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Volume 2, 6 - The Morning of the Departure
Volume 2, 6 - The Morning of the Departure
Volume 2, Chapter 6 - The Morning of the Departure
Part 1
—Four years ago, it was the day when the still young girl's heart was completely broken.
Flames were rising one by one all over the shrine.
The flames emitted black smoke and thunderously blazed. There were the screams of the disordered guards.
On that day, at the shrine, where the Elemental Lord was worshipped, a major event that shook the empire was occurring.
The Fire Queen suddenly flew a banner of revolt and stole the LaevateinnStrongest Flame Spirit from the shrine.
The likes of the Empire's Spirit Knights couldn't even prove to be her opponent. The raging Laevateinn wielded a gigantic flaming demon sword and was simply mowing down the spirits blocking its way.
Inside the whirling flames and black smoke, a girl was running alone.
The Divine Ritual Institute's princess maidens, who were packed into the bedrooms, were already escaping towards the outside.
However, the girl's running wasn't to escape.
It was to stop her.
Her senior maiden—Rubia Elstein, who she adored like an elder sister and had admired from her heart.
(It has to be some sort of mistake. Rubia-sama wouldn't do—)
The girl was out of breath and finally reached the entrance of the shrine.
The fire Queen was— over there.
Her red hair fluttered in the surging violent winds and in that hand of hers was a sword of blazing scarlet flames.
In the dead of night, her face, shined upon by the light of the flames, was no less than extremely beautiful.
"Rubia-sama."
The girl gulped.
She came all the way to stop her and yet—
Before that oh-so terrible blood lust, simply standing took all she had.
However, she strained her voice bravely.
She had to stop her. That was the duty of one born into the royal family.
"Do not— get in my way."
The Fire Queen warned with an emotionless voice.
Her ruby pupils, carrying red hot flames, looked down on the girl before her like shooting through her.
"No, Rubia-sama. There's no way I will allow you to pass through here."
Glaring firmly back at those eyes, the girl recited the spirit language summoning.
"—Thou, servant of the king of the child of man, knight and master swordsman!"
"—By the contract of the old blood, become the sword that protects me, come forth and do my bidding!"
The girl's contracted spirit was a high ranking holy spirit, which had served the Ordesia royal family for generations.
Even if she couldn't win, she should be able to roughly stall for some time—
—That was what she thought.
However.
"I said don't get in my way."
At that moment, the Fire Queen swung the sword of scarlet flames held in her hand.
In just a moment. A red killing-flash occurred, the summoned holy spirit was wrapped in a red hot conflagration and vanished.
"Wh...at..."
*Thump*. The girl collapsed on her knees at that spot.
It was painful to breathe. Her throat had a cramp and she couldn't even gasp.
The cause was the contracted spirit she had put perfect trust in.
The strongest knight, who always protected her since she was young, vanished too quickly.
"N-No, help me please..."
The hopeless fear crushed the heart of the girl, who was overflowing with confidence, into small pieces.
Throwing off all her pride as a royalty, the girl just shed tears and begged.
The one who was there was neither the empire's second princess, nor the elite princess maiden of the Divine Ritual Institute.
It was merely a powerless girl.
The Fire Queen bent over her waist gently. The girl's whole body trembled with just that.
"Fianna Ray Ordesia— Never appear before me again."
She whispered that close to her ears, and then went on, disappearing into the middle of the blazing flames.
Part 2
"...!?"
Fianna jumped up from the bed.
Her rough breathing would not settle. Unpleasant perspiration was causing her undergarments to cling closely to her skin.
"A dream..."
After muttering and regulating her breathing, she tightly grabbed the bed sheet.
It was Claire's room in the Raven Class' dormitory. The morning sunlight was shining in from the window.
It seemed that she had slept with her uniform on. It couldn't be said that it was comfortable enough to sleep in, but the uniform of the Divine Ritual Institute, which incorporated the holy attribute, had the effect of fatigue recovery.
(My secret, looks like it hasn't been exposed...)
Slightly easing open her chest area, Fianna breathed a sigh of relief.
—And then, she recalled. It was about yesterday night.
(If he hadn't protected me at that moment, right now I would have been—)
She bit her lips and put strength into her hand grabbing the sheet.
(...It's the same as that day. In the end, I couldn't do anything.)
At that moment, the room's door suddenly opened—
"Fianna... you've awoken?!"
