Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume2 Chapter4 Draft

Chapter 4: Cat Fight

Part 1

"Neeveeer, I won't accept this!"

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

"I've already had to concede to her joining the team temporarily because of the guarding quest, but—"

She brushed one of her red twin-tails aside in irritation.

"Why is this girl in one room with us?!"

She faced Fianna, who was elegantly drinking a cup of black tea, and pointed at her angrily.

Turning away frostily, the princess muttered with a sigh.

"What a small room, I would have never thought that a noble could live in a place like this."

"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 exasperatedly. These two have been at it for some time already and he was at his wits' end.

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

"Err, well..."

Casting a glance at Claire who was on the verge of tears, Kamito tried to answer 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 the princess.)

Somehow, the girl knew about Kamito’s past.

He intended to question her, but that would mean that Claire would also learn his secret.

This princess seemed to have no intention of sharing it with Claire, but had been threatening him with leaking that name since a while ago.

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

While the two stared each other down, Est played with Scarlet using a green foxtail.

It seemed that Claire realized that she was no match for Fianna in a battle of words and decided to change the subject.

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

"Because you're the only person in the dormitory, who occupies an entire room by herself."

"It's not only me, and not just two of us either. 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 true, but..."

"Well, with all of us, I guess the room will be cramped for sure, so I'll leave."

To begin with, Kamito was supposed to live in a hut outside.

Moreover, it would do 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 to sleep outdoors?"

"For the time being, a tent will suffice. 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?"

"Don’t go! Because, If you go..."

Claire looked downwards and tightly bit her lip.

"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, you and Est would be all alone. That's no good. Rinslet and Ellis may come after you. No, it's not just them. After all, there are many girls targeting you."

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

"T...That's not what I meant... Stupid."

Claire released his collar.

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

"...Even if you say that..."

Kamito quietly 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 astonishment.

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

"Wait, don't say 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?"

Claire was the one asking questions this time.

In response Fianna coughed slightly—

"Me? I'm... his little sister."

"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."

For some reason Claire patted her chest.

"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 is she imagining?)

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

Unexpectedly, Fianna tightly pressed her large breasts into him.

The spontaneous action and the pleasant softness startled Kamito.

"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.

"Uh, wh...what!"

"Kamito-kun isn't your slave."

"Yeah, that's right."

Kamito nodded.

"He is mine."

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

Kamito retorted with half-lidded eyes.

(...Good grief, I wonder why there are so many people like that around me.)

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

"After all?"

As Fianna asked back, Claire's cheeks turned slight red.

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

"..."

Fianna opened her mouth.

She turned to Kamito, with her neck cracking ominously.

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

She asked with a devilish smile.

"No, that's..."

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

He turned bright red and looked down, which was roughly the same reaction Claire's had shown.

(If it was that embarrassing, then don't mention it)— was what he thought, but...

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

"I see... You kissed."

Her tone was surprisingly calm, but it concealed something dreadful.

...She was angry. No, she was furious.

(Wait, why does she have such a reaction in the first place?)

Seeing Kamito’s pensive expression, Fianna quickly stood up, faced Claire, whose face was still bright red, and sharply thrust her index finger at her.

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

"A match?"

"Yes, a match, and the winner will get Kamito-kun’s love."

"No...There is no way I’ll do such a thing! To begin with, Kamito is originally mine!"

"I've been trying to tell you, that’s not true..."

Kamito tried to cut into their conversation, but the two ignored 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 blushed again and steam started rising from her head.

(...She was thoroughly toyed with.)

As a sheltered and innocent ojou-sama such remarks took her completely of balance.

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

Fianna’s further provocations were enough to make Claire snap.

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

She summoned Scarlet and gripped the elemental waffe— Flame Tongue tightly.

"Hey, do you plan to destroy the dormitory?! The people from the Sylphid Knights will dash here if you start anything!"

