Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume4 Chapter1

Status: Incomplete

Chapter 1: Travel Preparation

*Chirp, chirp...*

Twitters of birds could be heard coming from the «Spirit Forest» surrounding the academy.

"Mm..."

Opening his eyes and rising up at his bed, his own half-asleep face was being reflected in the window.

His black hair was ruffled after sleeping. He had an insecure look in his eyes.

Compared to the innocent looks in his dream, his impression had changed greatly.

Four years ago... huh?

It had been a long time since he last had a dream about that period of time.

It was probably the first time he had one since coming to this academy.

To be frank, it was a memory he didn't even want to recall...

Kamito unintentionally cast his sight down to his left hand, where a spirit seal was engraved.

The seal of the darkness spirit— the left hand which grasped victory at the Blade Dance three years ago.

Now I am trying to return to that arena once more

With the Blade Dance drawing near, he was probably feeling emotionally overwrought without realizing it.

That must have been the cause of him having a dream about that period of time, too.

As he was about to raise his body from the bed―

"......"

Kamito noticed something.

His body felt strangely heavy.

Something soft and pleasant was mounted on top of his waist.

"......?!"

Startled, Kamito flipped his blanket vigorously.

And then.

"Fua... Good morning, Kamito."

"E-Est?!"

A lovely voice that sounds just like a bell.

The one straddling Kamito's waist— was a silver-haired beauty.

She had mysterious violet eyes. Her skin was white like freshly extracted milk.

The figure in question, who was rubbing her drowsy-looking eyelids, was lovely just like a snow fairy.

Sword spirit Est. She was Kamito's contracted spirit, who was entitled the «Demon Slayer».

Apparently she had sneaked into Kamito's bed before he knew it.

On top of that, her attire was—

"What's wrong, Kamito?"

Still straddling on top of his waist, Est looked down on him expressionlessly.

"H-Hey, your attire..."

Est was fully naked― No, she wasn't.

She was dressed up properly.

However.

"Kamito?"

Est tilted her head blankly. Kamito averted his eyes in a fluster.

Est was wearing Kamito's uniform shirt over her naked body.

She's probably not wearing underwear. Her attire was what called a naked-shirt.

From the exposed bosom, her slightly exposed pure-white skin was strangely captivating.

The cuffs were big and excessive, but they gave him an unnecessary maniacal feeling nonetheless.

"Wha—? Est, why are you wearing my uniform?"

"Kamito told me that I can't sleep together with you in the nude."

Est replied expressionlessly.

Kamito was spontaneously startled as she tightly grabbed the chest area of the shirt.

"Yeah, I did tell you so."

Being at his wits' end, Kamito groaned.

"Please, at least put on some panties."

"...Pan...ties?"

"Why are you making that wondering look?!"

It might be the case that even if spirits have the habit of wearing knee-socks, that they don't have the habit of wearing panties.

...Nah, Restia did wear underwear properly.

Just when he was thinking about that―

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Kamito felt something out of place about Est's appearance.

It's not just about her wearing a naked-shirt― There seems to be something very different in Est this morning.

Kamito intently examined Est's whole body.

"Kamito... Um, if you stare at me so much, I'll get embarrassed."

The expressionless Est blushed in an unusual manner, squirmed on top of his waist and rubbed her knees together.

At that moment, Kamito finally realized.

From the shirt-tail, her white thighs slightly came in sight.

And then, came her slender and smooth ankles like sculptures made of marble.

What Est was wearing— wasn't her usual knee-high socks.

She was wearing short socks, of which the length was just about up to her ankles.

"Est, what's with those socks?"

"Well, I thought Kamito would be pleased with these kind of socks."

With her face still red, Est firmly pinned down the shirt-tail.

This was the first time he seen Est making such an expression.

It appears that to her, exposing her bare feet was really embarrassing.

"Kamito, are you turned on by my short socks?"

"Nah, because I don't have such a maniacal fetish, you know?"

"...I see. That means this is still not enough to make you satisfied."

Est dropped her shoulders, seemingly disappointed.

"Still, it is quite impossible for me to show you my bare feet."

"I'm telling you, I don't have such a fetish."

Kamito groaned and shook his head. He really can't understand the spirits' sense of shame.

Even so―

It was the truth that his heart pounded at Est's expression of blushing and being bashful in an unusual manner.

The sword spirit was always calm and expressionless.

That was exactly why he wanted to try seeing more of her bashful expression.

What will happen if I touch them, I wonder?

Unexpectedly, Kamito's mind was tempted.

