purpose!”

“What? Are you being defiant?

Claire glared.

“…No, sorry.”

Kamito bowed his head in embarrassment. Well, no matter how much he thought about it, it was his own fault this time.

While Claire put the tuna potato salad into her mouth, she caught a glance of him.

“Well, I’ll recognize your cooking skills at least. This is very delicious. If you make meals for me every day, I’ll promote you to cooking spirit.”

“I’m grateful for that. By the way, those are almost like words of proposing.”

Upon pointing that out. Claire’s face turned bright red.

“D…don’t be an idiot! Do you want to turn into cinders? Come on, do you want to turn into cinders?

“I..I get it, so stop pointing the fork at me.”

“Hmm… n...next time you say such idiotic things, I’ll really burn you!”

Claire pouted her lips and turned away.

Kamito sighed in relief while he cut and divided the salmon gratin.

“…If only there was some soy, this would be much better, but...”

“What’s that? Food?”

“It’s a seasoning circulated in my hometown. Well, you can’t get it here though.”

Kamito shrugged his shoulders and said that –

“Hometown, huh….”

Claire murmured with her eyelashes slightly lowered.

Somehow –she had an awfully lonely expression.

After that, for a short while, there was only the sound of cutlery being used.

After eating that satisfying dinner, Claire’s mood also got a little better.

Somehow, there was a calm atmosphere.

Kamito suddenly raised his head and looked at Claire.

– He felt that it could be asked now.

He had wanted to ask her, since meeting her this morning in the forest, but did not have a chance to.

“By the way, you –“

“What?”

Claire placed down her cup of black tea.

“Why do you want such a powerful spirit?”

It was a simple question.

Despite using a spirit such as Scarlet, she still risked harming her body to reach out to a ‘Sealed Spirit’. He wanted to know the reason for that.

“…”

Claire –

Cast her slightly perplexed eyes down and murmured.

“There’s someone I want to meet no matter what.”

“Someone you want to meet…?”

Kamito dropped his sight to his left hand, concealed in his black leather glove.

What he lost three years ago, an irreplaceable, important bond which was there –

(So, she’s the same as me…)

The scar engraved at the back of his hand ached.

Claire sighed and inserted her hand into the neckband of her uniform.

“…Yea, I’ll say it. Something that I can’t help but hide.”

What she took out from her chest was a small pendent with silver chains.

At the very center, a shiny crimson red spirit crystal was inserted in it.

Kamito saw a crest engraved there – and raised his voice in surprise.

“A flame lion… the crest of Elstein duke family!?”


Claire silently nodded.

The Elstein duke family. The grand nobles who had served the royal family for generations ever since the founding of the Ordesia Empire.

One of the five princess maidens, who stood at the top among all spirit contractors, — was noble among nobles of spirit princesses, who served directly under the five great elemental lords, that were turning out in great numbers. 

No – that should have been so.

— Till four years ago, when that incident occurred.

Rubia Elstein.

The one who brought a great unprecedented calamity to the Ordesia Empire – The Calamity Queen.

She too, same as the girl in front of him, had burning-like crimson red hair.

“Don’t tell me, you’re…”

“Yes, I am the Calamity Queen – Rubia Elstein’s - little sister.”

Claire looked straight into Kamito’s eyes and nodded.

“…”

Claire Rouge. He had thought that it was an alias.

But, by no means –

(… I see. What she cast away was the Elstein family name.)

In this large continent, there was no one who did not know about that incident.

Four years ago, the spirit princess, serving under the fire elemental lord, – Rubia Elstein suddenly snatched the strongest flame spirit, 'Laevateinn' from the shrine and disappeared.

After learning of the spirit princess’ treachery, the outraged flame elemental lord got fired up and went into a frenzy.

It burned everything related to Elstein duke’s territory, including the Ordesia Empire’s land, the empire took enormous damage. And that did not put the elemental lord’s anger to peace, about a year after that, no matter what method was used, not a single fire could be lit within the Ordesia Empire.