"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 begging 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 a real noble will do. Did all the nutrition supposed to go to your head go to your breasts—"

Fianna lowered her eyes a little and smiled.

"—I guess that's not the case."

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

"Wait, Claire! Stop the spirit magic!"

Kamito hurried and held her hands behind her back as Claire tried to summon a 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 very end.

"Guu...then, what kind of match will we have?!"

"Yeah—"

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 noticed that her eyes started sparkling.

"Then, the first one who satisfies Kamito, wins— How's that?"

"Sa...Satisfies him...!?"

Claire's face turned bright red.

"No...no way, how could I! After all, I’m still inexperienced... that's not it, su...such a thing is definitely not allowed!"

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

"Culinary!?"

Claire froze.

It was natural. The first time he met her, she was eating only 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 elementalist. Isn't it also among the academy's core subjects?"

"Th...That's..."

"Or, do you lack confidence? ...Just like something else."

Frianna looked down again.

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 let out an impish smile.

(By the way, Claire, she knows that you can’t cook!)

Part 2

Just like that, the culinary showdown between them began.

The two beautiful, apron wearing, girls 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, they were free to use all the ingredients available.

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

Nervous about Scarlet, who was supposed to take care of the leftovers, Kamito kept pacing around the back of the kitchen.

(...Frankly, Claire has no chance of winning.)

He had never eaten Claire's home cooking before, but, in any case, she was the ojou-sama who got through with mostly canned food for 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 ingredients. Kamito had doubts about approving her combination of canned food, but, for now, it looked edible, so he just sighed in relief.

"Fruits are easy to eat after being cut."

Seeing Claire slowly take out a kitchen knife, Kamito interrupted her.

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

"I'm fine, after all, I have been always watching you cooking."

"I see... Hn, so you were looking?"

"Idi... Th...That's not it, I didn’t mean something like that!"

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

*Bun!* Kamito expertly dodged all the slashes except one that grazed the tip of his nose.

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

Claire's face, up till her ears, was bright red when she 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 just tossed in the ingredients she thought he used to prepare the dish.

"Sh...shut up... It's not like there's a reason to remember what each fish is called like. It's the same as not remembering the face of the partner whom you danced with at the ball."

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

No matter what her character may be like, she was an uncommonly beautiful girl. Kamito had no doubts that there would be as many young nobles as there were stars in the sky, that would be charmed by her lovely looks and ask her for a dance.

"...At any rate, Claire, why are you wearing a dress?"

"What, I was once the daughter of a Duke too. Before my lands were seized, that is. So I do at least wear dresses... Or perhaps, you think I look strange in it?"

"No, I just thought it suits you a lot."

"...Wh...Wh...What are you saying, idiot."

Hearing Kamito’s honest words Claire turned red increasingly fast and looked downwards.

She then raised her head slightly and glanced 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 you are prettier than any princess."

"...!"

"But, when wearing a dress, it really stands out just how small your breasts are. Using paddings there to make it less obvious is the only—"

Then, as a feeling of doom washed over him, Kamito shut up.

*Gogogogogogogo*... The kitchenware was clattering.

...It seemed that he stepped on a 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, Claire, why are you holding such a thing? That's for peeling vegetables, it's not something you use on people... owaa, wai—"

Part 3

"Kuu, I can't believe the thing could be used this way..."

Cursing Kamito turned around to look at Friana’s corner.

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

"Despite having no cooking skills whatsoever, she completely mastered using kitchenware as a weapon."

It looked like the day Claire's elemental waffe will turn into a peeler was extremely close.

(Turn into bonito flakes...? What a terribly unpleasant future.)

These were the thoughts that visited him as he held his cheeks, which were prickling after being scratched.

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

Fianna noted with half-lidded eyes as she raised her face from the chopping board.

She seemed a little displeased.

"Is that what it looks like, Princess? Your sight is surprisingly bad."

"Not everything you see is the truth. A senior of mine used to tell me that."

"Those are words of a true princess maiden from the «Divine Ritual Institute», I will say."

