Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume1 Chapter1

Chapter 1: You Are My Contracted Spirit

Part 1

In a quiet forest where the sun's rays shines through the leaves-

*Splash—*

-the sound of water resounded through the trees.

Kamito opened his mouth wide in shock and stood stock still.

There was a girl. In front of his eyes was a naked girl.

On top of that, he thought, she was a cute girl.

She had large eyes with ruby pupils and her lustrously moist cherry-red lips.

Her white skin was as smooth as milk and dazzling.

Her beautifully slender legs disappeared into the surface of the water.

However, what caught his eyes more than anything was her blazingly crimson red hair that clung to her gorgeous, porcelain-like body.

However, she was naked.

Stark naked.

"..."

Kamito felt a cold sweat begin to form on his back.

Not good. Naked is not good.

......Speaking of which, he ought to run away.

The rational part of his brain was certainly telling him to run.

However, his body wouldn't move.

It was as if he was enchanted. The scene was just too surreal.

The girl—

Her moist and beautiful eyes blinked as she looked at the intruder who had appeared quite suddenly.

Her expression was blank. It seemed like she had yet to fully grasp the situation.

She had not even covered her small, developing breasts yet.

*Tick.*

A water droplet fell from the young girl's bangs.

With that sound, Kamito finally regained his senses.

"Ah— Err...," Kamito stumbled over his words.

He tore his gaze from the naked girl who was still standing motionlessly.

"I guess I should say...this is a huge accident, ok? It is definitely an unfortunate accident for the both of us..."

At this time, the boy made two fatal errors:

The first was that he started to stumble through making excuses. The best choice for him, of course, was to take advantage of the fact that the girl was dazed and run away immediately.

And the other error was—

"Even though this is an accident, I have seen you like this. I must apologize."

Up until this comment, he was still fine, but then he continued...

"However, don't worry. I am a healthy boy, but I don't have that kind of interest."

Looking at the young girl's developing chest, he said—

"I have no interest towards the naked body of a kid."

He stepped on a gigantic landmine.

An icy silence fell.

The girl slowly raised her arm, red hair coiling around its length.

Her shoulders shook slightly.

It wasn't because she was cold, however, Kamito was oblivious to that fact.

"Sixteen—"

The girl's delicate lips mumbling something, and Kamito lifted his eyebrows.

"I-I-I am sixteen!!!"

The instant she had yelled that, the young girl's red hair stood on end.

"Huuh!?" Kamito opened his eyes wide in surprise,

"Sixteen!? For real? A sixteen year-old with such a pitiful chest—"

He quickly covered his mouth. It was already too late.

"Unforgivable," the young girl said in a low, cold voice, "D-Definitely unforgivable......you-you-you peeping demon, pervert, lewd beast!"

"You're quite knowledgeable to know about words like lewd beast," Kamito replied as he narrowed his eyes.

At that time, he noticed that the trees were making a low, whisper-like rustle.

Is that the wind? he mused, No, that's-

Guardian of the crimson blaze, keeper of the undying hearth! Now is the time to abide by our blood contract; come forth and do my bidding!

From the young girl's lips strung out an incantation in the language of the Spirits.

At that instant, accompanied by the sound of air rushing into a vacuum, a whip of flames manifested in the hand of the girl.

An Elementalist! Kamito realised as he stared at the girl.

An Elementalist controls something that exists from a different dimension apart from this world; a place called «Astral Zero».

Elementalists were princess-maidens, girls who have made contracts with the spirits living in that other place.

They can use different types of spirits and freely wield their powers.

It seemed that the girl in front of Kamito had contracted with a fire-type spirit.

That the young girl was an Elementalist wasn't something to be that surprised about.

After all, this was the area where the country's excellent Elementalists were gathered together.

Nevertheless, it's surprising that she can use an elemental waffe, Kamito thought.

The way that Spirits are summoned and formed upon being summoned into this world can be broken down into two main groups:

The first is a form that appears as a lump of divine power; mass-less and of an indeterminate form. It is purely the summoning of a spirit's power and is used primarily as a battery for when Spirit magic is used.

The other summoning form is the pure form that summons a part of the spirit's existence.

This summoning requires tremendous amounts of divine power and, on top of that, is very difficult to control. So, those capable of summoning a spirit's existence are said to be the elite amongst the ranks of Elementalists.

Even further, the girl before his eyes was not just using a spirit, but was using that Spirit's power in a highly-optimized elemental waffe.

What that means is that...would I now be in a potential life or death situation? As the thought suddenly hit him, Kamito was stunned.

At the place where the flame whip touched the water's surface, a gush of white steam rose.

"You...you have guts." The girl murmured in a trembling voice.

Her face was red. Was it due to her anger or her embarrassment over the situation?

"Really, you have some nerve to p-peek while I, Claire Rouge, am taking my bath," She stammered.

"W-Wait, that is a misunderstanding! Let me explain it in full first!" Kamito shook his head in panic.

