Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter8

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==The strongest blade dancer==
===Part 1===

Academy Town was a small-scale town within the premises of the Areishia Spirit Academy.

The townscape, lined with stone buildings, was filled with the tumult of people.

While bumping many times over into coming-and-going crowds of people, Kamito was running towards the arena.

—If that was him thinking it too much, it was alright. However, he was feeling strangely uneasy.

(…Absurd. With the loss of her contracted spirit, the blade dance is just...)

While he was out of breath, he ran at full speed, pulling Est’s hand.

He did not understand why he was in such a frantic for her sake.

Claire Rogue was a – tyrant, who was prideful, willful and quick to lash her whip.

However, he somehow could not leave her alone.

(After all, her true self is—)

Kamito stopped at that moment.

“—Here, right?”

Before the arena built at the center of the town, there was a crowd of spectators gathered.

The blade dance was originally a holy ritual to let spirits enjoy themselves – a kind of Kagura.

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However, there was no change to the fact that that was also the highest form of entertainment to humans.

Also, the same as other festivals, the spirits preferred a great number of enthusiastic people.

He showed his academy student badge to the guard and entered inside, and pushed aside clamoring spectators to get to the front.

There were ear-splitting cheers. The sounds of shrills of weapons. The intense blade dance had already started at the arena.

There were about 20 participants. Various types of spirits were jumbled together and fighting.

It was a battle royal system where the last one remaining would earn the right to contract with a powerful military-use spirit.

Kamito searched for Claire—

“…!?”

For that unbelievable sight, he doubted his eyes.

That Claire Rogue was—

Covered all over with wounds and crawling.

Against the contracted spirits boasting tremendous power, Claire was fighting with just a whip and spirit magic.

While her whole body was hit and slammed into a wall, she stood up and fought again and again. 

“Claire—“

He could not go help her. If Kamito got in and helped her, she would be naturally disqualified.

If he did that, she would probably never forgive him.

Kamito bit his teeth and in front of him, Claire was blown away.

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===Part 2===

—Weak. Why am I even so weak?

While being thrown to the ground, Claire strongly bit her lips. The taste of blood spread across her tongue. It seemed that she was cut somewhere inside her mouth. She planned to stand up but her hands went numb and did not move. It seemed to have caused a cerebral concussion. Even several bones of her ribs might be suffering damage.

“Guu…!”

Even so, she still did not raise the surrender card.

She slowly stood up on her shaky legs.

She sternly looked up. At the center of the altar was a worshiped stone pillar. Within that, there was a rank-A battle-class military-use spirit– 'Glasya-Labolas' sealed inside, brought in from the imperial capital.

Having brought down many spirit knights in the past wars, it was a famous giant-man spirit.

(…If I obtain that, I can be strong.)

—Nee-sama surely can be saved!

“Flame – dance in my hand, dance!”

She turned the divine power dwelling within herself into flames and produced a fireball of spirit magic in her palm.

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In her situation where there was no supply of divine power from Scarlet (contracted spirit), even for Claire, who was superior, to produce out such a small flame took all her might. Naturally, such a thing could not bring down spirits.

However, if she aimed for the spirit contractors, possibly – there might be a tinge chance of winning.

“Huh? Do you still plan on doing this? You don’t learn, do you”

—She heard a scorning voice from her front. 

“…!”

She bit her teeth and lifted her head. The two spirit contractors were standing with ridiculing expressions.

They were the Academy’s upper classmen. They were respectively using 'adamantine spirit' and 'magic mirror spirit'. 

“Hey, are you truly not an idiot? You don’t even have a contracted spirit.”

“That very part of you is irritating, you know.”

“…You!”

Aiming at the two upper classmen ridiculing her, Claire released the fireball.

However, the fireball was stopped by the ore-looking adamantine spirit and easily repelled.

“Ahahaa, what’s that, spirit magic? – Do it, 'Adamantine'!”

The girl on the other side cruelly curved her lips and gave an order to her contracted spirit.

The adamantine spirit emitted a blue radiance and rushed and struck Claire’s abdomen.