"Kyaa!?"
Fianna reflexively screamed and quickly concealed her exposed bosom.
"M-My bad!"
Flustered, Kamito averted his eyes.
"W-Why did you suddenly enter..."
"Sorry... I had the same experience with waking a young lady, who always oversleeps."
As Kamito scratched his head, he apologized. His face was spread with the color of weariness.
"Your hand's injury, is it alright?"
"Ah, it's no big deal. Claire had already called for the medical team after all."
With a flutter, Kamito waved his left hand, that had been pierced by the spirit, to show her.
It certainly looked like his wound had been healed, but that expression of his looked like he was still in pain and enduring it.
"I'm sorry, it's because of me. Because I meddled unnecessarily."
"No, Fianna, if you hadn't used the spirit crystal at that time, I'd have been done for. Thank you for saving me. About the spirit crystal of releasing, isn't it unreasonably high priced?"
"I-It's nothing special, who do you think I am?"
"I see...you are the former royal princess."
As Kamito wryly smiled, he sat beside the bed.
(...N-No way, why is my face so hot, I wonder.)
Fianna's heart was racing.
(I'm just trying to use him and yet.)
For her face to not be seen directly for some reason, Fianna drew her hands near to her knees and looked down.
"About yesterday's intruder, it seems the Sylphid Knights are in the middle of investigating. The teachers also seem to be moving in a fluster, however, the plan is for us to go investigate Mine Town as planned."
Kamito cut his sentence there—
"That's—it. Before we go for the quest, I have to talk to you."
"Isn't it still early to propose?"
"...Don't make fun of me. You know it, right? About that matter."
Kamito said with a frowning tone, and *kata*, a small sound was heard outside.
Fianna smirked. It was the same as a girl's face when thinking of messing around.
Upon brushing her glamorous black hair, she gently drew her lips close to Kamito's ear—
"I understand. With just the two of us, at a place where Claire isn't around, you have something important to talk about."
"Hn? Ah, that is so, but..."
It was a manner of speech that had something unclear— Kamito frowned and at that moment...
*Bam*— The room's door suddenly opened.
"Hey, Kamito, with just the two of you, at a place where I'm not around, what important thing do you have to talk about?"
*Gogogogogogogogo...!*
"Claire!? W-Wait, you misunderstood, the words just now were by no means a conversation like that—"
"Scarlet!"
When Claire called out its name, a red-hot hell cat appeared from an empty space.
"Y-Y-You have two choices... Roasted or smoked?!"
"—Fianna, let's run away!"
"Eh...Kyaa!"
Kamito gently carried Fianna, kicked open the room's window and jumped.
"Ah, y-you got away, wait up!"
Part 3
The academy courtyard was hazy with the morning mist.
Rinslet Laurenfrost took her maid and wolf for a morning walk.
"Carol, let's have breakfast at the dining hall?"
"Yes, milady."
Carol nodded, seemingly happy. The white wolf walking beside her also howled.
Contrary to its ferocious-looking appearance, this wolf surprisingly made round and cute eyes. It was the high-ranked demon ice spirit Fenrir, which had served the Laurenfrost family for generations.
Walking a contracted spirit wasn't something that unusual.
The spirits particularly like walking in the forest. The Spirit Forest surrounding the academy was an environment of exceedingly good feeling to the spirits that manifested in this world.
Girls from the Knights were running in a fluster in the academy corridors surrounding the courtyard.
"What? It's been noisy since morning."
"It seems that a thief broke into the academy last night, milady."
"To creep into this academy, that's a brave thief— Ah?"
Frowning suddenly, Rinslet raised her voice.
Kamito was walking towards the Spirit Forest from the academy building.
Kamito was leading a shockingly pretty girl.
"Ah, it's Kamito-sama. The girl beside him is, if I'm not mistaken, the newly admitted student, Fianna-san?"
"..."
Rinslet pouted her lips, seemingly sullen.
"I wonder why, my chest is somewhat surging with anger."
"Ah, milady, do you dislike Kamito-sama?"
"Yes, I hate him! That distinction-lacking person!"
"However, milady, you seem pretty concerned about Kamito-sama."
"I-I just want to steal Claire Rouge's slave!"
Rinslet's face turned red and she turned away.
—And then, over there, she spotted the appearance of another acquaintance and frowned.
Just right at that moment, Claire came out from the Raven Class dormitory's outer gate.