"I will not listen to your excuses. Turn into cinders, you pervert!" the girl yelled.

The flame whip ignited furiously in the girl's hand and moved as if it was licking the water surface.

"Oh no..." Kamito propelled his body into the dense bushes nearby.

Nearly at the same time, the Flame Tongue brushed its way over his head.

The idle red residue that remained on the trees which had been cut was like the lingering punchline of a joke. The cut surface of the tree trunks were surprisingly smooth, without any traces of having been in flame. The attack had been so fast that the flames did not have the time to ignite the trees.

The hair on Kamito's forehead fluttered down around his mouth while cold sweat started to form on his forehead.

Um, this is a joke, right? I'm not going to die like this, am I? Kamito nervously thought.

*Zing*, *biyutsu* – There was an endless dance of crimson flash cutting both horizontally and vertically in the forest. The surrounding bush was mowed down in a blink of an eye. Having lost his place of hiding, Kamito hurriedly dashed away.

"Don't dodge, pervert, I can't hit you!" the girl called out.

"Don't ask for the impossible, and I'm not a pervert!" Kamito threw back.

Kamito screamed out; at the same time, the whip swung downwards towards his feet, causing a violent spark to slam onto the ground. Rising from the ground, the whip immediately sprang up in the direction of the woods, causing more trees to be cut down.

Fortunately among all the unluckiness Kamito was experiencing, the girl— Claire's- aim was quite bad.

It stands to reason though, as one hand was hiding her chest from being seen. In order to conceal her most important part, she had squatted down in the pond. However, considering how she was able to handle her whip in such a position, normally she should be quite skilled at using it.

"How conceited despite being a pervert, please obediently turn into cinders!" Claire shouted again at Kamito.

"I'm saying that I'm not a pervert! But by the way," Kamito stopped and turned around. "something that he had noticed for some time...you need to cover yourself properly. The gaps between your fingers aren't able to hide them completely."

"...eh?" Instantly, Claire's facial expression froze. And— "Kyaaaaaaaaaah!"

Blushing deeply and screaming strangely in a cute voice— she quickly hid her chest with both of her hands.

"Ah, idiot!" Kamito involuntarily exclaimed.

Claire had let go and had lost control of the flame whip, and it cleanly severed the trees behind her.

The huge trees slowly crashed down towards her. However, Claire did not notice them. Her eyes were closed in embarrassment as she kept embracing her naked chest.

Damn! Kamito exclaimed as he kicked off the ground.

Running with his whole strength towards the pond, Kamito jumped towards Claire and grabbed her shoulders.

"Wha—!?" Claire's red pupils dilated widely.

Kamito ignored her outburst and aggressively pushed her down into the water.

The moment Claire's hand touched the water, a gush of steam rose, and the flame whip disappeared.

Immediately after, the nearby trees slammed into the water's surface.

*Duuuun!*

The sound of the trees falling was deafening and created large water columns.

Absorbing the heat of the flames, the now-warm pond water poured down like a heavy rain.

• A few seconds later*

"Ooh..." Making a seductive noice, Claire slowly opened her eyes.

Her expression was that of shock, her eyes blinked in wonder.

Kamito leaned on Claire and found himself staring into her eyes.

Their faces were so close that if someone were to push on his back lightly, their lips would likely touch.

Claire's crimson hair clung closely to her nape. Her moist lips were cherry red.

Her delicate doll-like face was in front of Kamito's eyes.

For a short moment it looked like he was subconsciously captivated by her. Kamito quickly shook his head.

"...Um, are you alright? Are you hurt?" he asked.

Claire nodded. It seemed as if she had not fully absorbed the situation yet.

Kamito sighed, then tried to stand up.

*Funyuu.*

His hand had touched something soft underwater.

"Hwaaah!"

What is that? Mud? he thought.

*Funyu*. *Munyu*.

"Hm, ya, hwaaa" From Claire's moist lips came a shallow, sweet voice. Her submerged naked body twitched for some reason.

"Um ..this is?" Having come this far, Kamito finally arrived at a certain conclusion. A certain......awfully frightening conclusion.

No, wait, calm down. This can't be...that, right?

It couldn't be. It could be no such thing. He desperately tried to deny such a possibility.

When I looked at her's earlier, they weren't so...

"Wh..Wha.. Wha..Whattt .... are..you...do..ing" Claire's lip trembled, shaking involuntarily. She was blushing with tears in her eyes.

Apparently, it wasn't a lump of mud that he had been touching.

"You, pervert—!"

"Gwah!"

Because he got kneed hard in the stomach, Kamito collapsed into the pond's water.

*Gugugugugu....!*

With a rising heat haze behind her, Claire slowly stood up. The flame whip, which was a manifestation of her flame spirit, was once again in her hand.

he water in the pond instantaneously started to boil, bubbles frothing to the surface all around.

"No..No, it's a misunderstanding! Wait, if you do that, I'm really gonna die....." Kamito pleaded.

"Sh..Shut up pervert, you will die here!"

