Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter2

Chapter 2: The Young Ladies' Afternoon

Part 1

"Mugugug..."

Claire Rouge was stuffing a cream bun down her throat.

It was an unusual scene for her, who took it as a creed— that nobles are always elegant.

"Don't binge, you'll get fat you know."

Kamito glared with his eyes half-opened and Claire struck the table like she was frustrated.

"But, but, urggggh!"

"Claire. That's my jam bun."

Est protested calmly.

This place was a salon café that was inside the academy.

From the opened terrace, the soft daylight was shining in.

The three of them were sitting and having a slightly late lunch at a round table near a window.

Inside the bamboo basket, placed right in the middle, there was a pile of jam buns, melon buns, sausage buns and so on, all kinds of buns.

Any student could use the café and on top of that the freshly baked buns were all-you-can-eat. Coffee and black tea also had free refills.

There was also an eatery in the academy but as it charged a fee equal to a high-class restaurant in the imperial capital, for Kamito, who was not even a noble, and Claire, who had her fortune and territory confiscated, they simply could not use it.

"Our team ranking dropped again."

Claire lay, prostrated, on the table and groaned.

"We were matched up with a superior team. It can't be helped."

"That may be true... but our true strength is absolutely greater."

Claire tightly bit and closed her lips. Although they were at a disadvantage in number, she seemed to be unable to understand and accept losing to lower rank spirit contractor opponents.

It was certain that their level as spirit contractors was superior.

The cause of their defeat was that they did not execute the coordination between the both of them well. Claire over-relied on her strength and chased her opponents too far and Kamito too could not rely on Claire in a definite scenario.

With just the queen piece, it was not possible to win— in other words, it was something like that.

"Despite that, it's not the time to be stumbling at such a place..."

There was a reason that Claire binged on the buns to the extent that she looked to be in a hurry.

The regulation of the blade dance held in two months was different from the individual battle three years ago, if they do not put together a five-member team, they could not participate. And then, only the top three teams of the inter-school rankings could participate from Areishia Spirit Academy.

Kamito, who had just come to the academy, had no achievements that could raise his ranking.

To raise one's ranking, one had to win a formal practice match like this morning's or complete a task assigned by the academy; however, he had not achieved either of them.

Defeating the giant spirit the other day, dueling with Sylphid Knights captain Ellis Fahrengart or even battling the frenzied demon spirit, those were all informal battles and did not reflect in the rankings.

On the other hand, for Claire, who should have been superior and tower above the rest as a spirit contractor—

It was especially surprising that she somehow had the result of the lowest class.

There was only one reason. It was because she was completing all the tasks alone.

She failed when she challenged the tasks that should be originally completed by a team and she was defeated when she challenged upper classmen opponents alone in a championship match. If she did such a thing, no matter how superior she was as a spirit contractor, there was no way her ranking could raise.

There was a reason that Claire was isolated in the academy.

Rubia Elstein.

Four years ago, while she had the position of a spirit princess serving the fire spirit king, she betrayed the spirit king, disappeared and brought about an unprecedented great calamity to the empire— The Calamity Queen.

Claire, who was her younger sister, was being looked at with eyes of contempt and fear from most of the academy students.

Claire's reason for participating in the blade dance was to restore the Elstein family name and —above all else— to know the truth regarding her elder sister Rubia Elstein.

—It was not the time to be stumbling at such a place.

Blood-oozing emotions were filled in Claire's rough words.

"For now, we should also find comrades quickly. I understood it with this morning's match. If we stay as we are now, then, far from winning the blade dance, we can't even get into the top three ranks of the participation requirement."

The boy, who was called the strongest blade dancer three years ago, accepted his greatest weakness honestly.

At first he just came to the academy due to Greyworth's request but now he clearly had a reason that he should regain his strength from three years ago.

It was the darkness spirit, Restia— his former contracted spirit.

It was to take her back with his own hands.

The girl who gave light to Kamito's life for the first time, which was caught in darkness before.

And then, the girl, who gave a heartbroken Claire the frenzy spirit and tried to drive the giant spirit mad in the middle of the town.

Restia, who he met again, had greatly transformed from the girl Kamito once knew.

—What on earth happened to her?