She somewhat looked strange and was tottering with an unusually depressed expression.
Even her prided red twintail was now dejectedly dangling.
"What on earth happened?"
Rinslet muttered, seemingly worried.
(...She may be my rival, but as expected I cannot abandon her.)
Even if they always quarrel, she was worried about her childhood friend one way or another.
Leaving behind Carol and Fenrir at that spot, Rinslet quietly approached from behind.
"W-Why he— are such big breasts good? Those lumps of fat..."
"What's with breasts, Claire Rouge?"
"...! Ri-Rinslet!?"
Claire was taken aback and screamed.
"Aren't your breasts being deplorable a usual thing?"
"S-Shut up... Well, that's enough. Besides that, have you seen Kamito?"
"Kamito-san, I happened to see him some time ago. He was walking with a girl, just the two of them."
"W-What was that?!"
"They went towards the forest direction. If you run after them, you can still make it."
Claire... groaned.
"I-I don't care about such a guy! I hope he dies by suffocation while being buried in breasts!"
"Hey, Claire, what on earth happened?"
Rinslet inquired, seemingly puzzled.
Claire tightly bit her lips—
"Rinslet, hide your shame and listen... W-Why are my breasts small?"
Rinslet kindly smiled at Claire, whose face bashfully reddened.
"You are not at all at fault. It's just that your deplorable breasts are at fault. Besides, so-called maniac men who like those also exist in society."
"Rinslet, didn't you say something earth-shatteringly rude under the pretense of comforting me?"
"It was just your imagination."
Rinslet nonchalantly said.
"It'd be fine if I could share and give my breast to you, however..."
She muttered— suddenly, Rinslet recalled an article that she read from some magazine.
"Claire, I remembered a method to enlarge your breasts."
"Eh?"
Claire gazed at Rinslet with eyes full of anticipation for a moment.
...However, she instantly shook her head.
"...L-Lies, there's no way such a method exists. I heard a rumor that the legendary large breast spirit had been seen in the Spirit Forest in the older days and went hunting, but even that was a false rumor."
"Eh, y-you were doing such a shameful thing?"
Rinslet was, as expected, a little drawn back.
"S-Shut up... That's enough. I'll hear you out about that method."
"Ahem." Claire coughed and said.
She took an attitude as if she didn't seem interested, but her keen interest had been found out.
Hmm. Rinslet placed her hand at her chin.
(...This is perhaps something I can use as a trade.)
It seemed that Claire's worries were not something very serious.
If that's the case, she felt like it was a waste to just give the information to her rival.
(...That reminds me, Claire's team entered into an S rank quest.)
Rinslet recalled about the thing she casually heard from Carol yesterday.
"It's alright even if I tell you. However, it is just difficult to do it for free."
"W-What?"
"I also want to have the privilege of joining Team Scarlet's current quest."
"...Huh? Why are you coming along?!"
"It is unfair that only you guys get to go on a trip. Besides, it will be troubling for my manservant to be tamed as you please at a place where my eyes can't reach."
"It isn't a trip; it's a quest. To begin with, Kamito isn't your manservant."
Claire bluntly shook her head. It was natural. If the number of people participating in the quest increased, then the ranking points given per person would also end up decreasing after all.
"I see, in that case, it's regretful, but I am unable to tell you the method to enlarge your breasts."
"Guu..."
Claire, seemingly vexed, gritted her teeth.
For a few seconds, she sternly glared at Rinslet—
"...I-I get it."
Eventually, she sighed as she gave up.
"You may come along. However, forming a team with you is something temporary."
"Th-That's obvious! Who would join a team like yours?!"
Part 4
During that time, Kamito and Fianna had gone deep into the Spirit Forest.
At night, it was a forest of darkness with the squirming of nasty spirits, but during the day, it gave off the same feeling as a sacred shrine. Such was the Spirit Forest: a place with a two-faced nature.
(That reminds me, I met Claire here...)
...That was, in many ways, the worst kind of meeting, though.
"To walk in the middle of the trees with just the two of us, it's just like a date."
"This isn't a place suited for a date. There are spirits that the eyes can't see drifting all over the place."
"It's fine. If I had to say so, then I'm more the type that gets fired up being seen."
"...Wh... Pr-Princesses don't say such a thing!"
"It's a joke. What are you getting red for?"