With an almost ear-splitting deafening sound, Kamito's body was cast high into the air.

Part 2

".....Um"

A few minutes later. Kamito started to recover his consciousness; the forest trees unfolded before his eyes.

He tried to rise—

Suddenly, he noticed something which was coiled around his neck.

It was a leather black whip for torturing. What is this thing..., Kamito tried to remove it,

"Finally woke up, You Peeping Tom Pervert"

The thing on his neck tightened.

"Gweh!? Release me...."

Kamito coughed then looked upward—

The scarlet haired young girl – Claire, stood with her hands at her waist. Keeping her slim eyebrow raised in an arc, she gazed sharply down at Kamito.

This time she was not naked. The girl had changed into an adorable uniform. It had the pattern of black lines within the pure white, Areishia Spirit Academy's uniform.

A ribbon tie decorated the front of her chest. Instead of a button, a talisman was sewn on it. Between the gap of her knee length stockings and a pleated skirt, her beautifully slender legs stuck out brilliantly. Tiny ribbons tied her blazing crimson hair on both sides. This was the so called twin tail hair style. Judging from her hair, that was still wet, it seems that he hadn't lost consciousness for that long.

Keeping Kamito's neck bound tightly, Claire puffed up her small chest.

"Well, be grateful. I went easy and didn't try to kill you"

"That has to be a lie. You definitely intended to kill me. "

"What are you talking about? If I was serious, you would've been cinders by now. "

..... She just said something terribly frightening in a calm manner.

By the way, cinders are the soft ash residue left from incinerated firewood.

"I beg for your forgiveness, spare me from becoming cinders. After all, I helped you."

"Yeah, I'm a fair noble, I'll give you credit for that. You are of a higher grade than an average pervert, so you are a high grade pervert."

"In the end the pervert designation doesn't change. By the way, isn't a high grade pervert even worse than an average pervert?"

"Wh.. What.....pretending to help, you ...you touched, my breast!"

Recalling what happened earlier, Claire's shy face suddenly turned red.

(Hmm?)

Seeing such a reaction from her, Kamito had an idea.

.....This girl, could it be that she is that kind of person?

"So it seems that my lady is a pervert that has a hobby of whipping men."

Kamito teased her nonchalantly—

"What!? Wr-Wro-Wrong, I'm not!"

The response was immediate as expected. Claire shook her head, and her cheeks instantly became bright red all the way to her ears.

"Then do you enjoy being whipped?"

".....m! Wha... What.. are...you..sayi..ng?"

Claire's eyes twirled, as a steam puff rose out from her head. She is surprisingly flustered.

(Oh, as I expected....)

Kamito smiled bitterly in his heart.

(This girl is really, really innocent.)

Probably, it wasn't only this girl that was special..

After all, this Areishia Spirit academy is a school building where elementalist princess maidens were gathered.

Only pure maidens are capable of exchanging feelings with the spirits from Astral Zero. Among them, those who retain enough divine power so that they can command a contracted spirit are noble girls from the family of kings or lords of ancient and honorable lineage, whose elementalist blood was strengthened through marriage of many generations.

To maintain the purity of their body and heart, these girls are raised in an environment that's completely separated from the males since childhood: the so called elite education for elementalists. Therefore, all the girls attending the academy are super boxed-in princesses who are unaccustomed to men.

Finding the unexpected weak point of the girl, Kamito had a slight desire to play a prank on her.

Keeping a kneeling position, Kamito looked up at the embarrassed bright red face of Claire.

"Th— Then, there is something I have meant to say since earlier."

"Wh...What is it, you pervert?"

"I can see your panties from this angle."

"Fuwah!"

Tears began to float in her crimson eyes, Claire hastily pressed down the fringe of her skirt with both hands.

"You... You saw it?"

"Only a glance, you are, unexpectedly, quite daring. It has the same color as your hair."

"You... You lie! It is not red! It's white, white!"

"So, it's white."

"......huh!?"

Realizing that she was tricked, Claire bit her lips—

"U-Uuuuuuuuuh~"

..... Somehow she started to cry.

At this sudden unexpected reaction, Kamito panicked. "No, you're the pervert, a dirty ojou-sama, who reveals the color of her own panties", he had planned to tease her more with such words..... but, as expected, he was starting to feel pitiful.

Taking the chance while Claire was still in disarray, Kamito removed the whip coiled around his neck.

"My bad, I went a bit too far with my prank. Sorry."

Kamito stood up and placed his hand on Claire's head. Claire stopped crying, and looked puzzled.

"It's my fault that I saw your naked body while bathing, and I have .... have touched your breast as well. But those actions were not intentional. Please believe me."

"Wha-What....."

Seeing the truthfulness in Kamito's eye, Claire could not help but to avert her eyes.

"....What-What is this? If you are not a pervert, then why are you here?"

A question of a matter of course. This forest was under the jurisdiction of Areishia Spirit Academy, known as the «Spirit Forest». There is no reason for the presence of a man in the academy where pure princess maidens are gathered.