So, for the sake of knowing that, he absolutely had to meet the participation requirements to the blade dance.

"Kamito, what's wrong? You're making such a serious face."

"Did you forget to put sugar into your coffee?"

Claire and Est peered in with their faces with a worried look.

"No, sorry, it's just..."

"By any chance, is it about your former contracted spirit?"

She was mysteriously sharp at such a time.

Kamito quickly averted his eyes from the ruby pupils that came peering in.

"...Well. It's okay. But I'll properly tell you when I feel like talking."

Claire did not try to dig deeper into it. Despite always being arrogant, there were occasionally times where she showed such consideration.

"...Ah, I understand."

Kamito nodded and there—

"Ah, everyone, having lunch?"

A cool but elegant voice was heard.

Kamito turned around. And there was—

A magnificently platinum-blonde haired beautiful girl was standing.

The very appearance of a noble ojou-sama.

With her smooth milky white skin, were her emerald eyes that locked up a faint radiance.

That appearance, where she brushed her hair with her hand at her waist looked strangely good.

Rinslet Laurenfrost.

A classmate of the same Raven Class as Kamito and self-named rival of Claire's.

Due to her rivalry with Claire, she was trying to make Kamito into her manservant. A troubling ojou-sama.

Right beside her was—

"Fufu, what a delicious smell."

The girl, who was dressed in a maid uniform, was standing there with a gentle smile.

She was wearing a long skirt attached with neat frills, her hair was cut into short bobs and she slightly put on a lovely white brim on her head.

She was Rinslet's exclusive maid, Carol.

He did not know why there was a maid in the academy but he did not see maids other than her in the academy; it was surely an exception for the Laurenfrost family.

"...Why did you come here, Rinslet?"

Claire swallowed her bun and sternly glared at her.

"I just happened to pass by. What a very simple lunch, having just buns."

Rinslet brushed her hair and looked down on the three of them calmly.

"Milady is saying that she wants to eat together with everyone."

"Wh... Carol, what are you saying!"

*Poka!* *Poka!* Rinslet's face turned bright red as she hit Carol's shoulders.

As expected of her exclusive maid, it was a magnificent interpretation.

"Sit down both of you. You came after all, so let's eat together."

Kamito suggested and Claire stepped on his foot hard.

"Ouch, what are you doing?!"

"Nothing? I just thought you lack constancy ...Idiot."

"I...it's n...not like I particularly want to eat together with you all!"

"Milady is saying it'll be nice to sit next to Kamito."

"Carol!"

Carol soothed Rinslet, who turned bright red, and got her to sit down.

Rinslet, who sat next to Kamito, averted her eyes and spoke.

"...H...How are your injuries?"

"Ah, it's mostly healed. All thanks to the healing spirit."

It was about the injury he got from the time he fought the giant spirit. Probably because he overdid it, it'll take a little longer then he thought, but as expected, the academy's spirit medical care was excellent.

"Fufu, Milady has been continuously worrying about Kamito-sama."

"Carol, d...don't say anything unnecessary!"

Rinslet snapped with a grinding noise.

"However, it is also natural that Milady would be worried. After all, Kamito-sama is under one roof with Milady Claire, so it is not odd even if something should happen."

"Wha...What are you saying, you stupid maid! There's no way such things would happen."

This time it was Claire who snapped.

"...What kind of worry is that?"

Est was munching and eating a melon bun beside Kamito, who sighed.

With just that, Rinslet and Carol ended up having lunch together too.

Even Claire, who appeared upset at the beginning, eventually talked about this morning's match. After that, which store's cake was delicious, how boring the lecture over the introduction of the foundation of spirit learning was, and just like that normal girl-like conversations were beginning to bloom.

Somehow these two were on pretty good terms. Especially for Claire, who was being isolated in the academy, it could be said that she might be her only friend.

"That reminds me, it seems that a newly admitted student is coming to Raven Class."

"Our class? Despite the fact that Kamito just came in recently?"

"Yeah, I hear it's a daughter of noble social status."

"Hmm, but, even if we're now talking about noble social status in this academy. There's the Fahrengart family and the Laurenfrost family... isn't this a bargain sale of noble social status?"

"Hey! Would you please not lump the militaristic Fahrengart family with the true pedigree Laurenfrost family?"