While having such a conversation, the two of them emerged into a clearing in the middle of the forest.
He didn't have to worry about anyone hearing about their chat.
"Well then, I have one thing I want to ask—"
"My underwear's color is black."
"Don't go ahead and answer. That's not it, I don't plan to ask such a question."
Kamito retorted with deadpan eyes. It was not good for him to be dragged into the princess's pace.
"Ahem", he coughed and gazed straight into Fianna's eyes—
"Why do you know my true identity?"
"..."
There were a few seconds of silence.
And then, she calmly sighed.
The color of disappointment that she couldn't conceal surfaced on her face.
"...Hey, are you really unable to remember?"
"Sorry, but I don't have a princess acquaintance."
Fianna sighed again at Kamito's reply.
She puffed her cheeks, rather than being shocked, he felt like she was angry.
"Hint one, do you remember anything looking at this forest?"
"The forest?"
"Yes, Astral Zero's forest."
Astral Zero... There was something stuck in Kamito's mind.
"Hint two, the Blade Dance."
"Blade Dance, you mean the one three years ago?...Don't tell me, you're an opponent from one of the blade dances!?"
"Hint three, hair style!"
Shouting in an irritated voice, Fianna tied up her hair with both hands.
She wore her glamorous black hair on both sides, that face—
"Ah!"
Kamito spontaneously raised his voice.
"...I-I remember!"
Three years ago, she was the girl he saved when she was being attacked by a spirit in the Astral Zero forest.
Certainly, Kamito got seen when he wasn't wearing his female clothing at that time.
"The girl from that day was you, Fianna!"
"...Yes, jeez."
Fianna pouted her lips as though she was peevish.
"Err, but, your atmosphere is greatly different..."
Kamito spoke ambiguously. It was not that he remembered it that vividly, but at least she wasn't such a grown-up girl.
"What, Kamito-kun, you too have changed pretty much."
"Various things happened."
Kamito awkwardly averted his eyes.
His line of sight unconsciously fixed on his left hand covered by leather glove.
—Three years ago was when just about everything changed.
After all, it was that day he lost her, reaching his hand out to the Wish that should have never been wished for.
"Despite promising to meet again, despite me waiting all this time. You disappeared."
"...Sorry."
Kamito honestly apologized.
Fianna placed her hands on her waist, and sighed in disappointment.
"It's fine, I'll forgive you. I'm offended that you completely forgot about me, but well, that's it. To you, it was only one girl you saved by chance."
"But hey—", she desolately muttered.
Suddenly, she pushed her soft fingertip gently onto Kamito's lips.
"You're really my first love."
"Wh...!?"
"It's a joke."
"...Wh-Why you."
Kamito glared with a deadpan look and Fianna giggled.
"I see, you're the girl from that time..."
However, even if—
Why on earth did she come approaching Kamito? That reason was not clear.
"Fianna, why did you come to this academy?"
"Of course, it's to kiss my beloved Kamito-kun."
"...Don't you feel embarrassed saying that?"
"Y-Yes...that just now was a little embarrassing."
Fianna turned red and looked downwards....Well, she'll do it.
"I came here because I heard about Kamito-kun."
"About me?"
"Yeah, a few days ago, I heard a rumor from my castle-serving butler. That there was a male elementalist, who defeated a rampaging militarized spirit. After investigating, that name—"
"Was my name, the one, who disappeared three years ago."
"That's it. Although, I knew intuitively just from the male elementalist part."
"Then, why did you come to meet me?"
"Th-That's to kiss with Kamito-kun—"
"No, that's enough."
Kamito interrupted and Fianna was a little sullen as she kept silent.
And then, she calmly opened her mouth.
"I thought of threatening you with the secret of your past and forcibly getting to join your team."
"What do you mean?"
"If I was in the same team as Ren AshbellStrongest Blade Dancer, the strongest blade dancer, I thought that I could win this time's Blade Dance."
"...I see. That means that those unnatural seductive methods were also part of your plan?"
"Err... I-I got exposed."
"Your acting was too unnatural. Well, I think you did your best."
At any rate, she was a real princess and through rigid ways, she was a famous Divine Ritual Institute princess maiden. In relation to such a field, in a certain way, she was a girl more innocent than this academy's high-class young ladies.
"However, don't misunderstand! D-Doing such a thing is something I've only done to you, Kamito-kun!"
"No, such a follow-up is troubling..."