Even if he was not a pervert, there was little doubt that he was someone suspicious.

"I was summoned here by Greyworth."

"Greyworth..... the Academy Director!?"

Claire questioned suspiciously. Indeed, it was only natural to doubt.

"I'm not lying. Look, here's the evidence."

Kamito shrugged his shoulders, and took out a letter from his burned coat's inside pocket. The letter was signed by the renowned academy director. Also, it was stamped with the emblem seal that symbolizes the five great Elemental Lords.

"Is....that, the first rank emblem seal of the empire!?"

Claire let out a voice of dismay from her lips. The first rank emblem seal is produced by sealing spirits with a special technique. It is rated as the highest among the emblem seals issued by the empire, and is said to be completely impossible to counterfeit. Of course, it is something that is rarely seen, but as a elementalist, Claire could certainly tell its authenticity.

".....It seems to be the real thing. But, why would the academy director call a man here?"

"Well, for that you have to ask Greyworth, that old hag. It was troublesome for me, too."

"That... that old hag!?"

Instantly, Claire's face stiffened.

The Dusk Witch, Greyworth is greatly respected by the princess maidens who aim to become spirit knights. It was said that her popularity in the Ordesia Empire is neck and neck with the Strongest Blade Dancer Ren Ashbell. Even after a decade since she retired from the squad of the Twelve Knight Generals, the most elite force of the Spirit Knights known as the «Numbers», her legendary name as a witch is still being feared and revered to the highest degree.

(Well, for me, she is nothing but a nightmare....)

Tucking away the letter in his pocket, Kamito shrugged his shoulders.

"Greyworth is an old acquaintance of mine. I came all the way here, but the academy ground is very large, so I have lost my way."

Areishia Spirit Academy ground is incredibly vast. After all, besides the academic town at the foot of the hill, it also includes the entire spirit forest that spreads around it.

"Could it be, that you were misled by the spirits in the forest. That's so lame."

".....Yeah, that's how it is."

Claire chuckled, while Kamito nodded, feeling a bit dejected.

Existing in various locations of the continent, the spirit forests are connected with Astral Zero through the GATE, and are inhabited by the spirits that have wandered into this world. Most of the spirits have no interest in humankind so they are harmless. But there are also spirits who enjoy playing pranks, and they deliberately mislead the travelers who stray into the forest. As he was guided by the spirits' whispers and went deeper and deeper into the forest, he must have lost the way to the academy.

"Anyway, I'm really glad that I met a person. It is not very appealing to become a victim of the forest. From here onwards, which direction should I follow to get to the academy?"

"Which direction.....for your own information, I shall tell you, that it takes two hours to get to the academy from here on foot."

"What, that far!?"

If he was to walk for such a long distance, most likely he would once again be tricked by the spirits. Since a student of the academy was here, he had thought that the academy was much closer than it was.

(.....hmm? Why was this girl taking a bath at this kind of place?)

A plain question suddenly arises. Today is indeed a bit hot, nonetheless instead of coming all the way here, there should be showering facilities inside of the academy no matter what. Anyhow, there are only girls in the school, there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

Being asked, Claire dug her hands into her wet twin tail hair and tried to comb it.

"I was here for the purification ritual for a spirit contract. Being a spring next to a shrine, the water here has the highest holy quality. Do you at least know that spirits like a woman who has a pure mind and body?"

"Spirit contract?"

The moment he heard those words, a throbbing pain came from the back of his left hand covered in leather gloves. Kamito grimaced from the burning sharp pain.

"A bit further from here, there is an ancient holy sword in a historical shrine. Rumor has it that a powerful «sealed spirit» inhabited there. Since the founding of the academy, not a single princess maiden has successfully formed a contract with it. It surely sounds like a very proud spirit."

Sealed spirits – are not the spirits that reside in Astral Zero.

Among the spirits, there are those who were sealed into weapons or armors by powerful ancient elementalists. Most of them have brought about terrible disasters to the humans, and are dreadful beings called Djinn or Ifrit by ancient societies.

Of course, they are not meant to be employed by the human elementalists. For that purpose, the ancient great elementalists sealed them in weapons or armor so that they will never be summoned again.

"You, do you plan to form a contract with a sealed spirit?"

"That's right! Do you have a problem with it?"

"Stop, it's too dangerous."

"Hmm, you seem to know it quite well, even though you are not an elementalist. I'm quite aware of the danger, but I need a powerful spirit no matter what."

Claire muttered, biting her tightly closed lips.

Seeing her serious facial expression, Kamito involuntarily shut his mouth.

"But, don't you already have a contract with the flame spirit from earlier? That is also quite a powerful spirit, won't it be fine if you raise it up?"

For its attribute, a flame spirit is not very rare. But, there are only a handful of elementalists who can control a spirit of such rank and be capable of using «elemental waffen» in the whole empire. Besides, elementalists that have formed a contract with multiple spirits are so rare that they are almost nonexistent. Discord between the spirits can cause deterioration of the balance of divine power. Without enough talent one can't control them.