Kamito shrugged and stood beside Fianna.

She was slicing a carrot with a nice tapping rhythm.

As expected, because she was a «Kagura» expert, who pleased spirits, her skills were perfect.

"You seem full of confidence."

“Of course. Even thought the ritual of offering high ranking spirits meals was held only once a month, during my stay at the Institute, the food I made always left them satisfied and they peacefully returned to Astral Zero.”

"Really? That's amazing."

Kamito was honestly impressed. Her words left him greatly anticipating the meal she was preparing. But, because appearance was more important than taste for the dishes offered to spirits, he wondered if it would differ from human’s food.

"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."

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 remark made him somehow anxious, but he gave up on understanding why.

Fianna nodded, seemingly satisfied, and looked at the chopping board again.

While listening to the rhythmic tapping sound, Kamito gazed at Fianna's profile.

She had black eyes, long eyelids and snow white skin.

Her hair, which reached down to her waist, was also black and she currently had it tied up so it won’t interfere with her work.

The nape of her neck, which was now open, seemed mysteriously erotic.

Kamito couldn’t help but be charmed by that mature look her face held at the moment.

(Just tying her hair up was enough to greatly change the impression she gave.)

Seeing her like that, stuck a cord in his mind.

(...This girl, as I thought, I’ve saw her before.)

Despite the fact, they just met, the girl somehow knew of Kamito's true identity.

(But, I don't have any princess acquaintances...)

It irritated him greatly, that he couldn’t remember her despite having a feeling he knew her.

He continued staring at her intently.

"Hey, Kamito-kun? Why have you been visually raping me all this time?"

Fianna turned towards him with a slightly troubled look.

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

“I mean things like making this fallen princess lose consciousness only to capture her and then train her as your personal slave. Kamito-kun, you are free to have any perverted delusions you want, but… well, honestly, it doesn't really feel good to be used as an adolescent boy's erotic fantasy.

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

"Ah, I would like it if you didn’t take a princess maiden, who served the spirit lords at the «Divine Ritual Institute», lightly. I can see right through you easily, you know."

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

The sensation of her cool soft skin startled him.

"...Eh? No way, a nude maid, how shameful..."

"What's shameful is your mind!"

Kamito shouted indignantly.

Besides, what did she mean by nude maid? Was it naked apron nude or…? He was a little curious.

But any other thoughts on the matter were interrupted by—

"Kamito, it's about the meat's grilling adjustment, do you like it medium good or well-done?"

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

Turning around, he saw Claire standing right behind him with a smile on her face and a fireball floating in her hand.

"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 asked for help, but the princess had already left the scene with an impish smile.

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

The fireball Claire released blew Kamito and a part of the kitchen up.

Part 4

Just like that, 30 minutes passed.

The food the two of them were cooking was finished and the judges were lined before the table.

Est, Scarlet and the worn out Kamito, were seated side by side.

The order in which the participants will serve meals they prepared was decided by drawing lots. Claire will be the first.

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

A black lump of something was laid down on Kamito’s plate.

He wandered if that was the cinders thing Claire always talked about.

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

"...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 eating it eagerly."

"That's because it's a fire spirit. It probably doesn't even have taste buds."

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

"...Isn't Est a spirit too?! I don't think she understands what delicate cuisine tastes like."

"Use of abusive language towards a judge. Claire looses a point."

Expressionlessly, Est raised up a point-deduction card.

"Guu..."

"After the black thing, there's no need to even taste what I prepared. My victory is obvious."

Fianna placed her hand near her mouth to cover a wide smile.

Well, it looked like the winner was already decided, but they had to at least eat and compare their cooking.

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

They saw her carrying the dish over—

"Th..That's..!"

Kamito was at a loss of words. Est’s eyes were unusually wide, Scarlet purred.

It seemed to be a boiling...stew.

Its color was red. Redder than the last time Kamito saw it. So red, nothing could be seen under its surface.