"I don't care about such things... What's wrong, Kamito?"

At any rate, Raven Class was famous for gathering superior problem children.

He just thought that if people like Claire and Rinlset were to increase, it would be troublesome.

"In the practical skill entrance examination that took place in the morning, she seems to use a holy spirit."

The maid, Carol, took out a memo from her chest and said.

Carol's maid memo pad— aka «Carol's notes», was stuffed with data on the academy students and teachers... He did not understand well what on earth she used it for.

"Hmm, a holy spirit user?..."

The holy spirit is one of the five grand element spirits but there were not that many spirit contractors who used it.

It was a spirit, whose pride was extremely high and chose its own user.

Among princess maidens, it was said that it only opens its heart to specially pure noble girls.

Because even in the competition three years ago, a holy spirit user gave him a tough fight...

After all, a holy spirit had an extremely bad compatibility with the darkness spirit Kamito was contracted with.

But then, at that time, Kamito's strength completely surpassed the opponent spirit contractor's, that was why he did not lose.

"Ah, by the way, it seems like it's a very lovely big-chested girl."

"Carol, from where on earth did you procure such information?"

"Ah, Kamito-san, are you interested?"

Carol placed her hand near her mouth and smiled.

"Hmm, you are very concerned about the information of a big-chested admitted student, huh?"

"Eh?"

Gogogogogogogo......!

Kamito turned around and Claire raised her eyebrows and was glaring at him.

"Really, men are just idiots!"

"Kamito, do you have no distinction? Are you just a beast without reason?"

Somehow, even Rinslet and Est were glaring—

Gyuuuuuuuuu!

Kamito's cheeks were pinched by the three of them.

This is unreasonable...

Part 2

After various things, the lunch of buns ended and it was time to rest.

"Ahh, that reminds me—"

Ahem! Rinslet cleared her throat and said,

"Have you gathered your blade dance team members?"

"...N...not yet."

Claire shook her head in shame to Rinslet, who asked.

It seemed that she knew that answer beforehand. Rinslet smiled,

"Ah, you still have not? I have asked something bad."

Fufun! She held up her tea cup in an elegant movement.

Claire sullenly talked back.

"It's just that there isn't a person who matches up to our desired level. What about you? Have you decided on your members?"

"Tha...that's ... I just have not found a person who balances with my level!"

"Eh? Rinslet, you couldn't gather anyone either?"

Kamito tilted his head to the side.

Rinslet's ability, who uses the demon ice spirit «Fenrir», is about on par with Claire's.

He was thinking that if it was her, she would already be in great demand but...

"Fo...for now, there isn't, for now!"

Rinslet's face turned red and she quickly turned away.

"Kamito-san, Milady—"

"Uh huh?"

Carol tugged Kamito's sleeves and came to his side, telling him the reasons in his ear.

"The truth is... mumbling..."

"Hmm..."

According to Carol's words—

It seemed that although she had tried gathering a team several times, so far, the expectations she desired from her members were too high and things didn't go smoothly because of her excessively high pride. The teams she gathered, repeatedly broke up and so, there were no students left to invite.

...How should he say it, it was indeed a Rinslet-like reason.

"Hmm, her pride is certainly high but... she truly is good girl, regardless."

"That's right..."

Carol earnestly nodded.

"Carol, what were you talking about with Kamito-san!?"

"It was concerning the order in which Milady washes her body in the bath."

"Carol!"

Glancing at the playful ojou-sama and maid, Claire deeply sighed.

"Haa... I wonder if there's really no one... A superior spirit contractor who would enter our team."

"...We...well, your circumstances aren't good."

Chiraa.

Rinslet coughed and looked at Claire with one eye.

"That's right. Preferably, I should try approaching the newly admitted student that was just mentioned. Perhaps it might be an unexpected bargain."

"That is right. However, there might be an even better member unexpectedly closeby."

Chiraa. Chiraa.

...Kamito finally realized.

Ahh, I see. So that's the reason she brought up the subject about the team.

"Hey, Claire, just a minute—"

"What? Faa, do..don't suddenly breathe into my ear."

"What are you turning red for? Lend me your ear for a while and listen."

Kamito whispered into Claire's ear in a quiet voice.