Anyhow, it's because Est, not any other girl, was bashful to this extent.

What would happen if he touches her bare feet? —He wanted to try seeing it.

"......"

Kamito quietly reached out his hand—

*Coochy*.

He tickled Est's small foot.

"...Hyan!"

A sweet voice leaked out from her lips.

Est's body bent with a start.

"...Kamito, what are you doing?!"

"Hm? I'm massaging you."

*Coochy coochy*.

"Hya...a-n..."

Twisting her body, Est was in agony, seemingly tickled.

Such a reaction was so cute that it drove Kamito to―

*Coochy*. *Coochy coochy coochy*.

"...A-n, please... Stop it..."

"No. This is your punishment."

"...Punishment?"

"Because Est is a bad girl for sneaking in my bed as she pleases."

*Coochy coochy*.

"Ann, Kami...to... Forgive... Me."

Tears were shed from Est's limpid eyes as she pleaded while gasping.

...As expected, she now looked a little pitiful.

"Have you reflected on your behavior?"

"Y...es..."

Kamito ceased tickling, and Est fell lying face-down like she was exhausted.

Kamito gently held Est back as she flopped onto him.

"...Kamito is so mean."

Est pouted her lips in her usual manner.

"My bad. Est is just so cute... So I did it without thinking."

He gently stroked Est's silver hair while making a bitter smile.

Just at that moment.

The room temperature rose instantly.

"...?!"

*Gogogogogogogo...!*

From behind him, a horrifying killing aura... No, heat was emitted.

When he turned around at the unpleasant premonition―

"Y-Y-You guys... Wh-Wh-Wh-Wh-What are you doing?"

With her red pigtails standing on end, the beautiful girl was trembling all over.

Her ruby eyes were imposing. Her lips had the color of cherry blossoms in early blooming. The bulge on her chest was just about the same as that of a kid, but that well-balanced proportion of hers was very charming.

Claire Rouge.

If it was appearance alone, she was exceptionally cute, an ultra beautiful girl without any exaggeration.

However, as she was now, she was more terrifying than any ferocious spirit.

"I-I've misjudged you. I-I didn't know you're such a pervert...!"

"Y-You got it wrong, Claire. This is, well, you see..."

Kamito was attempting to give an excuse while in a fluster, but―

For this particular instance, it was absolutely not a misunderstanding. There was no way to make an excuse.

"Kamito-kun, I think your foot-tickling play is indeed too maniacal."

Appearing from behind Claire, Fianna quietly cast her eyes down, seemingly sad.

It seemed like she saw everything. ...He would rather die now.

"Kamito, how hot would you order me to grill you?"

Claire smiled pleasantly while holding her blazing whip of flameFlame Tongue.

A smile of an angel that would make one unexpectedly fascinated.

"Medium rare... or so."

"Too bad. I only know roasting to cinders."

Claire raised her whip of flame overhead――

"――Turn into cinders already!"

Kamito was blown off towards the outside of the window.

◇

And so, Kamito greeted another morning just like usual, but――

After eating breakfast, the situation was a little different.

The bell sounding the start of classes had already rung long ago, yet everyone still remained in their room in the dorm.

"This one and this one. This one should be necessary too... Geez, Scarlet. Don't play with the luggage."

"Nyaa?"

The flame spirit in the form of a hell cat is playing by rolling Claire's outfits as if they were a yarn ball.

Seeing a glimpse of white underwear among that lump, Kamito averted his eyes in a hurry.

Claire and Fianna were sitting on each of their beds and packing their stuff in their own bags.

They were preparing to head towards Elemental Spirit WorldAstral Zero, the stage of the Blade Dance.

It had been two weeks since «Team Scarlet» defeated the Silent Fortress ― Velsaria Eva, who ranked number one within the academy, and obtained the right to participate in the Blade Dance. Together with the two teams that got into the determined representative trio, they are going to fight to the bitter end during several days from now on as a representative of the Ordesia Empire.

"Claire, did you get enough sleep yesterday?"

"Of course. Keeping your physical condition in control is a basis as a spirit contractor after all."

Claire nodded while holding back from yawning, which she had been doing many times already.

Perhaps it's because of her sense of responsibility as the team leader, Claire had recently been reading a large number of tactical books and documents related to spirits, which she borrowed from the library, until the dead of night.

"Don't push yourself too hard. We won't know the battle systemregulation until an oracle of the Elemental Lords is issued."

"Yes, I know. Still, it's necessary to prepare countermeasures in advance. Those who participate in the Blade Dance are the most elite spirit contractors representing each country―― Without a countermeasure, even winning against them will be tough. Besides, that strongest blade dancer is also taking part in this tournament after all."