"Ehh, what is... this?"

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

"How is it white!?"

The surface was completely crimson. Suddenly he felt a dreadful smell invade his nostrils.

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

"Wh...What is this?! There's no way anyone could eat it!"

Claire pushed her own concerns aside to grumble. ...Well, at least she understood Fianna’s feelings.

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

The princess brushed her glossy black hair behind her ear and looked down at Claire.

"This isn't fair. I doubt that's something nobles, who are supposed to serve as an example to the masses, should do."

"Uggg....!"

Unfairness aside, Fianna also did not eat Claire's burnt-black thing, but the red haired girl seemed to not have noticed it.

Or perhaps, a better way to put it was that she was easily reeled up when someone brought up her status as an ojou-sama. More so, when it involved her family name or 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 let a wicked smile cross her face.

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

Not giving Kamito time to stop her, she put the spoon into her mouth.

And immediately after that...

"Hyguu—!?"

......*Patan*.

She collapsed onto the table.

"Cl...Claire, are you alright?!"

Kamito worriedly tried to help her get up, but the girl’s vision was spinning and she couldn’t stand.

"...Sh...She's completely knocked out."

"It's my victory."

Fianna placed her hand on her waist and smiled.

"Err, it was that kind of match?"

"Was it not?"

Fianna looked surprised.

At that moment he realized that the conditions for winning the match were not set.

"But you said all your rituals left the spirits satisfied, right?"

"Yeah, just a mouthful of my food was enough to make them return to Astral Zero completely content."

"Uh, I don’t think that’s why they went back."

"A cooking that even destroys spirit's sense of taste..."

Est muttered, unable to stop herself from trembling.

Part 5

(Good grief... what a troublesome day.)

Since the end of the match, an hour had passed and at the moment Kamito was using the shower installed in the bathroom.

Because Fianna said she would shower later, he ended up entering the bathroom first without any reservation.

By the way, Claire was currently in the room being nursed by Scarlet. The girl was, most likely, a groaning mess, unable to even get up from the bed. Kamito thought she was pitiful, but there was nothing he could do to help her.

It was also time for Est to go to bed. Because she couldn’t return to Astral Zero, she needed another way to rest, that’s why she ended up sleeping half a day.

"At any rate" —Kamito muttered showering.

(Fianna Ray Ordesia... huh?)

She was the second princess of the Ordesia Empire and the second Queen candidate next to the Calamity Queen— Rubia Elstein. How did she know Kamito's true identity? What was she aiming for? Why did she approach him? He didn’t know.

(And it 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?)

When Kamito tried to stop the spirit device shower…

"Hey, Kamito-kun, I'm coming in."

A voice sounded from the dressing room.

"Hn, Ah—"

He replied.

"Wh...What!?"

Kamito turned around worriedly.

*Gararaa*— The door opened.

And there stood—

"...What's the matter? You look so surprised."

A princess with a bath towel wrapped around her body.

"Wh...Wh...Wh...?"

For a moment Kamito felt panic overtake him.

"Fi...Fianna, what are you doing?!"

"Uh?"

The princess tilted her head slightly and gave him a lovely smile.

She had a slender white neck, a slim narrow waist and large swelling breasts. He also thought that her legs that could be seen through the slit of the bath towel were attractive like that of no other 16 years old girl.

Kamito was dumbfounded—

"What, even for me, doing this thing is... embarrassing, you know?" She muttered bashfully with her knees touching each other.

Slowly, Fianna let her towel fall to the ground.

"...!?"

This instantly caused Kamito to cover his eyes, but…

"A sw...swimsuit...?"

Fianna was wearing a two piece black swimsuit beneath the towel.

It was a water festival swimsuit and had thin veils attached to the breast area and a pareo wrapped around her waist.

She had both nice tight legs and a narrow waist.

The slight flush gave her an even more enticing look making her beautiful like a descending goddess.

Kamito was instantly drawn to her—

"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 of doing such a thing?