“Agg…!”

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A mumbling scream escaped from Claire’s mouth.

She did not dare aim her vital points. She was slowly tormenting her and enjoying herself.

This was not a splendor blade dance for spirits to enjoy themselves. It was merely unsightly violence.

“…How cheeky, you. Despite being that Calamity Queen’s younger sister.”

The upper classman’s face was really distorted in hatred. While being hit many times over her whole body, — finally, Claire recalled. These two were colleagues, who were one-sidedly knocked down by Claire at a practice match a month ago. They were resenting about that time.

“What’s with that look? If you don’t give up quickly, you’ll really die!”

“It’s alright if you quickly kneel down and lick our shoes, and yet. Truly, that foolishness is the same as your sister.”

“…Shut…up, be silent.”

Claire tightly grasped the sand scattered on the ground.

“Hn, did you say something?”

“I said… be silent.”

It was no good. She could not restrain it.

(Only abuses at Nee-sama, no matter what, my boiling point for that is low!) 

She put divine power into her left hand, which was grasping sand. A black spirit crest re-engraved and ominously glowed.

And then the moment the path was connected, a horrifying sensation ran all over her body.

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She would not be defeated at such a place. There was no value in her weak self.

(To grasp a more powerful power in my hand –!)

“What… a contracted spirit!?”

The upperclassmen’s eyes opened in surprise.

“If you wish for it, I’ll show you. This is – my true power!”

Gou!

The black flame, released from Claire’s hand, gulped down the adamantine spirit in an instant.

Appeared from within the blazing flame was—

A flickering jet black magic beast.

It was not a noble flame like Scarlet. It was a flame of darkness, showing signs of madness.

Guo…ruuuuuu…

The beast’s hair-raising roar shook the entire atmosphere in the arena.

===Part 3===

“…What’s that!?”

Kamito got up from the audience seatings and shouted.

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The black flame spirit, Claire brought forth, engulfed the adamantine spirit in front of it in an instant.

—It was not Scarlet.

Its appearance was similar to that hell cat but the presence of that divine power was overly ominous.

The jet-black flame spirit bit and crushed the magic mirror spirit at the other side and was devouring those remains like a starving beast. That was not all. The spirits around the black spirit suddenly writhed as if going mad and began eating each other’s existence. 

“The frenzy is spreading…!”

Kamito recalled about the magic spirit that appeared in Astral Zero last night.

And about the water spirit that went out of control in the bathroom.

The spirits, in a frenzy, lost their reasoning and were unable to restrain their powers. Until their own existence extinguished, they would conduct themselves as with their impulses for destruction.

However, that black magic beast –

(It’s forcefully snatching away Clare’s divine power!?)

Claire stood rock still at the center of the arena with an exhausted expression.

From the black spirit crest engraved on her left hand, blood was trickling down.

Her face was pale and her whole body was quivering bit by bit. It looked like she was also barely standing.

If the situation was left as it was, she might lose her life.

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The spectators, who realized that something was strange with the appearance of the spirits, suddenly began a commotion.

The spirit contractor girls, in the arena, were also perplexed at their contracted spirits that suddenly did not listen to their commands.

“Damn, what are the guys in Knights doing?”

Kamito looked around the inside of the arena. Despite being an obvious strange situation, the spirit knights that should have been prepared for unexpected situations were not moving. What was going on?

However, the spirit knights standing at the arena gate were all rooted at the same spot, staring into empty space. The eyes were not focused. It was as if they were entranced –

“…What? What the heck is happening?”

“That’s a crazy spirit, Kamito.”

Est, who was beside him, muttered expressionlessly.

“A crazy spirit?”

“It is a possession-type spirit that bestows berserk-ness to spirits. It isn’t such a high status spirit but the spirit possessed loses its reasoning and, until its own existence vanishes, it will continue to fight.”

“Possess – don’t tell me, that black magic beast is 'Scarlet'!?”

