Volume 1 Chapter 1 (1/2)
In a quiet forest where the sun's rays shi+ne 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 lustrously moist cherry-red lips
Her white skin was as s
Her beautifully slender legs disappeared below the water surface
However, what caught his eyes ly crieous, porcelain-like body
However, she was naked
Stark naked
Kain 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 seerasp the situation
She had not even covered her s breasts yet
Tick
A water droplet fell fros
With that sound, Kaained his senses
”Ah—Err,” Kamito stumbled over his words
He tore his gaze fro motionlessly
”I guess I should saythis 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 stu excuses The best choice for hiirl was dazed and run away immediately
And the other error was—
”Even though this is an accident, I have seen you like this I ize”
Up to this point, 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 in the naked body of a kid”
He stepped on a gigantic landmine
An icy silence fell
The girl slowly raised her arth
Her shoulders shook slightly
It wasn't because she was cold, however, Kamito was oblivious to that fact
”Sixteen—”
The girl's delicate lips , and Kamito lifted his eyebrows
”I-I-I am sixteen!!!”
The instant she yelled this, 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 unforgivableyou-you-you peeping demon, pervert, lewd beast!”
”You're quite knowledgeable to knoords like lewd beast,” Kamito replied as he narrowed his eyes
At this ti a lohisper-like rustle
Is that the wind? he mused, No, that's-
”Guardian of the cri hearth!”
”Now is the time to abide by our blood contract; co!”
Frouage
At that instant, acco into a vacuuirl
An eleirl
An ele that exists from a different dimension apart from this world; a place called ”Astral Zero”
Eleirls who havein that other place
They can use different types of spirits and freely wield their powers
It seeirl in front of Kamito had contracted with a fire-type spirit
That the young girl was an ele to be that surprised about
After all, this was the area where the country's excellent eleathered
Nevertheless, it's surprising that she can use an eleht
The way spirits are su suroups:
The first is a form that appears as a lump of divine power; mass-less and of an indeter of a spirit's power and is used priic is used
The other su form is the pure form that summons a part of the spirit's existence
This su requires tremendous amounts of divine power and, on top of that, is very difficult to control So, those capable of sust 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 thatwould I now be in a potential life or death situation? As the thought suddenly hit him, Kamito was stunned
Where the flaush of white steam rose
”Youyou have guts” The girlvoice
Her face was red Was it due to her anger or her embarrassment over the situation?
”Really, you have so my bath,” She stammered
”W-Wait, that is a ! 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 flairl's hand andthe water surface
”Oh no” Kamito propelled his body into the dense bushes nearby
Nearly at the sae brushed its way over his head
The idle red residue that re punchline of a joke The cut surface of the tree trunks were surprisingly s been touched by fire The attack had been so fast that the flanite the trees
The hair on Kamito's forehead fluttered down around his mouth while cold sweat started to form on his forehead
U to die like this, aht
Zing, biyutsu - There was an endless dance of cri both horizontally and vertically in the forest The surrounding bush waslost his cover, 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
Ka doards towards his feet, causing a violent spark to slaround, the whip i more trees to be cut down
Fortunately airl—Claire's- aim was quite bad
This stands to reason though, as one hand was hiding her chest fro seen In order to conceal her most important part she had squatted in the pond However, considering hoell she was able to handle her whip in such a position, she should nor it
”How conceited despite being a pervert, please obediently turn into cinders!” Claire shouted again at Kamito
”I' that I'm not a pervert! But by the way,” Ka he had noticed for soaps between your fingers aren't able to hide them completely”
”eh?” Instantly, Claire's facial expression froze And— ”Kyaaaaaaaaaah!”
Blushi+ng deeply and screaely cute voice—she quickly hid her chest with both of her hands
”Ah, idiot!” Kamito involuntarily exclaimed
Claire had let go, and lost control of the flame whip, and it cleanly severed the trees behind her
The huge trees slowly crashed towards her However, Claire did not notice them Her eyes were closed in e her naked chest
daround
Running with all his strength towards the pond, Karabbed her shoulders
”Wha—!?” Claire's red pupils dilated widely
Karessively pushed her down into the water
The ush of steam rose, and the flame whip disappeared
Immediately after, the nearby trees collided with 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 noarm pond water poured down like a heavy rain
A few seconds later
”Ooh” Making a seductive noise, Claire slowly opened her eyes
Her expression was that of shock, her eyes blinked in wonder
Ka into her eyes
Their faces were so close that if sohtly, their lips would likely touch
Claire's cri 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
”Uht? Are you hurt?” he asked
Claire nodded It seemed as if she had not fully absorbed the situation yet
Kahed, then tried to stand up
Funyuu
His hand had touched so soft underwater
”Hwaaah!”