Kamito moaned with a deadpan look and sighed.
"However, why do you plan on entering the Blade Dance?"
"That's..."
Fianna made a perplexed-like expression—
"Isn't it obvious? If I win the Blade Dance, I'll have all the status and honor I desire. Everyone, who was ridiculing me —The Lost Queen, useless princess— will have to recognize me."
"...I see."
—That was a lie. Kamito had a hunch. That was not the true reason.
Her cold pupils were similar to Claire's, carrying a strong will towards their goal.
With such a reason, she shouldn't be able to have such eyes.
"Hey, Kamito-kun. You aren't angry?"
"Hn, why?"
"After all, I'm trying to use you."
Kamito shrugged his shoulders at the princess, who became serious at a strange time.
"It's nothing, Greyworth always uses me. On top of that, Claire gives me the slave treatment. Even if such people increase by one or two, it makes no difference."
"It seems even that Ren AshbellStrongest Blade Dancer has it hard in various things."
Fianna bitterly smiled, at that moment—
"You guys, what are you doing there?!"
The thicket rustled and a cold voice resounded.
He turned around and a girl, whose face he recognized, appeared from the other side of the thicket.
"Ellis?"
"...Oh, it's Kamito."
Ellis took a breath of relief and sheathed her sword. Then, she pushed through the thicket and walked towards his direction.
Immediately from behind, Rakka and Reishia from the Knights appeared.
"Ellis, what's the matter? Why are you in the middle of the forest?"
"Those are our words. Because of yesterday's intruder, the Knights are being strained. I'll want you to be discreet with your own actions."
Immediately, Ellis's line of sight moved towards Fianna, who stood behind Kamito.
Her expression immediately turned stern.
"Y-You guys, what are you doing at such a place with just the two of you!"
Before Kamito knew it, a sword was pressing near his throat.
...As always, it was a god-speed sword draw.
"No way, you guys—"
"How dumb, isn't there only one thing a boy and a girl of age could do in the middle of the forest."
"Wh-What was that!?"
Ellis's face got dyed bright red at Fianna's words.
The sword's edge was raised with a jerk.
"Oi, Fianna!?"
Kamito shouted, but Fianna feigned ignorance.
"Th-The academy doesn't have a rule that prohibits illicit sexual relationships. At any rate, the opposite sex isn't here, after all. However, even if the rules allow it, the Knights won't! What were you doing, say it!"
"Well, what did we do? However, isn't it generally like your imagination?"
Fianna pressed her breasts tightly onto Kamito's arm.
Ellis's eyes increasingly rose with danger.
"Fianna, why do you always make pretenses, which is like pouring oil onto the fire!?"
"Ev-Even though I'd gotten a slightly better opinion of you..., you insolent person!"
She swung her sword.
Kamito jumped back in a fluster to avoid that merciless attack.
"Wa-Wait, Ellis! Knights, please come, there's a murdering demon here!"
"You fool, I am a Knight!"
"I said it in irony!"
Kamito shouted.
"Captain, you're wasting your time."
Rakka placed her hand on Ellis's shoulder.
"Apologies, whenever our captain is before you, she gets emotionally unstable."
"...Th-That's not true!"
Ellis's face turned bright red and she snarled at Reishia, who chuckled.
For the time being, it seemed the danger to his life had subsided. Kamito took a breath of relief.
"Jeez, Ellis, what's the matter since this morning?"
"Ah, it has been decided that we are departing to a mine for a quest. To use a light source inside the tunnel, we came to capture light attribute spirits."
The one who answered was Rakka.
That's right. They were holding lanterns inserted with small spirit crystals in their hands.
"A mine? Could it be, by any chance, the same Mine Town Gado investigation quest as us?"
"Ah, that's right. Although, we didn't have the investigation quest."
"What do you mean?"
"It is a quest newly added this morning. The details were the arrest of the assailant and the recovery of the stolen highly classified materials."
"The assailant— that Jio Inzagi brat."
He was a male elementalist, who used several contracted spirits.
He seemed to know something about that boy's goal.
"That's right. We haven't gotten hold of the brat's true identity, but the highly classified material stolen from the library was something that had recordings about the strategic-class militarized spirit, Jormungandr, sealed in the postwar period in Mine Town Gado. It seems that there are people secretly maneuvering at the outskirts of Mine Town."
Ellis held her temper, seemingly vexed.