"«Scarlet» is an important partner. But—"

I need more power— Claire calmly shook her head.

"I have a goal. To achieve it, I must have a strong spirit."

Part 3

Chasing the back of Claire on which her fluffy crimson twin tails swung, Kamito followed her inside the forest. Although Claire's leather loafers looked quite difficult to walk in, Claire was a well trained elementalist after all, and her steps were light and lively.

"Here."

Then, suddenly her well proportioned feet stopped walking.

With her hands on her hips, she looked back with a half eye glare towards Kamito.

"Why are you following me? You pervert peeping maniac. "

"Without you, I don't know the way towards the academy. As I have said several times, I am not a pervert peeping maniac. It's Kamito, Kazehaya Kamito."

"Fufu, what a weird name. Kuina's origin?"

Kuina is an empire in the eastern region of the continent. It is said that its language, culture and the relationship of people with spirits largely differed from Ordeshia.

"No, it's not from Kuina. I was born in a far remote island's minority group village."

Kamito intentionally obscured his own statement. Certainly, he was born in an island country in the east, but the larger half of his childhood life wasn't spent there.

"Your name also has quite a rare taste, Claire Rouge."

"Don't call my name in a friendly manner. Anyway it's a strange name."

"Really? But, I consider it a nice name."

"Wha-What are you saying, stu-stupid!"

Claire's face blushed, then she suddenly changed back to her former direction, and briskly walked faster than usual.

Claire Rouge —— obviously a pseudonym.

Most of the students attending the Areishia spirit academy are surely young ladies of noble families who have been trained as elementalists since childhood. But Kamito has never heard of the Rouge residence. For hiding a noble family name, she must have some reason for it, but Kamito had no intention to delve more.

(.....Everyone has some secrets they want to hide.)

Kamito glanced in the direction of his left hand covered by a leather glove.

(Even I have mine, too—)

Claire kept advancing steadily. Kamito hastily chased after her back, where the twin tail were swaying. Now, losing sight of Claire inside the forest would only bring trouble for him. Kamito was well aware of the dangers of spending a night inside the «Spirit Forest».

"Is that dress the academy's uniform?"

"Yeah."

Claire nodded in a cold manner while walking.

Areishia Spirit Academy uniforms are pretty sturdy and also serve as a protective garment, which have undergone spirit's blessing, and it has the effect of raising the sacred attributes. It could also function nicely as a high ceremonial dress for contracting with spirits.

"What, are you saying that it doesn't suit me?"

"No, it suits you gorgeously. Honestly speaking, I am charmed."

Kamito shrugged his shoulder, and then answered honestly. Fine feathers make fine birds, Kamito planned to mock her with some caustic words, but it did fit her so perfectly that Kamito couldn't help but to compliment her.

"Wha-What-What are you saying!? Aren't you an idiot!"

*Kaatsu* Claire blushed in deep red, while *Pyun-Pyun* waving her whip.

"Uwahh, Calm down!"

"Wasn't it because you said some weird thing?"

"Me saying a weird thing?, I simply spoke the truth— *in pain*, I got it, I got it, please stop waving your whip for every little thing."

(....phew, I need her as a guide, but what a bothersome princess.)

Dodging the whip, which was swung downward at a paper thin distance, Kamito sighed in his mind.

The shrine that held the holy blade stood quietly in a clearing in the forest.

Claire easily removed the ward that forbade entry, then stopped walking, and turned to Kamito.

"From here onwards, it will be really dangerous, so, as a commoner you should stay away."

"If you know that it's dangerous, why not stop?"

"As I was saying, I need to have a strong spirit."

Claire calmly shook her head, and stepped into the shrine.

Disregarding her warnings, Kamito followed her. As for coming all the way, it was true that he needed a guide, but more importantly he was just worried about Claire.

After all, "sealed spirits" were strong and at the same time have a wild nature. They prefer destruction and chaos; given the chance, they would even murder the elementalist that employs them.

They are not something that can be managed by humans— that is why they have been sealed.

Sixteen years of age, with such an innate talent for wielding a spirit, Claire might as well be called a prodigy. However, if by any chance, she was to release a sealed spirit and fail to control it, what would happen?

Although she was just a girl he met by chance, Kamito couldn't leave her alone.

"Why did you follow me? I can't guarantee what will happen to you."

"Don't you have the absolute confidence to tame it?"

"Of-Of course I do!"

"Then there's no problem if I come along. "

Kamito shrugged his shoulders and Claire turned away from him.

"....Suit yourself."

Inside the shrine was misty with a dark and gloomy atmosphere. Claire frowned slightly at the moldy smells mingling in the air.

"......Flames, let there be light."

A tiny fire ball immediately started to glow from Claire's fingertips, a basic spirit spell drawing on the power of Flame Spirit. The flickering light of the fire ball dimly illuminated the walls of the shrine which looked like a cavern filled with stalactites.

