Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume9 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 1===

It was late in the night before the final round.

Kamito was sitting in a chair by the sickbed with a grave expression.

The current location was the Divine Ritual Institute's treatment facility. Lying on the sickbed was the person once renowned as the strongest elementalist on the continent, Greyworth Ciel Mais.

"...It's not your fault. Don't look so depressed."

Greyworth spoke softly with a wry smile.

"..."

However, Kamito's expression remained unchanged. After all, the only reason why she collapsed was that she exhausted her own power for the sake of letting Kamito inherit the secret technique of the Absolute Blade Arts.

After that, Kamito instantly brought the unconscious Greyworth to the Divine Ritual Institute's treatment facility.

Thanks to timely treatment, her life was saved but all the pathways in her body for the circulation of divine power had been irreparably severed.

--In other words, she could never command spirits again.

The famous Dusk Witch and strongest elementalist was no longer.

"Why..."

Kamito trembled as he clenched his fists hard.

"You knew this would happen, but why..."

"It was going to happen sooner or later. Now it simply moved forward slightly earlier."

Greyworth spoke with self-mockery.

"I did mention in the past that I obtained temporary immortality and sustained youth simply through the Elemental Lords' Wish. As an elementalist, my original power was already long gone."

Saying that, she extended her arm before Kamito.

The spirit seal of the demon spirit had completely vanished from the right hand where it originally resided.

"Rather, I should say that it was my good fortune to have a chance to entrust that sword technique to you, lad. Even though it's a double-edged sword, and it's not like you absolutely cannot win without it..."

Greyworth stopped talking at this moment--

Her gray eyes stared sharply into Kamito's face.

"Lad, will you make me a promise right now?"

"Promise?"

"You must defeat that masked elementalist -- the other Ren Ashbell. You are the only one who can stop her."

"..."

Kamito was overwhelmed by her imposing manner which one could not imagine coming from a patient on the verge of death.

"...Yeah, I understand."

Immediately, he agreed vigorously.

...Nothing more needed to be said. That girl was surely an opponent he had to settle things with.

However, why would Greyworth be so insistent on this matter--

"Could it be that you already know? Her goal--"

"No, even though I tried investigating, neither her identity nor her origins have been elucidated at this point."

Greyworth shook her head.

"However, one thing is certain. Backed by the Alphas Theocracy, she has been stockpiling militarized spirits in preparation for the war that will sweep over the entire continent."

"War...?"

Come to think of it -- that Ren Ashbell did say something like that once.

Gathering combat potential for the sake of fighting the kings of this world.

"Lad, regarding the Ranbal War, how much do you know?"

"...The Ranbal War?"

Faced with this sudden question, Kamito frowned.

"I don't really know the details. Just whatever's common knowledge."

"...Hmm, for a lad of your age, that's pretty much to be expected."

The Ranbal War that once swept over the entire continent was the greatest large-scale war between countries in history.

The war initially sparked from disputes between minor countries over spirit crystal mining rights. However, due to the secret machinations of the major powers, the war gradually spread over the entire continent. During the great war, many elementalists were sent to the battlefield, thus tragically cutting short the lives of many young maidens.

--The Dusk Witch was the hero of that war.

"...During that war, many of my fellow princess maidens lost their lives. Amongst them were also many who admired me. I have no wish to witness another scene of that sort in the remainder of my life."

As if recalling distant memories, Greyworth murmured.

Her gray eyes, what were they actually seeing right now?

"Kamito."

Suddenly, she gripped Kamito's hand forcefully.

"Your sword is different from mine. Yours is a sword for protecting what's precious. Never ever forget this."

"..."

Uncharacteristically, the Dusk Witch displayed seriousness in her eyes, causing Kamito to gulp down a mouthful of air.

Nodding slightly, he gently let go of those freezing cold hands of hers.

"Okay, it's almost time for rest."

Greyworth murmured with exhaustion and lay back on the bed.

"It's also time for you to return to the castle residence. Those highborn ladies must surely be worrying."

"...You don't need me to stay and accompany you?"

"Hmph, who do you take me for?"

Greyworth could not suppress a wry smile.

"Or perhaps, you intend to do something obscene to me in my sleep? Seriously, lad, your strike zone is frighteningly broad."

"W-What are you talking about!? It's not like that at all!"

"Please don't be so loud. I am a hospitalized invalid after all."

"S-Sorry..."

Kamito apologized obediently.

"Hmph, you're still so adorable, lad. Ah yes, by the way--"

As if suddenly remembering something, Greyworth extended towards Kamito an envelope that had been kept on the bedside.

"This is?"

"After returning to the castle residence, please hand this over to those young ladies in your team. As the Academy's headmistress, there are words I'd like to tell those adorable students."

"...Got it. I will pass it along to them."

Kamito nodded and took the envelope containing the letter.