"It's because of Jio Inzagi —that brat— that the confidence in the Sylphid Knights fell to the ground. To restore the Knights' honor I, as the Captain, have to arrest him."
Rakka and Reishia strongly nodded to Ellis's words.
(...It seemed like it won't end as an ordinary earthquake investigation.)
A premonition passed through Kamito's mind.
There was the stolen strategic-class militarized spirit's highly classified material.
And then, there was the assailant, who somehow knew Kamito's true identity.
(Wasn't Greyworth holding on to the information regarding that assailant?)
Kamito honestly did not understand what that Dusk Witch was making him do. However, he thought about it, for Greyworth to present an S rank quest at this timing, he felt something intentional behind her actions.
(That witch...)
Kamito groaned loathsomely.
After that, he faced Ellis—
"...Hey, Ellis. Since our goals are the same, why don't you cooperate with us?"
That Jio Inzagi assailant wasn't a common opponent.
He, of course, knew about Ellis's ability, but he wasn't an opponent that could be managed with her skills.
However, Ellis decisively shook her head.
"Kamito, I appreciate your feelings, but I just can't borrow your help. This is something that the Sylphid Knights should settle."
"Well, you may think like that, but don't overdo it."
"A-Ah... you too."
Ellis turned red and faced away.
Fianna, who saw that situation, pouted her lips seemingly sullen for some reason.
Part 5
At that time, Claire was hugging a pillow on her bed and writhing.
"To get the boy I li-like to rub my b-breasts!"
She shouted with her face flushed red and struck the pillow. *Posun*. *Posun*.
—To enlarge her breasts, it was best to get a gentleman she likes to rub them.
Rinslet told her that.
"Th-There's no way I can do that! Besides, a boy I li-like—"
While hugging the pillow tightly, she rolled idly on her bed...and suddenly stopped.
"..."
At that moment, Kamito's face came to Claire's mind for some reason.
Like the prince of the romance novels targeted at teens, which Claire loved reading, Kamito, in her imagination, forcibly pushed Claire down on the bed—
"Fuwaa, wh-what are you doing, idiot, pervert!"
"Surprisingly, it seems you do have breasts."
"Eh?... I-Is that so? That's not true, it's the same as usual, as usual."
"I'll make them even bigger. With this magnificent technique of mine."
"No, hey, fua, a-aa ?"
Kamito's fingertips in her imagination tightly grabbed Claire's breasts.
One rub, two rubs, each time her breasts went expanding like a fluffy cake.
("Fua, hn, wh-what is this, how amazing...!?")
Her uniform button popped out with a snap and her underwear ripped, and then—
"...There's no way that would happen!"
Claire hit her pillow and writhed.
"Wh-What's with the magnificent technique... Am I an id-idiot or what?!"
"Nyaa?"
"Wh-What are you looking at, Scarlet!"
She faced the floor and threw the pillow, and the fire spirit escaped in a fluster.
"Ahh, I-It's all that guy's fault!"
While hugging her shoulders with both hands, she increased the pace of her breathing.
(...What do I do, I've somehow begun feeling hot. I wonder if I have a fever.)
Her body was hot for some reason. Claire placed both hands on her cheeks and was struck with an idea.
(...I-I wonder if they'll become big, if I rub them myself.)
"I-I shall try it out..."
With her fingertips, she held her own breasts just a little.
"Ah, hn..."
She involuntarily let out a voice due to the light numb-like sensation.
(Wh-What do I do...it somehow feels good.)
*Funyuu*. *Funyuu*.
"Fua, ah, hn, no, this... is not good and yet, hn."
She was rubbing her breasts in a half conscious state—
*Gacha*— the sound of the room's door opening resounded.
"...Y-You, what are you doing?"
Kamito was standing with a puzzled-looking face.
"...Fua!? N-No, this isn't what it looks like!"
Immediately following what she said, countless fireballs released by Claire blew Kamito away.
Part 6
With this and that, it was one hour later. At the plaza in front of the gate, Kamito was preparing for the departure.
It wasn't a place that far from the academy. It was a distance that wouldn't take a day riding through the highway by horse.
It seemed that Ellis's team had already departed. As for the girls, who were receiving the wind spirit's divine protection, they should be able to reach there even earlier.
Equipping Est on his waist, who had transformed into her sword form, he was confirming the equipment.
"I am late, Kamito-san."