The sword was at the innermost of the shrine.

"That..... is the sword that the sealed spirit resides in?"

Kamito muttered, while Claire nodded quietly.

A naked sword was stabbed standing in a huge stone. Although without a doubt it was an antique which was hundreds of years old, it had no rust on its body nor any dents on its edge. Delicate ancient runes were engraved on its belly, radiating a dim blue light.

"Existing here even before the academy was found, «The Sacred Sword of Severian»."

"The Sacred Sword of Severian? The one that slayed Demon King Solomon?"

Demon King Solomon— commanding seventy two powerful spirits, brought chaos and destruction to the continent, and was the only male elementalist in history.

It was said that the one that slayed the demon king was the sword of Severian.

"Idiot, there's no way that's the real thing."

Claire stated like she was amazed.

"Sacred Sword of Severian stabbed into a stone can be found everywhere in the empire. Some remote villages even have one for the revitalization of the village. Anyhow, even if it is not the real deal, since it is a rune sword, there might be a powerful spirit sealed in it."

".....Indeed. Certainly, the real thing would not be in such a place..."

Claire walked towards the sword determinedly.

"Hey...."

"You stay back."

Gesturing to Kamito who was coming close, Claire clenched the hilt of the holy blade.

"Don't strain yourself."

"....Got it."

Kamito decided to watch over Claire from the edge, where the light barely reached. The sealed spirit might be provoked by the presence of other people. A heavy silence filled the surroundings.

".....Let's do this, Claire Rouge."

Breathing deeply, Claire murmured to herself. Her voice trembled a bit; it seemed that she was nervous after all.

——Oh Noble Spirit Sealed in Ancient Holy Sword!

——Thou Shall Accept Me As Thy Master, And I Shall Be Thy Sheath!

From her cherry red lips flew a fluent incantation for contract ritual in spirit language. Her crimson hair stood on its ends. A crashing wind started to swirl inside the shrine.

Holding his breath, Kamito watched her intensely. Once the contract has been exchanged and the spirit recognized Claire as its master, a spirit seal would be engraved somewhere on her body. The contract vows entered its conclusion. In this moment, a dreadful gust of wind swept inside the shrine.

"......eh?"

But, Claire was unfazed. She calmly recited her contract vow.

—And, dazzling light radiated from Severian's holy blade in her hand.

(I can't....believe it, She was exchanging a contract with the sealed spirit!?)

Preventing himself from being swept by the wind, an astonished Kamito raised his voice.

From the holy blade stabbed in the stone came an overwhelmingly tremendous amount of divine energy. If it was an average elementalist, she would have already passed out.

"—Thrice I Command Thee, Exchange Vows With Me!"

And, Claire's vow reverberated inside the shrine— in that instant.

*Clink!*

"Pulled-Pulled out. I pulled it out."

".....What, seriously!?"

Brandishing the sword she pulled from the stone overhead, Claire exclaimed with joy. In the next second—

The ancient runes engraved in its blade suddenly shone violently!

"......huh!?"

Claire involuntarily released the blade from her hand—

The holy blade thrust into the ground. With a flash, it blasted into bits.

"Kyaaaaah!"

A short shriek flew, then Claire collapsed onto the ground.

"Hey, are you okay!"

Kamito quickly ran towards Claire.

"Wha-What? What exactly has...."

Claire held her temple and got up, then looked around restlessly.

"My-My sealed spirit?"

"No, I....can sense something terrible."

Sweat was flowing intensely from the back of Kamito's neck. Wearing a terrified facial expression, he looked up at the shrine's ceiling. In that place, swinging while floating in the air was the blade.

It's not the shattered holy sword. But, it was a rough steel blade that looked very sharp.

"Is that.....the sealed spirit in the sword!?"

"So it was of the «sword spirit» class. Looks like it is rather irritated."

"How do you know so much? You are not even an elementalist!"

"It is plain to see. No matter how you look at it, that doesn't seem to be someone who pledges his allegiance to his master."

".....Umm, indeed so."

Claire meekly nodded uncharacteristically.

The floating sword slanted, pointing its tip in a downward direction, when suddenly it become motionless.

Then—

".....Get down!"

In that instant Kamito pushed Claire down to the ground. A buzzing sound of an insect grazed his ear, in a flash it went far away.

"Wai-Waa-Wait, where are you touching me, I'll turn you into cinders!"

With her face deeply red, Claire beat on Kamito's chest repeatedly.

"Idiot, stop rampaging!"

Kamito quickly moved his body away, and looked in the direction that the sword spirit had flown to.

Fragments of rocks fell down with clattering sounds. The shrine's ceiling was cleanly sliced off.

"It is remarkable to release a spirit of such rank—"

Kamito glared with half opened eyes towards Claire.

"...... but the spirit has completely gone berserk."

"Shu-Shut up. The-The taming of it starts now."

"YOU...."

Kamito was stupefied, but he was in no situation to quarrel with her.