As if seeing his doubt—

"Hey, sit."

Fianna gently touched his shoulders with her hands and made Kamito settle down with his back turned to her.

The feeling of her cool soft hands made his heart beat faster.

"Fianna, what are you trying to—"

Fuyon.

"...!"

Suddenly, he felt something soft touch his back.

The unexpected sensation startled Kamito..

The girl coughed—

"A...a princess like me is helping you wash. Be honored."

She began moving a bubble-foaming body towel over Kamito's back.

"Er, wait a little, why are you—"

Kamito was very confused and still couldn't comprehend what was happening with him.

However, if the boy turned around, he would end up looking directly at Fianna's seductive swimsuit, so he didn't move.

"Be...Behave yourself, do you plan on making me more embarrassed?"

She asked him in a sulky tone and started scrubbing his back stronger.

"Ho...How is it? Does it feel good?"

"Well, even if you ask something like that..."

Truth be told, it felt good.

But with a cute girl so close, there was no way it could be any different.

However, he felt like he would lose something important if he replied honestly.

"Yo..You're surprisingly stubborn... Hurry up and get ensnared by me!"

"Ensnared!?"

Funyu. Funyun.

Kamito thought he heard something really dangerous just now, but the sensation of her breasts rubbing against him served as a good distraction making his mind hazy and taking his thoughts off the matter.

(This is... bad...!)

Kamito, who was since young age brought up at the «Instructional School» as an assassin, never trained to resist seduction. There were also the matters of him being a kid unable to be attracted to females at that time and his contracted spirit keeping all approaching women completely away from him

Now, however, he was at the age when his hormones were acting up.

Already, Kamito was on the verge of losing his reason to the sensation of her breasts, pressing into him through her thin swimsuit.

"H..Hey... where are you touching!?"

"Be...Behave yourself or I'll tell that girl about your true identity."

"Th...That's right! Why do you know about Ren Ashbell—"

Kamito was about to turn around and ask her, but at that moment…

*Bam!*—The bathroom door suddenly opened.

"...!?"

And there was—

"C...Claire...?"

Claire Rouge. She was looking downwards and her shoulders were trembling slightly.

"Kuu, I can't believe you've already recovered..."

Fianna bit her lips tightly.

"Yo...Yo...You guys, wh...wh...wh..what are you doing?"

"You...you're mistaken, this is, err—"

*Gogogogogogogogo...!*

Claire's red hair reared up like a raging fire.

Kamito resigned himself to being burned again.

"..."

Claire had already raised her whip ready to strike him when she suddenly stopped.

Her ruby eyes held fierce fire as she sternly glared at Fianna.

The princess’ expression was composed despite the situation. Pitoo— she pressed her breasts against Kamito's back stronger.

"Fianna!? Wh...why are you adding fuel to—"

Kamito anxiously tried to separate himself from her, but was tightly held in place.

"I'm now washing Kamito-kun's back. Could you please not bother us?"

"Kuu, yo...you guys..."

(Ah... I'm so dead.)

Strangely enough, at that moment, as he closed his eyes in preparation for what was to come, rather than fear he felt calm resignation.

However Claire’s next action took him completely by surprise.

She didn’t blow him away with the Flame Tongue like she usually did, rather…

"I...I'll... also wash your back."

"Eh?" "Huh?"

She intently glared at the dumbfounded duo as she informed them.

"I mean, I'm also entering the bath!"

Part 6

"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 was all it took to completely overwhelm the boy.

...Kamito wondered if he was having a nasty nightmare. However, these sensations were completely real.

He ended up being covered in bubble-foam with two beautiful girls on both sides in a bathroom originally designed for one person only.

Furthermore, Claire wasn't even wearing a swimsuit. Her naked body was just wrapped in a 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 despite the lack in the breasts department.

Through the slit of her towel red marks could be seen on her thigh. Those were left by the leather whip she always wore wreathed around her leg. These marks were strangely captivating.