What is that? Mud? he thought
Funyu Munyu[1]
”Hm, ya, hwaaa” Froed naked body twitched for some reason
”U come this far, Kamito finally arrived at a certain conclusion A certainawfully frightening conclusion
No, wait, calht?
It couldn't be It could be no such thing He desperately tried to deny such a possibility
When I looked at hers earlier, they weren't so
”WhWha WhaWhatttareyoudoing” Claire's lip tre with tears in her eyes
Apparently, it wasn't a lu
”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 ain in her hand
The water in the pond instantaneously started to boil, bubbles frothing to the surface all around
”NoNo, it's a onna die” Kamito pleaded
”ShShut up pervert, you will die here!”
With an al sound, Kah into the air
A few minutes later
”Ugh”
Ka before his eyes
He tried to get up—suddenly, he realized that so was coiled around his neck
It was a leather black whip coht as he tried to take the whip off
”You finally woke up, you peeping-tom pervert”
The whip around his neck tightened
”Gweh!? Release hed He then looked upward and saw—
The scarlet-haired young girl - Claire Rouge, stood above hiazed down at Kamito with a raised eyebrow
This tied into an adorable school uniform It's pattern was of black lines on a pure white field This was the Areishi+a Spirit Academy's uniform
A ribbon decorated the front of her uniform A talisman was sewn in the place where a button would nors and her pleated skirt, her beautifully slender legs stuck out brilliantly Tiny ribbons tied her crimson hair on both sides This was the so-called twintail hairstyle Judging from her still-wet hair, it see
Keeping Kahtly, Claire puffed up her small chest
”Well, be grateful I went easy on you and didn't try to kill you outright,” Claire huffed
”That has to be a lie You definitely intended to kill me,” Kamito retorted
”What are you talking about? If I had been serious, you would have been in cinders by now,” Claire calmly stated
She just said so really calht
By the way, cinders are the soft ash residue that is left behind when firewood is incinerated
”I beg for your forgiveness, sparecinders After all, I helped you!” Kamito pleaded
”Well, yes, I aive you credit for your help Even so, you are a higher grade than an average pervert, so you are a high-grade pervert,” she snapped
”In the end the pervert designation doesn't change,” Karade pervert even worse of a designation than an average pervert?!”
”I bet you were only pretending to help me! Youyou touched my breast!”
Recalling what happened, Claire's face suddenly turned beet red
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 thatmen” Kamito teased Claire nonchalantly
”What!? That is not true! I'm not a pervert!” The response was immediate as Kamito expected Claire shook her head and her cheeks instantly becaht red all the way to her ears
”Then do you enjoy being whipped?” Kamito slyly continued
”Whawhatareyousaying?” Claire's eyes spun as stealy flustered
Oh, as I expected, Kairl is really, really innocent
Most likely it wasn't only Claire that was this innocent After all, Areishi+a Spirit Acadeathered Only pure s with the spirits fro those princess h divine power to cos or lords of ancient and honorable fah the enerations
To irls are raised in environments that are co in childhood: the so-called elite education for eleirls attending the academy are super innocent princesses who are unaccusto with men
Finding Claire's unexpectedly easy-to-spot weakness, Kaht to play a prank on her
Fro position, Kaht-red face of Claire
”Th—then, there is so I have meant to say since I woke up” Kamito playfully stammered
”Whwhat is it, you pervert?” Claire replied warily
”I can see your panties frole”
”Fuwah!” Tears began to float in her crie of her skirt with both hands
”Youyou saw it?” Claire sniffed
”Only a glance and you are, quite unexpectedly, a very daring girl Your panties are the same color as your hair” Kamito bluffed
”Youyou lie! They are not red! They are white, white!” Claire shouted
”Ah, so they are white” Kaely
”Eh!?” Realizing that she had been tricked, Claire bit down on her front lip—
”U-Uuuuuuuuuh~” Claire started to cry
At this sudden unexpected reaction, Ka lady, who reveals the color of her own panties”, he had planned to say to tease her uilty and like a bad person
Taking the chance while Claire was still crying, Kamito removed the whip from 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 isI have also touched your breasts as well However, those actions were not intentional Please believe me”
”Wha-what”
Seeing the truth of his words in his eyes, 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 that is not the easiest to answer for Kamito This forest is under the jurisdiction of Areishi+a Spirit Academy, known as the Spirit Forest There would be no reason for a rounds of the academy Even if he was not a pervert, the fact that he here he should not be could not be contested
”I was summoned by Greyworth” Kamito told Claire
”Greyworththe academy's headmistress!?” Claire questioned suspiciously Indeed, ould the headmistress summon a male to the academy?