<!--Vanish is used with the same context of being annihilated, however, because the same word is also used to describe a spirit disappearing. Vanish is used-->
“Affirmative. That hell cat is a very powerful spirit, it should not vanish from the extent of being beaten by the magic spirit. It seems that it temporary lost the ability to manifest but–“

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“Is that so…”

The fire remains of the flame spirit remained. However, Claire continuously thought that Scarlet vanished, so she was not able to connect the path.

“—But, in that frenzied condition, vanishing completely is also just a matter of time.”

“Ah, I understand.”

Kamito nodded.

'Scarlet' – a flame spirit with the appearance of a hell cat cladded in noble flames.

That was the very flame of a girl named Claire.

That flame turned into a crazy disgusting magic beast and was indulging and eating the spirits.

Something like that could not be her –Claire’s desired flame.

“—Est. I ask of you, lend me your strength.”

“I am Kamito’s sword. I’ll do as you desire.”

Est gently grasped Kamito’s hand. There was a feeling of a hand, cold but surprisingly soft.

“The cool-headed steel queen, the sacred sword that destroys evil – here and now, become my sword!”

Kamito spun<!--紡ぐ--> the releasing of the elemental waffe; at the same time, Est’s body turned into particles of light and vanished.

In the next moment, a silver glowing single edged sword appeared in Kamito’s hand.

The spirit language inscription, carved on the edge, was – 'Terminus Est '.

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Just by lightly holding it, he understood that it was tremendously famous sword.

“I’m sorry. The path to my true form is closed, so this is the limit for me currently.”

Est, who turned into the form of a sword, said apologetically.

“No, this is plenty. – Let’s go, Est!”

Kamito prepared Terminus Est and jumped into the arena where the raging black flame was.

The moment he landed onto the ground, the magic beast of darkness bared its fangs and prounced to attack him.

He brandished the sword in a turning manner. He knocked away the black flame, and rushed over to Claire’s side.

“Claire!”

“…Kamito”

Claire opened her ruby-colored eyes.

Her knees were on the ground and she was breathing heavily. Her delicate body was going to collapse at any time.

The blood, trickling from the spirit crest on her left hand, was dying the sand scattered on the ground red.

At that moment, the black flame magic beast mowed onto the ground, like it was making fun of it, with its claws.

There was the scent of burning in the air. The hot wind with pebbles mixed in gently brushed Kamito’s cheeks.

“…!?”

In a hair’s breadth, Kamito dodged the black flame’s claws. He drove in a slash at the black flame spirit that was just knocked down.

The silver sword flash drew an arc. The elemental waffe of the sword spirit cut up even the intangible flames –

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The black flame magic beast let out an ear-splitting scream and broke up in the air. It didn't mean that it vanished. The flames that were scattered were burning at their respective positions and formed a flaming wall surrounding Kamito in it. Kamito clicked his tongue and stopped at that spot.

“Claire, get yourself together, come to your senses!”

“Wh…what… Why are you here—“

A confused expression surfaced on Claire’s face –

“…!?”

Then, as if just began to realize it, she opened her eyes in terror.

The scene that flew into her eyes was a cruel disastrous scene.

There was a blazing disgusting black flame.

A group of spirits was in a frenzy and devouring each other.

The students of the academy were losing their consciousness from having their divine power eaten and falling down to the ground one by one –

“Claire, is this the power you wanted? Something like this? That’s your flames!”

Kamito shouted as if he was throwing up.

While he cleared away the attacking flame with the sword, he reached out his hand towards Claire.

“I…I…—“

Claire moved her lips with her pale facial expression –

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She instantly shook her head as if she had changed her mind.

“Sh…shut up! I… I need the power!”

The red twin-tail hair violently sprung up.

The black flame blazed even more as if responding to Claire’s fury.

“…You don’t understand. My feelings of being always alone –“

Claire lied face down and said that gaspingly.

That day, four years ago, was when the still childish Claire Elstein’s life ended.

The girl, who was betrayed by her most loved sister, had both her parents imprisoned and lost everything, was –

To live taking persecutions as Calamity Queen’s sister.

If she didn't become strong alone, she would not be able to live on.

“…You’re not alone, idiot.”

