Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume16 Chapter6 (section)

===Part 1===

&mdash;''The Demon King is already here''.

Kamito soon understood the meaning behind Rubia's words.

"...So what the heck is that?"

Seeing ''that'' carried to the table by Siska&mdash;

Kamito narrowed his eyes and asked Rubia.

A crimson cloak in the color of blood with shoulder pads featuring countless spikes.

Pitch-black armor engraved with designs of demonic beasts. A staff shaped like intertwined snakes. Finally, there was an eerie skull mask whose eye sockets were fitted with crimson spirit crystals.

"Do I need to explain?"

"...Yeah, just in case&mdash;"

Holding his temples, Kamito groaned.

...However, he could already guess pretty much what this was about without needing to hear her answer.

"Kazehaya Kamito, you will be the Demon King."

"I refuse."

Kamito immediately replied.

(...I knew it, isn't this exactly what I predicted!?)

However, Rubia remained unfazed and continued.

"What are you unhappy about? Is it the mask's design?"

"No. Well, that's part of it... But that's not the issue. Wait a sec, don't tell me you created the whole outfit?"

"That is neither here nor there. In that case, what are you unhappy about?"

"...Everything. Why the heck do I have to be the Demon King!?"

Kamito protested strongly.

"Indeed, Kamito-kun is already the Demon King of the Night." "Right, by this point..." "I agree." "Hmm, Kamito is already a Demon King, right?"

Despite hearing these comments behind him, Kamito was determined to ignore them.

"Because it is the most effective method to unite the refugees."

Rubia declared coldly.

"...!"

"Persecuted by Sjora Kahn, banished by their home country, these believers of the Demon King cult have gathered at this Demon's Fist. Sooner or later, in the near future, they will rise up against Sjora. However, the Demon King cult is not a monolithic entity. Uniting the rabble requires establishing a symbol that everyone approves, the Demon King&mdash;"

"...But that means creating an impostor Demon King to deceive them, right?"

Saying that, Kamito glared sharply at Rubia.

"Like Demon King Solomon, you hold the power of the Darkness Elemental Lord within you. This is the genuine truth."

"That's mincing words. I'm not Demon King Solomon. Okay, suppose I concede that it's necessary for a symbol to unite the refugees, then why don't you take on that job? Like how you pretended to be Ren Ashbell at the Blade Dance."

Kamito responded mockingly.

"The cultists will not accept the Demon King unless it is you, a male elementalist."

"Well&mdash;"

Just as Kamito was about to launch a rebuttal&mdash;

He suddenly noticed something and closed his mouth.

He saw faint wavering in Rubia's eyes that were gazing directly at him.

"Kazehaya Kamito, did you see the astounding number of people in the crowd? Exiled by their home country, persecuted, these people&mdash;"

"Yeah..."

"These people have lost everything. Not just land and wealth but also the hope to live. Right now, what they need is a savior."

"I get the logic, but..."

"I am not asking for you to rule these people as the Demon King. All that is required is to spread news that the Demon King has been resurrected here. Even if it is false, so long as there is a shred of hope, people will be able to live on&mdash;"

At this moment, Kamito finally figured out the wavering emotions in Rubia's eyes.

(...I see now. So ''that'' is what she honestly feels.)

She was seeing in these refugees a shadow of the Elstein subjects whose homeland had been incinerated by the Fire Elemental Lord's calamity. Back then, even as the Fire Queen, she had failed to save huge numbers of people, which was why she blamed herself deeply even to this present day.

Kamito remained silent, thinking back to that huge crowd.

They believed deeply in what Rubia said about the Demon King resurrecting.

It was not simply because they were believers of the Demon King cult. At the same time, they must have felt the poignant emotion in the words of Rubia's speech.

"..."

Sighing deeply, Kamito&mdash;

"...All I have to do is play the Demon King in front of the refugees, right?"

He spoke.

"Kamito!?"

He heard Claire exclaim behind him.

"Indeed, nothing more."

Rubia took on Kamito's gaze and nodded.

"...Fine."

Hence, Kamito took the Demon King's mask and said:

"&mdash;Just this once. This time, I'll be the Demon King."