The spirit sword released a chattering noise while approaching them. Inside the shrine, they couldn't move freely, and even their range of sight was restricted.

Kamito grabbed Claire's hand and stood up. Touching each others' soft skin, *Doki*, but Kamito did not show a vexed expression on his face.

"Hwaah."

"Stop making such a cute reaction at every little thing. Let's flee."

"Wha.. whaa. whatt.. Cute.. what, me? Kyaa!"

"Let's run outside!"

Pulling Claire's hand while running towards the direction of the shrine's exit that was basking in the sunlight.

The spirit sword did not immediately chase after them. Maybe as of now it has not yet completely awakened. With this opportunity they might be able to run away.

The moment they were out of the shrine, the flash of the sword grazed in front of his eyes. Kamito's forelocks fell while dancing in the air. The spirit sword let out a tremendous roar, decisively knocking down the surrounding trees in succession.

"Crazy, what a wild spirit, just like a certain princess."

"Alwa-Always, you're noisy..."

Feeling slightly awkward, Claire deliberately coughed, then stood up.

"What a rebellious child.....I'll give you a proper spanking."

Her pair of crimson eyes were burning with a fierce determination; somehow she said some lines of provocation. Rolling up the fringe of her skirt, she then took out the leather whip, which was coiled around her thigh, hitting it hard on the ground. Kamito's heart beat from the brief sight of her white underwear, but he said—

"Are you insane!? Your opponent is a high rank sealed spirit!"

"Easy victory. Amateurs like you please stay back!"

"Where are you getting all of your confidence? Whatever, let's run away!"

Claire shook off Kamito's hand that was grabbing her wrist.

"No, you escape yourself. I will absolutely make this spirit mine."

"You, for what reason— do you need a strong spirit that badly?"

".....You will never understand."

At the same time Claire averted her eyes.

"I need...power, I need an unbeatable powerful spirit that will not lose to any other spirit!"

——Guardian of the crimson blaze, keeper of undying hearth!

——Now's the time to abide by the blood contract, come forth and do my bidding!

Claire recited the summoning spell of her "Flame Spirit". A crimson flame surged and she was engulfed by intense heat.

"The hunting begins, Scarlet!"

Together with scorching flames – a Scarlet Red Hell Cat appeared. Instead of fur, it was blazing with scarlet red colored flames that were wrapped around the beast's body.

(Is that the real form of her flame spirit!?)

Indeed, she was not all talk.

To be manifested in beast form is proof that it was a high rank spirit. "Scarlet" might just be a name of affection, perhaps it was not the true name of the spirit. Without a doubt, it was a high rank spirit that carries a true name.

Claire wielded her whip, and the hell cat growled with a frightful roar, then rushed towards the sword spirit. Dancing sparks scattered. The atmosphere trembled at the roar of the beast. The floating spirit sword went against them, cutting all the trees in its way.

"Scarlet, go get it!"

In response to Claire's shout, the hell cat leaped. High above the floating sword it went, and sharp blazing claws swung down at the sword. With a high pitched shrill sound, intense sparks sprinkled down, and the spirit sword dropped to the ground.

Claire ran at the same time. It was not a fatal hit. The spirit sword rose and flew in a split second, rolling over while drawing an arc in the air.

The flame spirit chased after it, trying not to let it escape. Roaring loudly, it made a great leap again.

Violent sparks scattered once again. Claire struck hard at the ground with her leather whip, slowly pressing forward against the sword spirit. It looked like the leather whip was not meant for battle, rather for signaling instructions to the spirit.

At the fierce attacks of Scarlet, the spirit sword's movement stopped— At that instant,

"Eat this, Searing Fire Ball!"

Claire released a huge fire ball from her palm.

Fire Ball is a high level spirit magic, which uses ultra hot flames and can terribly burn up all of its target, leaving it completely traceless. The spirit magic's power is determined by the elementalist's own divine spiritual energy and the contracted spirit's strength as a whole.

The released fire ball drew an arch in the air, then exploded in a blast that even Scarlet was caught in. The shock wave of the explosion knocked down the trees in the surroundings and fallen tree trunks radiated from the explosion center.

(What terrible power......)

Shielding himself from the flying stones coming at his head, Kamito wrapped his tongue and marveled.

Such power was nothing like what a sixteen years old girl is capable of.

Inside the swirling fire, the hell cat's figure showed up. Naturally, the hell cat can't possibly be harmed by the blazing fire because of its fire nature.

The spirit sword floated motionlessly in the air. It seemed that it had not received any damage either. Naturally, Claire didn't think that she would bring down a high rank spirit with spirit magic. But she should be able to get its attention.

"Scarlet!"

Claire exclaimed. The flame spirit's claws attacked the spirit sword again. Its scourging hot claws could melt the iron steel. If its opponent was an average spirit, it would be instantly eradicated. But, the spirit sword quickly turned around, and the attack was stopped by the steel edge of the blade.

In an instant, the strange sound of metal scratching each other reverberated in the trembling atmosphere.