"Somehow, this ojou-sama obviously wants to join us as comrades, but is that no good?"

"Absolutely not."

Claire immediately replied.

"Why? Rinslet's battle strength is adequate."

"That's... even I recognize her strength. However, no. We suffered in the duel with Ellis a while ago, didn't we? Because she doesn't even think the slightest about teamwork."

"Well, wh..."

It was certain that in the duel with Ellis's group the other day, despite being a sniper, she was standing in the most conspicuous place for some reason and was knocked down in the beginning.

"Be...besides, Rinslet ... about you ..."

"Hn? Did you say something?"

"I..it's nothing, at any rate, it's a no! Rinslet is not allowed!"

"No, without saying such things, isn't she somewhat pitiful?"

"Wh...what are you two sneakily talking about?!"

While twirling the front of her platinum blonde hair with her index finger, Rinslet was staring at them with a fidgety, uncomposed behavior.

"Wh...?"

"......"

Claire groaned seemingly unhappy.

"...I got it. I'll try asking once."

She sighed deeply and nodded. There were two months remaining till the opening of the blade dance. She might have reconsidered that it wasn't the time to be stating her desires anymore.

"Hey, Rinslet."

"Wh...what is it, Claire Rouge?"

Rinslet's voice was tensed and sounded slightly excited.

"You wouldn't, by any chance, want to enter my team?"

"Id...idiot, don't ask Rinslet!"

Kamito shouted in a soft voice.

Asking Rinslet, who was a highly prideful girl, in such a way—

Rinslet's finger, which was tampering with the front of her hair stopped.

"Hm, if you think about what you suddenly said—"

She placed her hand at her waist and pointed at Claire, in a thrust.

"Aren't you the ones who want to join my team?"

"Huh?"

Claire's eyebrows sternly lifted up.

"What are you saying? Are you an idiot? You'll join my team!"

"Rejected, rejected, rejected. You two will join my team!"

The two ojou-sama quarreled about something trivial.

...It was a perfectly parallel line.

"Either way is the same, right..."

Kamito retorted,

"It's completely different!"

They shouted in stereo mode. Only at such a time were their breaths in sync.

"...Uhm it's no good, these guys. Something like a team is absolutely impossible."

"Really, can't you guys keep quiet? This is a public place!"

A cold voice resounded in the salon café.

Everybody turned around—

At the café's entrance, a ponytailed beautiful girl, who was wearing light armor, was standing.

"Ellis!"

Claire sullenly groaned. ...Another hindrance came. She had such a facial expression.

Ellis Fahrengart.

The captain of the Sylphid Knights, who observed the academy's public morals.

She had a charming appearance not matching that of her strict personality. Her mutual relation with Claire's group, from Raven Class, who normally caused problems, seemed bad.

Although to Kamito, it did not mean that she was such a hard-to-deal-with person.

At first, when Kamito entered into the academy, just because he was a male spirit contractor, she was prejudiced against him but she had remorsefully apologized about that matter.

Even if there were times where she was a little overly serious with her straightforward personality, for which she held a strong belief, he could respect the part of her that held the pride of a knight.

Ellis came walking, briskly, towards the table.

"Captain-sama, what business do you have with us?"

"If it's about redoing the duel, I'll accept it anytime."

Rinslet and Claire, both of their eyes wore a dangerous light.

On that subject, the duel the other day became unsettled because of the demon spirit's sudden intrusion.

He wondered if that time's conclusion was to be decided again—

......Spare me. A duel again, no thanks.

Coming over here, Ellis looked down on Claire with sharp eyes.

"Hmm, I have no problem settling it here and now, Claire Rouge."

"Just what I want."

Ellis drew out her sword and Claire also pulled out her leather whip from under her skirt.

In the explosive atmosphere, the girls, who were at the surrounding tables, stood up rattled.

"Hey, Claire..."

Kamito attemptd to stop it—

"Ca-Captain, calm down!"

"Y...you can't draw out a sword here!"

Form the café's entrance, two girls dashed over here with a flustered look.

They were wearing the same Knights armor as Ellis.

It was a short haired boyish girl and a somehow serious looking braided haired girl.

Kamito certainly recognized the both of them. They were the Knights girls he fought in the duel the other day.