“Eh?”

At Kamito’s words—

Claire raised her head with a blank expression.

“I am here. I’ll be by your side. After all, I’m –“

Kamito approached Claire with a step.

The flame wall in their surroundings burned with intimidation.

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“D…Don’t come here…”

“Claire—“

“Do not come here!”

Pashin! –She closed her eyes and strongly struck her leather whip at Kamito’s cheek.

Red blood flowed from his cheek. Kamito did not even wipe that and took another step—

“…!? Why didn’t you avoid it?”

Claire’s cherry blossom-colored lips were quivering.

“I didn’t plan on hitting… and yet.”

Kamito stood before Claire and slowly raised his hand over his head.

“…!”

Claire thought it was a strike, and reflexively closed her eyes tightly.

Then—

….Poff.

“Eh?”

Claire widely opened her ruby-colored eyes.

She looked up at Kamito with a blank expression.

“—Claire, I like your flames.”

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Kamito stirred up and crumpled Claire’s red hair.

“…Wh!? Ah, …li…like… Eh?”

Claire’s cheeks were dyed bright red inside.

“It burns prettily, dazzlingly and nobly. I like your flames.”

“Ah, sh…sh…”

—That was why he wanted to protect those flames.

“If you want power –“

Kamito looked straight into Claire’s eyes and said.
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“I’ll be your contracted spirit.”


“Kamito…”

In Claire’s red eyes, a drop of tear surfaced—

Confused, she wiped it with her uniform sleeve.

“Wh…what are you saying? You are originally my slave spirit!”

“Ah, that is right…”

Kamito bitterly smiled and gently removed his hand from Claire’s head.

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At that moment, he sliced and drove away the black flame magic beast that roared and came attacking with the sword.

With his back facing Claire, he blocked its way like a knight protecting a princess.

“—Hey, Scarlet. Did you forget your precious master?”

With Kamito’s words thrown at it, the black flame that cladded the magic beast trembled for a moment.

Scarlet – it seemed to respond to that name.

“…Scarlet?”

Claire asked.

“Ah, it wasn’t that your partner vanished. It just temporary lost its power. Although, it’s now possessed by a crazy spirit and has turned into such an appearance.”

“…Scarlet is alive!?”

Claire was taken aback and raised her head. Kamito nodded.

“Ah, this sword – Est informed me.”

“… That’s, by no means, that sword spirit?”

“That’s right. But probably even a tenth of her original power still can’t be used.”

Taking a stance with Terminus Est in both his hands, Kamito turned towards the black flame magic beast.

“…”

Claire stared at the thunderously raging black flame.

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She saw something within that flame and swiftly raised her head –

“…Yes that is Scarlet.”

She wiped her tears to shake it off.

“If that’s the case –“

“Claire, stand back. A frenzied spirit will attack even its contractor.”

Kamito controlled Claire, who planned to go to the front, with his hand –

Claire stopped that hand and shook her head.

“Scarlet is in a frenzy because of me. Therefore, only I can take her back.”

—Flames, dance in my hand, dance!

Spun from her cherry blossom-colored lips was the spirit language aria.

At that moment, a small fireball was born at the palm of her hand.

“Spirit magic? What can such a small fireball –“

“— Like this.”

At that instant, Claire pushed the burning fireball into her left hand.

There was the sound of flesh burning.

“O…oi, Claire!?”

“…A…gu…uuuu—!”

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While barely clenching her teeth, Claire moaned in anguish.

On her pale face, perspiration like waterfalls flowed along her chin.

“You…!”

Kamito finally understood.

The black spirit crest, re-engraved on Claire’s left hand – that was the symbol of contract with that crazy spirit.

The spirit crest was an exclusive 'gate' to connect the path between Astral Zero and this world.

If that was destroyed, naturally, the contract with the spirit would be annulled.

Claire was physically burning the spirit crest and was breaking the contract with the crazy spirit!

Guorooooouuu…

The magic beast, cladded in black flames, raged like a thunderous wind.

With the path being burned off, it shared the same pain as Claire, its contractor.