A platinum blonde high-class young lady came leading a horse.
"Eh, Rinslet's also coming?"
Kamito asked Claire.
"Yeah, it was a high grade strategic trade. In exchange for the important piece of information she held, I allowed her to join the quest this time."
"Important information? What's that?"
"It is a se-secret... it's an important piece of information after all, it can't be told to someone like you."
"Certainly, it's an important piece of information to you. A method to enlarge your breasts—!"
"Hey, Rinslet Laurenfrost, do you want to turn to cinders?"
"Hey, Claire, your eyes, your eyes are serious!"
Rinslet backed off.
"Ah, I'm worried, milady. To go to such a dangerous place."
At her side, Carol, the maid, was worrying about her master with her hands put together like she was praying.
As she was not an elementalist, she naturally couldn't join the quest. She was a care-taker at the academy.
"It is alright, Carol. I am worried about you instead."
Rinslet hugged her brave maid who had affection for her master.
"I wonder if you can wake up alone in the morning even when I'm not around. Eat precisely three meals. For the washing, take care not to let it be covered in bubbles again."
"Yes, milady, I will do my best even if milady isn't around."
"...No, that is strange."
Kamito retorted to the two of them, who were somehow getting excited, with a deadpan look.
"By any chance, could Carol be a terribly no-good maid?"
Thereupon, Rinslet sternly turned around and glared at Kamito.
"What are you saying? It is fine as long as a maid is cute!"
"Well, if you're alright with that, it's fine, however..."
(Or perhaps I should say that Rinslet is truly a perfect superwoman at all housework!?)
...It was surprisingly beyond the truth.
"The meals milady makes are very delicious."
"Carol, you should also do some work..."
Kamito was amazed at the no-good maid.
"St-Stop, I said stop, didn't I!"
Such a scream was heard from behind.
Kamito turned around and Fianna, who was on the horse, was being swung about—
"Kyaa!"
*Thud!* Her butt fell to the ground. It seemed that her reflexes weren't very good.
"Jeez, despite being a royal princess, you can't ride a horse? Horse riding is a noble's basic knowledge?"
"The me-method to ride a horse wasn't taught at the Divine Ritual Institute!"
While beating off the mud stuck on her skirt, Fianna answered back.
"Horseback combat practice is a required subject in the academy, it's something you have to get used to. Well, with those breasts, it might be difficult to keep your balance though?"
"Yes, that's right. As I do not have aero breasts[1] that don't catch air resistance like yours, I may certainly be unsuited for riding a horse. Since I catch air resistance, that is."
"Wh...a-aero breasts, what?! Don't make up new words!"
Rinslet came around at the spot where the two were quarreling.
Brushing her platinum blonde hair, she faced Fianna and smiled.
"I'm Rinslet Laurenfrost, I'm pleased to make your acquaintance from now on. And, as Kazehaya Kamito is my manservant, could you please not make a move on him as you wish?"
"Ah, I don't plan on making a move on him. Since he's your manservant, how about you properly discipline him?"
"You can sure use your words, your Highness... hohoho."
"Fufufu..."
Between the two of them, sparks were scattering.
"You girls..."
Kamito, who was on the horse, was astounded and sighed.
Fianna turned towards Kamito's direction and an impish smile surfaced.
"Hey, as I can't ride a horse, Kamito will give me a ride."
"Uh?"
Before Kamito answered, Fianna had jumped behind him.
"Wh...!"
"Come on!"
Claire and Rinslet raised their voice simultaneously.
Fianna wrapped her hands around Kamito's waist and tightly embraced him.
*Fuyon*, the sensation of her soft breasts touching him was felt.
"W-Why me? Have Claire or Rinslet give you a ride."
"I want to be given a ride by Kamito. Or, do you want your true identity exposed?"
"Guu..."
"N-No, that's no good!"
Claire struck the ground with a whip with a snap.
"Ah, why?"
"Wh-Why...? A-At any rate, that's no good!"
"Even if you're a royal princess, that's unfair!"
Rinslet also sullenly puffed her cheeks.
...He didn't understand very well what was unfair.
"Oh dear, it seems I have many difficulties in store for me..."
Kamito deeply sighed on the horse with Fianna sitting behind him.
References and Translation Notes
1. ? Aero as in Aerodynamic (ie: aerodynamically shaped to reduce air resistance, like how cars or airplanes are shaped).