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

Kamito suppressed both his ears with his hands.

Receiving the full impact of the sound, Claire's face distorted from pain and she crouched down there.

The spirit sword released a weird sound— and then transformed. Its shape changed from an average long sword to that of a huge bastard sword.

In a flash.

"What!?"

Claire's flame spirit took the unexpected strike and couldn't avoid the big swing. The body was severed into two, and it vanished into the void together with the flames wrapped around its body.

With only one hit, it had lost the strength to manifest in this world.

(....Damn! Isn't it in a completely different league? It seemed that it has completely awakened.)

Kamito cursed, then glanced at Claire—

Claire had collapsed on the ground, and her stunned blank eyes were fixed upward at the void where the flame spirit had disappeared.

Having finished off the flame spirit in one swing, the spirit sword aimed its next attack at Claire.

The huge bastard sword flew with a bursting sound—

"Claire!"

Kamito shouted, and started to run. Without reason, his own body just moved before he knew it.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Diving in front of Claire, he thrust his palm toward the bastard sword. Not his left hand enclosed by the leather glove – it was his right hand.

(......No choice but to do this!)

——Oh Noble Spirit Sealed in Ancient Holy Sword!

——Thou Shall Accept Me As Thy Master, And I Shall Be Thy Sheath!

Sweat rushed down from his forehead, and he started to recite the incantation for spirit contract that he had sworn to never utter again. The spinning tip of the sword pierced the skin of his palm. Red blood gushed intensely from it.

(.....Gwaah, Gah!)

Crushing amounts of divine energy knocked on him, the soil and sands surrounding them were whirling up from the wind pressure. He almost lost his consciousness from the sharp pain. But if Kamito fainted here, Claire who was behind him would surely be cut in half.

——Thrice I Command Thee!

".....No way, a Spirit Contract!?"

A surprised sound came from Claire's throat.

Kamito's heels sank into the ground. And, the sound of his breaking bones resounded underneath his scalp.

——Exchange Vows With Me!

Withstanding the terrible sharp pain, Kamito finished his last word of the contract ritual.

Instantly, the body of the spirit sword radiated a pale blue light.

(What!?)

Intense flashes and thunderous sounds filled his consciousness.

Part 4

He opened his eyes, and Claire Rouge's face was there. Hanging down onto his face was her twin tailed hair tickling his face.

It seemed that she had shouted something, but he couldn't hear it clearly. Probably the sound blast had messed up his ears.

(.....Looks like I'm still alive.)

Wearily lying on the ground, Kamito let out a breath of relief. The chance of success against a spirit of such rank was very low, but it looked like his gamble had paid off.

Raising his eyebrow, he grimaced from the torment of the pain felt by his whole body and raised his right hand slowly.

In his right hand which was stabbed—

Instead of a wound, an emblem of two swords crossing each other was engraved on it.

It was the proof of the spirit contract — The spirit seal.

(Aah, I did it....)

Staring at the carved seal on the back of his hand, Kamito murmured.

A sharp sense of guilt bit at his heart.

He had broken the promise with her—

But, to save Claire under such a situation, that was the only method.

Claire noticed that Kamito had woken up, with her hands in his nape and her face approaching him. So close that he could feel her breath. With her clear crimson eyes, she stared at Kamito. Her cherry colored lips trembled weakly.

"......Why?"

"Why? You're a male. How can you contract a spirit!?"

"......"

Kamito did not answer and slowly rose up. Being ignored, the annoyed Claire raised her eyebrows.

"My-My sword spirit!?"

"My bad. Just a moment ago, I contracted with it."

Kamito sighed and at the same time he showed her the back of his right hand where the spirit seal was engraved.

"Wha-Whaa-Wha-Whaaaat!"

Claire wore a stunned expression with her mouth wide open.

(Well, a natural reaction....)

A long sigh— Kamito felt a faint ache in his heart. Of course, he could clearly understand such a response. Originally, a privilege that was granted to no one except pure maidens— the spirit contract.

The existence of a man which could contract a spirit, throughout history, belonged solely to one person. And the one who brought chaos and destruction in the world, the so called Demon King elementalist.

It is natural to fear him, who carried the same power of spirit contracts as the Demon King.

Kamito stood up and quietly turned around.

He did not regret it. To save the girl, this was the only way he could think of.

"Wait, wait I say!"

Kamito was about to leave, but a voice called him from behind.

Turning around, he saw that Claire, with her hands on her hips, was glaring intensely at him.

"You stole...my spirit...take responsibility for it!"

"Huh?"

Kamito frowned. ....It didn't make any sense to him.

At such a reaction from Kamito, Claire impatiently brushed her twin tail.

"I should have been the one to have obtained that spirit, as I am saying, you have to take responsibility for it."

"Re..sponsibility?"

Because of that unexpected word, Kamito had become even more confused.

....What was the girl saying.

"Therefore...."

Claire snapped her whip, then she pointed her index finger toward Kamito.

"You have to become my contracted spirit!"