”I' Look, here's the evidence” Kamito continued He took out a letter froned by the renowned headmistress It was also stareat Elemental Lords
”Is that, the first-rank emblem seal of the Empire!?” Claire cried out, shocked The first-rank e spirits with a special technique into a seal This seal is rated as the highest a the emblem seals issued by the Empire and is said to be co that is rarely seen but as an elementalist, Claire could certainly tell that it was the real thing
”It seems to be authentic But ould the headmistress call a man to the academy?” Claire asked
”Well, for the answer to that question you'd have to ask Greyworth, that old hag Being suhed
”'Thatthat old hag!?'” Claire's face stiffened
The Dusk Witch, Greyworth, is a greatly respected individual by princess hts It is also said that she is as popular in the Ordesia Eest Blade Dancer, Ren Ashbell Even after she retired a decade ago froht Generals, the hts known as the ”Nuendary status as a Witch is still one to be feared and revered to the highest degree
Well, for ht as he tucked the letter back into it's pocket ”Greyworth is an old acquaintance of round is extree and so I have lost my way”
Areishi+a Spirit Acaderounds is incredibly vast After all, besides the academy-town at the foot of the hill it also includes the entire spirit forest that surrounds it
”Could it be that you were misled by the spirits in the forest? That's so lame” Claire snickered
”Yeah, that's how it is,” Ka a bit dejected
Existing in various locations of the continent, spirit forests connect with Astral Zero through Gates These forests are inhabited by the spirits that have wandered into this dimension Most of the spirits have no interest in humankind and as such are har pranks; they deliberately mislead travelers who stray into the forest Kamito was confused by the spirits' whispers and went deeper and deeper into the forest, therefore losing his way
”Anyway, I'lad that I met someone It would not be fun to becoet to the academy?” Kamito asked
”Which directionI shall tell you that it takes two hours to get to the acadeeably
”What, that far!?” Kamito yelped
If he was to walk for such a long distance by hiain be tricked by the spirits Since there was a student of the acadeht that the academy was closer than that
H a bath at this kind of place? Kamito wondered
Today is indeed a bit hot, nonetheless, instead of co facilities inside of the acadeirls in the school so there would be nothing to be embarrassed about
Ka her hands into her intail 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 of purification qualities You do know that spirits like a woman who has a pure mind and body?”
”Spirit contract?” Kamito mused
Thepain came frolove Karimaced from the sharp pain
”A bit further into the forest from here there is an ancient holy sword in a shrine Rumor has it that a powerful sealed spirit is locked away there Since the founding of the acadele princess maiden has successfully formed a contract with it It surely sounds like a very proud and noble spirit,” Claire said
Sealed spirits: they are not the normal spirits that reside in Astral Zero andthe ranks and types of spirits, there are some who are sealed into weapons or armor by powerful, ancient eleht about terrible disasters to hus called Djinn or Ifreet by ancient societies
Of course, they are notelementalists of the past sealed these spirits in weapons or arain and deal more harm to the world around them
”Don't tell me you plan to form a contract with a sealed spirit?” Kamito said, stunned
”That's right! Do you have a problem with it?” Claire retorted
”Stop, it is too dangerous!”
”Hh you are not an eleers, but I need a powerful spirit no htly closed lips
Seeing her determination in her expression, Kaue
”Don't you already have a contract with that flame spirit? That is also a powerful spirit, isn't it? Won't it be fine if you just raise it instead?” Kamito wheedled
A flame spirit is not very rare, but there are only a handful of elementalists who can control a fire spirit and be capable of using elemental waffen in the whole Empire On another note, elementalists whom have formed a contract with multiple spirits are so rare that they are an extreme minority Discord between the contracted spirits can cause deterioration of the balance of divine power Without enough talent, one would not be able to control them