Kamito earnestly tried not to look at the two of them, but because the room was small, they ended up rubbing against each other with every slight movement. That 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."

Every twist of his body earned him similar words.

(Give me a break...)

If boys his age heard this, they might think it was the Shangri-La everyone dreamed of, but for him… It felt like he was sitting on a bed with sticking nails.

...Why was this happening, he was not sure.

Maybe it was because of the strong rivalry Claire had with Fianna. She blurted those words out in the heat of the moment and because of her pride couldn’t back out later. For Kamito thought, that was not a good enough excuse.

He should be getting out from here as quickly as possible, but if he moved even a little, they would end up directly rubbing their skin with each other, so even if he wanted to, he couldn't do a thing.

"Hey, I'm the one who's making you feel good, right? Say that it feels good!"

"Ouchhh, you're scrubbing too hard."

"Eh, it hurts that much? ... Wow, your back is full of scares."

"Ah, that's because I've been always hurt by a certain somebody."

"I...I'm sorry..."

Kamito groaned at Claire’s awkward apology.

"—No, That was joking. Those are old wounds from the past."

He received these injuries at the time when he still called himself Ren AshbellStrongest Blade Dancer.

"...Hn? Fianna, what are you looking at?"

—Claire frowned at the princess.

"I...it's nothing."

"Is there something wrong with my spirit seal?"

Since a while ago Fianna had been constantly sending it glances.

"Di...didn't I say that it's nothing!"

Fianna let out in a flustered voice unlike her usual self and quickly averted her eyes.

Claire stared at her, puzzled by the strange reaction—

"...It’s quite unusual, where you have yours."

The swimsuit Fianna wore allowed Claire to get a look at the princess’ seal which was at her cleavage.

"You're a holy spirit user, right?"

"Yea... that's it."

Fianna answered with a slightly stiff expression.

"What kind of spirit is yours? Summon it and show it to us."

Kamito was interested in that too. As teammates participating in the same quest, they should at least have a grasp of the type of spirits they used. It was natural for a team to know that about each other.

But for some reason, Fianna turned away with a seemingly displeased look.

"I'll show it to you when necessary. An elementalist doesn't thoughtlessly summon her contracted spirit."

Certainly, there were also elementalists with that kind of thinking among the academy students.

There was, after all, the possibility that their spirits would be seen by rivals, who could from their appearances deduce the summon’s attributes, weaknesses and so on.

On the other hand—

"If you don't communicate with your contracted spirit daily, there will be no trust between you two."

There were also people who thought like Claire and they made up the majority of the academy students.

Both opinions were reasonable, so neither could be called wrong, but…

For some reason, Claire’s words seemed to have gotten 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-cold voice and quickly stood up.

At that moment—

A faint noise reached Kamito’s ear.

It came from afar and normal humans would fail to hear it. The sound of metal clashing.

However, he, who once received training at the «Instructional School», caught it easily.

"Kamito, what's the matter?"

"There's a battle occurring within the academy—"

It might be a fellow academy student's duel. No, if that was the case, the Sylphid Knights would have immediately stopped it.

"I have a bad premonition."

That was a pure uneasiness— to be honest. His intuition as an elementalist, which was honed as he went through countless battles, was the only thing he wanted to believe did not dull with time.

(There's no doubt, there's a terrible fellow—)

He dashed out of the bathroom and nimbly put on his uniform. While he was doing it Est woke up, rubbing her eyelids and looking sleepy, in her pajamas. It seemed that this sword spirit also felt that something was going on.

"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 dissipated into light particles—

Only to be immediately reformed into the elemental waffe— Terminus Est.

He felt that her sword body was smaller and her radiance was also duller compared to usual, but she had just woken up, so it couldn't be helped.

Kamito jumped out from the room's window.

"Wa...Wait up... ahh, come on! Come, Scarlet!"

Claire called her contracted spirit and jumped out, chasing Kamito.