If he remembered right, their names were— Rakka, for the one with the short hair, and Reishia, for the other with the braids.

Stopped by her Knights comrades, Ellis embarrassingly sheathed her sword.

"...S...Sorry, my Knights followers."

Feeling ashamed, she cleared her throat and apologized to the two girls—

This time she turned towards Kamito.

"Kazehaya Kamito."

"Me?"

Kamito tilted his head to the side, seemingly puzzled. Claire aside, he certainly did not recall doing anything to be kept an eye on by the Knights.

"It seems you lost completely to the Wolverine Class in this morning's match."

"What?! As I thought, you're trying to pick a fight."

Claire stood up with a clank sound.

"That's not it. Th...the truth is Kazehaya Kamito, you—"

Ellis shook her head, and rapidly blushed bashfully and looked down.

"Hn, what's the matter?"

"So, err..."

"Come on, Captain, despite that it's better to say it quickly."

"Despite that you're always resolved, you're slow at such a time."

Reishia and Rakka were whispering behind Ellis.

"However, such a bashful captain is also cute."

"Ahh, it's like that, it's almost like a girl who has fallen in love—"

"D...don't make fun of me! I...I am really not thinking about such an insolent person!"

Ellis shouted with her face turned bright red.

After that she coughed to cover over.

"It is certain that I've gotten a better opinion of you because of that day's case but ... that's all. The one I admire is a pure strong female, like that Ren AshbellStrongest Blade Dancer. It's absolutely not such a boy!"

"..."

Kamito gazed at Ellis, who informed in a cold voice, with his eyes half-opened.

...I'm sorry, your admired female is an illusion.

"Unh, wh..what's with that look!"

Ellis thrust her sword at the back of Kamito's neck.

"Is it that strange for me to be admiring Ren Ashbell?"

"...N...no, that's not it!"

Kamito panicked and shook his head.

At the blade dance three years ago— the blade dance, which was danced by the strongest blade dancer, left a strong impression on the girls of the same generation. Henceforth, she was the aspiration of the princess maidens, who aimed to be spirit contractors.

It seemed that Ellis was not an exception either.

"That's enough, quickly state your business."

"Shut up, I know that!"

After turning and retorting to Claire, Ellis stared at Kamito again.

"Kazehaya Kamito—"

"Wh...what..."

"Err, what I'm saying is, ..."

Ellis seemed nervous as her hand was lightly trembling.

By the way, as the sword was left where it was thrust at, it could not be helped that it was dangerous.

"What I'm saying is... I...I want you!"

"..."

—Silence arrived.

Claire and the others, even Rakka and Reshia, were dumbfounded.

For a while, time froze.

"Wh...wh...wh..wh..."

Claire was the first one who opened her mouth.

Her face was bright red and her mouth was opening and closing.

"...!?"

Ellis widened her eyes, seemingly taken aback and shook her head.

"Th...that's not it, the words, just now, do not have such a meaning!"

"Su...su...su...such a meaning means what kind of meaning!?"

"I mean, th...that—"

After Ellis took a deep breath,

"Kazehaya Kamito, would you join my team?"

"Eh?"

Kamito did not believe his ears to those unexpected words.

...Ellis and me, a team?

"What did you say?"

Claire and Rinslet were also staring in wonder.

Rakka and Reshia saw Ellis, who turned bright red, and were grinning.

"...Well, what do you mean?"

"I...I meant just that. Kazehaya Kamito, I welcome you to my team. Because you defeated that military-use spirit, I have no objections about your ability."

Ellis rapidly said so and quickly averted her eyes, looking far away.

It seemed that in truth her intention was to scout Kamito.

With a sword thrust at the back of his neck, rather than being scouted, it was like he was being threatened.

Ellis' results were restrained by the upperclassmen and were top class. If Kamito joined this team, it was certain that the likelihood that he would obtain the entry qualifications to the blade dance would greatly increase.

However—

"Ellis, I—"

"No way, this is my contracted spirit after all!"

The one who interrupted Kamito's reply and shouted was Claire.

She stood up from the chair and tightly grabbed the sleeves of Kamito's uniform.

"Claire, you..."

Kamito turned around and looked down and his eyes met her clear ruby pupils.