“Sorry, Scarlet, I too… will endure—“

Claire was putting up with the pain and that moment when Claire’s knees hit the ground –

The frenzied magic beast roared and sprung at Claire.

“—!”

Kamito quickly stepped in and got into the magic beast’s bosom in one bound.

The claws, cladded in flames burned the ends of his hair and at that instant – he mowed down with the sword when they passed each other.

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There was a flashing sword swing. At the same time, the red hot flames that melts even iron attacked Kamito’s whole body –

“Kamito!”

Claire’s scream resounded.

However, Kamito’s body had already disappeared.

The moment the sword and the claws crossed, he dodged like a shadow and had turned to the flame spirit’s back.

(—A frenzied spirit certainly has its power greatly increased.)

The black flame spirit turned behind – but it was too late.

(However, no matter what, its movement became dull. In that case, it can’t win against me—)

Kamito kicked the ground and sharply turned, and swung the silver shining Terminus Est—

With that stroke of the sword, the black flame, possessing the flame spirit, was severed and killed.

“—Claire, are you alright?!”

Kamito rushed over, Claire was lying on the floor with a pale face.

From her red forelock clinging onto her forehead, drops of perspiration was dripping down.

“A…guu…!”

A gasping, like it was hoarse from her inner throat, leaked out. Her left hand sustained a severe burn.

Just the texture of her thin pretty skin was hideously burned that that scar was too painfully to look at.

However, the black spirit crest that was engraved disappeared without leaving any trace.

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With this, the path with that crazy spirit should be completely severed.

“That was so reckless. Look, I’ll treat it for you, so show it to me.”

“I…I’m fine, it’s just this much…”

Claire’s cheeks slightly turned red and she quickly turned away.

At that moment, intense pain was running all over, she softly screamed “Hyauu” and her eyes turned teary.

“What, you’re not being honest.”

“S…shut up, I’ll turn you into cinders!”

Kamito bitterly smiled at Claire’s usual behavior.

—However, this is the usual Claire Rogue.

She was not suited to have just a sorrowful face.

“By the way, where—“

Suddenly, Kamito turned serious and asked.

“What…”

“Where did you contract something like the crazy spirit?”

“That’s—“

Claire stammered with her words and at that time.

“Ah, did you receive my present with pleasure?”

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From behind, they heard such an inappropriate voice.

It was a gentle voice, like downy hair tickling one’s earlobe.

“…!?”

It sounded familiar – that was out of the question.

For three years, he always – yearned to hear it, that voice.

Kamito slowly turned around.

And there –

A beautiful girl, wearing a dark black dress, was giggling.

===Part 4===

Kamito stood still at that place with a frozen expression.

“Don't tell me, tha..t’s…”

What was there was –

A girl, who was the very light to Kamito.

She gave the boy, who had closed his heart into a cold cage, a warm light –

“…Res…tia?”

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Kamito muttered in a blurry voice.

“—It has been quite a long time, Kamito.”

The girl, wearing a darkness-color dress, impishly smiled.

…It was unbelievable.

However, that appearance was as it was from that time, three years ago.

That beautiful face, without doubt, belonged to the girl, who Kamito knew.

The darkness spirit, Restia.

The contracted spirit of the strongest blade dancer – Ren Ashbell.

“Restia, I—“

Kamito reached out his hand and planned to approach the girl.

However, his legs, as if they were sewed on to that place, could not move.

Despite that the girl, who he was continuously searching for even three years, was in front of him —

— Something was strange. His spirit contractor intuition was telling him that.

She was smiling like that.

Moveover, in the girl’s hand, what was that ominous black lump?

“I wanted to meet you, Kamito. However –“

The girl faced that black lump at the altar in the center and threw it there.

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“…?”

“Let’s leave the hug to the next opportunity. Look, as that child is waking up.”

When the black lump turned into a fog in midair, it surrounded the worshipped stone pillar at the altar.

The stone pillar that was brought in from the imperial capital and sealed the military-use spirit.

“Restia…What in the world are –“

Kamito muttered and at that time.