"...Yeah, you're right."

Kamito nodded with a bitter face.

The strongest blade dancer ― Ren Ashbell.

The winner at the Blade Dance three years ago.

...Not me, but another Ren Ashbell.

Who exactly is she? And what is her goal...?

He has to figure that out.

Kamito tightly clenched his left hand, which was covered in a leather glove.

Regardless of what her objective might be, it is no doubt that the transformed Restia is acting together with her.

"And you, are you done with packing already?"

Holding on to the nape of Scarlet, who was struggling and mewing――

This time it was Claire who asked.

In contrast with Claire's traveling bag, which was filled up as if it was about to burst, Kamito's bag was small.

"Yeah, I don't have much stuff to carry after all."

Kamito, who was wandering aimlessly until just two months ago, carried with him almost no personal belongings.

A few daggers used for throwing and, this isn't baggage but―― he had the spiritual magical armament, the sword «Terminus Est», in the sword-belt on his hips. Est was offended by what happened this morning and went to sleep in her sword form. ...It's not likely for her to wake up anytime soon.

But then again, if one was to offend a high-ranking spirit of Est's level, normally one must be ready for the kind of damage like a town being destroyed.

"......"

For those two, it seems that they still need more time to pack.

...Well, they are girls of noble status after all.

They probably needed various things that a guy like Kamito would have no idea about.

Claire had been randomly stuffing in a bunch of canned peach for a while, but that made him feel a little uneasy.

"Hm?"

Suddenly, Kamito casted his eyes down the floor, where stuff were strewn all over the place.

There were some books that looked like novels getting mixed among tactical books and documents related to spirits.

Having too much time to spare, Kamito casually picked up one of them.

'The wandering prince and the imprisoned princess'―― A romance novel aimed at teens, with many illustrations in it.

(Seriously, it's surprising that Claire likes this kind of stuff.)

When he tried skimming lightly through its first part out of curiosity――

"Wha-?!"

Kamito's face turned red in a flash.

The content of the book was about a beautiful princess getting abducted by a cruel prince and got all sorts of things done to her that can hardly be expressed in words――It was that kind of hardcore stuff.

"Y-You... H-Have you been reading this kind of stuff?!"

"Eh?"

Claire turned around.

And then, when she recognized what Kamito is holding in his hands,

"Fuaaaa, g-g-g-give it back! What the hell are you reading without permission?!"

Thump. Thud.

She hit him with the peach cans in her hands.

"Whoa... Are you planning to kill me?!"

"It's your punishment for peeping into a m-maiden's secret! You deserve to die ten thousand times!"

"Then don't leave your maiden secret on the floor."

"S-Shut up~! Idiot! Pervert!"

Bursting into tears, Claire hit him repeatedly and violently.

...At this rate, he might lose his life before participating in the Blade Dance.

"Hey, you are being annoying."

"B-But Kamito――"

Taking chance when Claire turned towards Fianna――

Kamito opened a page of the book and showed it in front of Claire.

It was a page containing an illustration in which the princess, the heroine of the story, was being tied up with a rope and getting whipped.

"...?!"

"Aren't you more of a pervert, Claire?"

"...Eh?"

Claire's shoulders turned stiff with a start.

"A noble young lady reading such a vulgar book, don't you feel any shame?"

"W-Well, um..."

The ojou-sama blushed and mumbled in hesitation.

Upon seeing Claire in such state――

Kamito got a feeling of wanting to play with her a little.

(...Well, there I go wanting to tease her again.)

It was probably because her act of blushing in embarrassment looks strangely cute.

Moving his face close to Claire's ear, he whispered softly.

"I wonder how everyone will think if they learn that the ojou-sama, whose even test results are top-class, enjoys reading this kind of obscene books."

"Fuaa, wh-wh-wh-what are you saying?!"

"Could it be that you want to get things like stuff in this book done to you?"

"Th-That's not true! How could I want to be tied up like this?!"

"You know, this page has a fold on it."

"...~Fuaaan!"

Erupting a tiny cloud of steam from her head, Claire crawled into her bed.

"...Seriously, she's the same green ojou-sama as ever."

Having escaped from his life crisis, Kamito took a sigh of relief, and――

This time he turned towards Fianna.

"Is your preparation going well?"

"...Hmm, it seems that my ritual equipments are going to be bulky no matter what."

Said Fianna while stuffing a large round mirror and a candlestick into her bag.

Fianna Ray Ordesia.