Nobody knew why the fire spirit princess disappeared.

The Ordesia citizens furiously cursed her and, filled with hatred, called her

—The Calamity Queen.

“I want to meet my sister. When I meet her, I want to hear the truth.”

For that, she had to get strong.

She had to obtain the strongest spirit.

With the reward given to the winner of the blade dance –

For the sake of obtaining the right of granting just one desired 'wish'.

Claire’s expression was filled with a tragic determination.

“Besides—“

Claire slightly looked down and muttered.

“This round’s blade dance has that Ren Ashbell participating.”

“…!? Kehoo, kehoo—“

Once that name came out from Claire’s mouth, Kamito reflexively coughed.

“…? What’s wrong?”

“Aaah, that’s bad…”

Ren Ashbell was the winner of the last blade dance.

She suddenly appeared three years ago, the strongest blade dancer.

That blade dance was splendidly vivid. At the finals, even with Numbers candidates of spirit contractors, she overwhelmed them.

Due to her dedicated blade dance, the flame elemental lord’s rage was finally appeased.

“Three years ago, I saw her blade dance at the assembly hall. I also feel that I want to be like that, a noble, strong spirit contractor.”

Claire blushed and looked down a little embarrassed.

“Ever since that day, I’ve always admired her….”

“…I see.”

Kamito looked at Claire with a complicated expression – calmly grasping his fist tightly.

...After that, it was a strangely quiet time.

They tried to talk about anything a number of times but all of it did not last long.

Claire yawned cutely after eating up the dishes on the table. After filling her stomach, she seemed drowsy. Well, she did use a spirit of Scarlet’s level twice in one day, so it was natural.

“Wake me up when it’s time. If you do something funny, cinders.”

“…Wait. Does that mean I have to stay awake for the whole time?”

Kamito complained, and in front of him, Claire was making sleeping breaths.

She had an astonishing ease of falling asleep.

“…Good grief, you’ll catch a cold!”

Kamito carried Claire’s petite body up like a princess.

He carried her to the bed in the corner of the room.

Scarlet walked and jumped onto the bed.

(…Even so, this fellow’s sleeping face is truly angel-like.)

While looking at the face, making the gentle sleeping noise, Kamito smiled bitterly.

When he put Claire to the bed, her cherry blossom lips faintly moved.

“Sister….Father…Mother…”

(Sleep-talking… huh)

He seemed to have somewhat heard something he should not.

Certainly, after the incident of the Calamity Queen disappearing, Elstein duke family’s territory should have been seized and the duke and his wife imprisoned in the Balsas prison –

“…Hn, Kamito.”

“…!?”

He was shocked when his name was called suddenly.

“Ahh, what are you doing, pervert…idiot.”

“…What kind of dream is she having!?”

Kamito muttered while sighing, as he stared at his hand.

After that day three years ago, he hid his left hand with a leather glove.

(You and I are the same, Claire)

(These three years, I have stayed alive to get back my important person.)

Due to his error, he lost it, his former contracted spirit –

===Part 4===

At the same instant, in every room of the female dormitory Claire lived in, a little incident occurred.

The spirits used in the spirit devices in the kitchen, bathroom and etc. suddenly began to go out of control.

After the spirit investigation party investigated the dormitory, it brought it to an end with meager words that the incident was of an unknown cause –

In the darkness shined by the blue moon – a black-winged angel gently alighted at the academy tower.

It was a black haired girl, dressed in a jet black dress.

The girl landed gently on the roof of the female dormitory and smiled pitifully.

“—I wanted to meet you, Kamito.”

On the girl’s palm, wriggling lumps of darkness were floating.

“But you’re still not the true you.”

She reached her hands to the empty sky and the darkness colored orbs drifted and disappeared in the night sky.

“That’s why, I’ll offer up my memories.”

The girl chuckled.

Like a cruel little girl.

Like a pure demon.

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