Suddenly, the ground violently shook.

“What…!?”

“Ah, looks like it has already woken up.”

“Restia…?”

“Kamito, be careful! She is the one, who gave me that crazy spirit!”

Claire shouted to Kamito, who was being absentminded.

“Wh…at…!?”

At that moment, a ground-shaking roar resounded.

Pishii—the stone pillar enveloped in the black fog got greatly cracked.

Zu…zuzu…zuzuzuzu…!

From the tear of the cracked stone pillar, a giant human hand appeared.

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That was –

(Glasya-Labolas is – going in a frenzy!?)

Taken aback, he turned around. Restia was giggling.

That somewhat devilish smile was something Kamito had never seen.

“—Good bye, Kamito. Let’s meet again.”

“Restia… What is going on!? What are you –“

“Because that is your wish.”

“…!?”

Kamito’s face froze.

“Wait – Please wait, Restia!”

“I had waited, it has already been three years.”

“Resti…”

Restia smiled once again and disappeared into the empty space that became a black fog.

Kamito dropped both his hands like he was exhausted and stood still there dumbfounded.

— He did not understand what happened.

(Restia gave Claire that crazy spirit…?)

He could not believe it. No, he did not want to believe it. 

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However, the girl’s appearance belonged to the darkness spirit that he had been certainly continuously searching for.

His former contracted spirit.

The girl showed Kamito, who lost the human heart, his first warm light.

If that girl changed, that –

(It’s my fault… I had changed her into something different.)

The blade dance three years ago.

Kamito, who was victorious as Ren Ashbell, —

Attempted to have a 'wish' that humans can never wish for to be granted.

For that reason, he decided to lose her.

He believed that she would be alive somewhere.

The aching of spirit crest engraved on his left hand whispered.

—She would be alive again. He could still make up for his crimes.

By no means, it became that they met up again in such a manner – it was something he never thought of.

“Restia… Is this my punishment?”

If that was the case, it was too – cruel.

Like his whole body’s strength was drawn out and he was going to collapse, his knees hit the ground.

He was plunged into darkness. <!--He lost all hope.-->

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“Kamito!? Hey, are you listening, Kamito!”

Even Claire’s voice calling for Kamito was only absentmindedly heard.

Once again, the ground violently shook.

Passing through the 'gate' opened in the empty space, Glasya-Labolas was attempting to emerge out here.

The wall of the arena collapsed due to the tremor and a large amount of rubble poured down over Kamito’s head.

Just before his body was going to be crushed – that moment.

Pashii – Kamito’s head was twined around by a whip.

“…Guoo!”

Kamito was violently dragged along the ground and he made an anguishing voice.

Immediately after, large amount of rubble fell at that place where Kamito had been at.

There was a thunderous sound. Cloud of dust fluttered up in the air.

…If he was crushed, he would have, without a doubt, died.

“Idiot! Wh…what are you doing!”

Over his head, Claire took up a daunting pose and shouted.

“Hey, do you want to die? Or do you want to turn to cinders?”

“No, not those two choices – Guoo!”

“Hmm, to retort, you are alright, aren’t you!”

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Claire constricted Kamito’s head with her whip and with a jerk, drew her face closer.

“…”

It was at a point-blank distance as if the tips of their noses were touching.

Her ruby-colored pupils, filled with a strong will, were before his eyes.

Nevertheless in such a moment, Kamito was reflexively startled.

“…Come on, what? What is it?”

Seemingly noticing that her face was too close, Claire’s cheeks turned red and she slightly loosened her whip.

“It…it’s not like I’m particularly interested but … for once, listen up.”

“Wh…what…”

“That girl just now, h…how is she related to you?”

“She –“

Kamito averted his eyes from Claire, from her eyes.<!--カミトは、透き通ったクレアから瞳から目を逸らした。-->

“Was my contracted spirit.”

“Spirit?”

Kamito silently nodded and clenched his left hand.

“…It’s my fault. It’s my fault that she –“

The thoughts of Kamito, who sank into the dark abyss once again,—

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