Claire's eyes seemed to be swaying in anxiety.

It was likely that she was not aware of it, but she was staring with a clinging look.

I see, she's...

It was surely that being betrayed by her sister, Rubia, caused her heart to be deeply wounded.

Being abandoned by someone— something like that, being frightening to her, could not be helped.

That was why she was always in solitude. She could not depend on anyone.

Because she was afraid of being betrayed again—

"..."

Kamito—

Took a sharp breath and scratched his head.

...Being shown such a face...

While bitterly smiling, he gently placed his hand on top of Claire's head.

He had decided on the reply from the beginning. She did not have to be worried.

"Ellis, sorry but I am her contracted spirit. I don't intend to change teams."

"...Kamito!?"

Claire, taken aback, raised her face and widened her eyes.

"...I see."

Ellis tightly bit her lips.

However, by the next moment, she had already returned to her cold expression.

"...I understand. I'm sorry for asking something unreasonable so suddenly."

"No, me too ... thank you for inviting me."

Kamito apologized and Ellis was a little bashful.

"I...it's alright. Y...you are such a guy, therefore, I—"

"Uh?"

Ellis seemed to have said something but her voice was so soft that he didn't catch it.

"Ahh, you've been rejected."

"It's alright, the captain has us."

"Y...you guys... I...it's not like that!"

Ellis turned bright red and shouted at her two comrades, who were grinning and teasing her.

"H...hey, Kamito..."

"Hn?"

While still grabbing Kamito's uniform sleeve, she was bashfully saying something else.

"What's the matter?"

"...Th...thank...you."

"...? What?"

She was trying to say something, but her voice was too soft, so he could not hear her well.

It was unusual for Claire to be hesitating in such a way.

"S...so... erm..."

And at that moment. Bam! The door opened—

"Is the licentious, no— Kazehaya Kamito here?!"

An academy student girl came running into the salon café.

She seemed to have come here in a great hurry and seemed out of breath.

Wait, it seems like she started saying my name as licentious beast just now...

"I'm here."

Kamito raised his hand and that girl felt relieved as she stroked down on her chest.

"The academy director is calling for you. So, go over immediately."

"Greyworth?"

Part 3

At a corner of the Academy Town possessed by Areishia Spirit Academy.

At a table of a coffee lounge, which greatly stuck out on the outside, a strange set of customers was sitting.

One of them was a black haired girl dressed in a jet-black dress.

Darkness spirit Restia. The perpetrator who drove the military-use spirit brought in from the imperial capital mad, and brought great damage to Academy Town a week ago.

And then, the other one had—

Steel-like hard black hair. It was a boy— skinny with darkish skin.

He had well-featured looks but just his red eyes strangely could not be expressed other than being glaringly shiny.

The two of them were clearly conspicuous in such a place, but not only did no one in the surroundings pay attention to them, it seemed that their presences were not even perceived.

"—So, I just have to steal that specific sealed material from the academy's library?"

"Yea, because of the incident the other day, I am unable to get close to the academy."

"Tch, how troublesome, what do we need such a thing for again?"

The boy spat onto the ground. However, no one found fault in that.

"That thing sleeping in Mine Town is a fairly hard problem. The seal of the highest grade Ordesia army spans several layers. With only the releasing ritual, how many months would it take to wake it up—"

"Hmm, the disposed military-use spirit— what's the plan for collecting such a thing?"

"You do not have the qualifications to know her prediction, Jio."

The girl in black clothing gently shook her head. The boy clicked his tongue.

"Because you toyed with the military-use spirit of the imperial capital as you pleased, it became troublesome. Is it an order to steal it?"

"Isn't it fine, I could observe his current strength."

"I guess. Honestly though, I am disappointed. Is that the level? Ren Ashbell's (the strongest blade dancer's)?"

"He has not yet woken up."

"I hope so. Even if I beat that now-cowardly guy, there would be no point."

"Ah, you have the confidence to beat him?"

"I'll beat him. And then I'll prove it. That this Jio Inzagi is the true successor of the Demon King."

The boy's red lips bent. On his whole darkish skin body, countless numbers of spirit seals were shining.

Same as the demon king Solomon— the seals that carried seventy-two spirits.