Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume10 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 3===

...A dream. One that she seldom dreamt, a dream about that particular day.

"No way... I won't believe it..."

Young Claire could be heard crying her eyes out in the front gates.

"Nee-sama couldn't possibly have done that...!"

Several horse-drawn carriages were waiting in front of the gates of the massive castle built on a gentle hill.

As Claire cried, the Empire's soldiers were taking away her parents before her eyes.

After a nominal trial at the imperial capital, Duke and Duchess Elstein were sentenced to Barses<!--バルサス--> Prison that was notorious for detaining political prisoners.

"...Father... Sniff... Mother... Waaaaaaaaaaaah!"

As Claire cried loudly, she clutched her one-piece dress, creasing the hem completely.

But no one came to help her. All the retainers who used to act so gently were now casting ice-cold gazes at her.

Rather than compassion or sadness, their gazes were filled with hatred and derision. After the Elstein family lost their title and their lands, the daughter held no residual value at all.

"&mdash;Stand up, younger sister of the traitor."

A haughty officer violently pulled young Claire by the hand.

"That Elstein spirit contracted to you, return it to the imperial family."

"...Eh?"

"Return your spirit to the imperial family. Come on, hurry and stand up!"

"...No, no way!"

Claire shook her head and pleaded.

"Scarlet is my precious friend."

"Shut up! You're the younger sister of the traitor who shamed the Empire!"

The officer slapped Claire, completely without mercy.

"...!"

"Are you trying to delay me from finishing my job!?"

"I-It hurts... Yaaaaaaa....!"

Claire screamed as she was dragged forcefully by the arm.

"Hey, hold on. Getting serious with a child is just simply unsightly&mdash;"

&mdash;Suddenly someone grabbed the officer's arm from the side.

"This girl and the flame spirit shall be under my supervision for now."

"W-What did you say? Dame Greyworth!"

The officer looked at that person fearfully.

"I can sense exceptional talent from this girl. Wrecking the opportunity here would be quite a shame. If she went to study at my Academy, I'm certain she will become an excellent elementalist."

"Th-This is no joking matter! This girl is the younger sister of that Calamity Queen!"

"...So what? Are you objecting to my decision, one made by the Dusk Witch?"

With eyes as sharp as an eagle's, she glared at the officer.

"O-Of course not, if Dame Greyworth says so, how would I dare..."

The officer nodded reluctantly.

"Dame Greyworth, this will only worsen your position within the imperial palace, you know?"

Greyworth simply shrugged in response to the threat.

Once the officer and the soldiers had left, she bowed her head and looked down at Claire.

Even someone as ignorant in worldly affairs as Claire would have heard of the Dusk Witch's title.

Served by a powerful demon spirit, reputed to have vanquished even archdemon-class spirits, the continent's strongest elementalist.

"Stand up, Elstein lass."

"...!"

"Don't make me repeat myself. Hurry and get up."

"Y-Yes...!"

Claire timidly stood up.

"The parents who have protected you until now are gone. Are you ready to decide your own fate by your own will?"

"Yes&mdash;"

Young Claire was faced with a choice.

At that point in time, it was still possible for Claire to hand over Scarlet to the imperial family, move away to another place to hide her identity and live the rest of her life as an ordinary girl.

As for her other choice, a cruel fate undoubtedly awaited her.

&mdash;But Claire had already made her decision.

"I will see my elder sister again. To see her and to find out the truth!"

"...Very well, then become strong, Elstein lass."

Seeing something in Claire's eyes as she nodded&mdash;

Greyworth narrowed her eagle-like eyes and smiled.

&mdash;Several months after that, having already abandoned the Elstein name, Claire placed first in the entrance exams for Areishia Spirit Academy, thereby entering the gateway to success through the preparatory institution for Ordesia's prestigious families.

However, that was merely the beginning of Claire's trials.

"...Did you know? That girl is the younger sister of the Calamity Queen."

"Woah! Why would such a scary child be in the same academy as us?"

Mercilessly targeted by hateful and derisive gazes, Claire spent every single day in fear.

Even so, she did not run away because she had resolved herself to her goal of meeting her sister once again.

"Hey, did you know? Having a girl like you around here is very troubling."

"I-I'm sorry, but..."

"So, how about we destroy this spirit seal for you?"

"N-No, don't...!"

"What are you people doing!?"

Rinslet yelled as she rushed into Claire's classroom.

"Ara, are you trying to oppose your elders?"

"Even as a daughter of the Laurenfrost family, you are just a student like everyone else within this school."

The upperclassmen nobles mocked.

"Indeed, family background means nothing within the Academy. Let us decide the victor purely through power?"

Rinslet smiled with composure as she released a magical snowstorm at the upperclassmen.

"Woah! W-We'll get you next time!"

Leaving behind such words, the girls fled frantically.

"Rinslet-chan... Th-Thank you."

"Hmph, it's not like I wanted to help you. I simply hate that sort of people."

Rinslet blushed and shifted her gaze away.

"I-I must become stronger..."

"...Claire?"

Rinslet watched in amazement as Claire immersed herself in deep thought.

"That's right, I'll become stronger... Much much stronger, stronger than anyone else..."

Strong enough to obtain victory in the Blade Dance, to meet up with her older sister again.

...Then on that day, three years ago, Claire met ''her''.

Rather, it did not really count as meeting for Claire simply idolized her from afar.

The Strongest Blade Dancer&mdash;Ren Ashbell.

An otherworldly beauty, roughly the same age as her.

Love at first sight. Claire wished to become just as strong, to be able to perform a blade dance just as elegant.

In the center of the arena where confetti flew, the black-haired girl was surrounded by tremendous cheers.

The face of the girl began to overlap with a young man's face familiar to Claire&mdash;