Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Chapter3 (section)

===Part 2===

Teacher Freya's supplementary class began.

Ellis nodded seriously as usual as she was listening attentively to the lecture.

"—In other words, depending on the situation, it appears that there are also cases that result in the annihilation of contracted spirits. Of course, I believe that there isn't a fool that would reach her hand out to Cursed Armament Seals."

What Freya was talking about was regarding the deciphering of the spirit seal and the Cursed Armament Seal.

Cursed Armament Seal, so to speak, was about the matter of being granted a spirit seal through artificial means.

It was still used during the Ranbal war, but its use has been currently prohibited by the cross-national treaty. Although, it was an open secret that some countries and organizations were still advancing its research.

(Because even the Instructional School I was at was also researching the Cursed Armament Seals...)

An orphan of the Instructional School, Jio Inzagi, they fought the other day.

The part where that boy had sealed seventy-two spirits was also a type of Cursed Armament Seal that was engraved on his body.

Besides sealing spirits, Cursed Armament Seals had various effects like forcefully drawing out a contracted spirit's power and granting new attributes. Just hearing this much, they seemed handy, but— for it to be prohibited by the cross-national treaty, of course, there was a proper reason.

Among the people implanted with the Cursed Armament Seal, there were endless cases of fatal side effects occurring.

"During the Ranbal war, many elementalists were rounded up, and among them there were also people forcefully implanted with the Cursed Armament Seal by the military. What became of most of them?— Ellis, try answering."

"Okay, the power of their contracted spirits was driven into a rampage, and there were even fatal cases, I've heard."

Ellis, who was pointed out from the platform, clearly answered.

"That's right. It is said that the number of people, whose body are compatible with the Cursed Armament Seal, is only less than ten percent even among the elementalists. However, in spite of the fact that that risk is evident, even now, the fact that illegal researches are continuing means that there are that many people who seek for easy power."

Ms. Freya informed in a strict voice, and swung her cane.

Suddenly, Kamito, who thought the teacher's attitude was suspicious, whispered to Ellis in a soft voice.

"She's sincerely emphasizing about the Cursed Armament Seal. This isn't the content of the fundamental subject, right?"

"...Yes. As a matter of fact, there was a notification for the Sylphid Knights this morning."

Ellis slightly nodded.

"Somehow, recently there seemed to be a group illegally selling Cursed Armament Seals in Academy Town. As it's the period just before the Blade Dance, she's probably accosting a warning even during the lecture."

The sale of Cursed Armament Seals was naturally prohibited within the Ordesia Empire.

The princess maidens attending the academy should also perfectly understand that riskiness.

However, even amongst them, there were those kinds of people, who would reach out for easy power.

Especially, for a team whose results were sluggish just before the Blade Dance, it wouldn't be strange for some people to take the plunge and have an implantation, aware of the danger.

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The implantation of the Cursed Armament Seal cost a large sum of money, but the princess maidens attending the academy were mostly great nobles possessing territory.

As far as the illegal organization was concerned, it was business that also had far lower risks than poaching in the spirit forest and selling sealed spirits on the black market, and could also raise enormous profits.

"Having a hand in the Cursed Armament Seals is the weakness of the heart. However, the number one evil is, of course, the people illegally handling the Cursed Armament Seals. As a knight, I'll never forgive those people who ruin the academy."

Ellis tightly clenched her fist, and muttered with determination.

The weakness of the heart that sought dangerous power— He couldn't condemn that.

Anyone would also have the likelihood of falling into that temptation.

Even that proud Claire Rouge was like that.

Despairing in her own weakness, she accepted the frenzy spirit Restia presented.

To want to obtain strong power no matter what one had to do— That was something hard to understand for Kamito, who had once held the title of strongest.

Being able to exchange feelings with spirits in spite of being a boy! —There was also a time that he thought of even cursing that power, which was the same as that person, who was called the history's worst Demon King.

(—However, I can imagine it.)

Kamito cast his eyes onto his left hand covered by a leather glove.

If he couldn't take {{Furigana|her|Restia|margin=12}} back with his current power—

It might be possible that he would end up reaching out for that prohibited power.

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"How many such people has the Sylphid Knights arrested?"

"Err, of course, to expose this type of illegal organization, the Knights are also concentrating all their strengths, but— since that assault the other day, our present condition is that we are being afflicted by a serious short-handedness."

"Is that so?..."

The incident the other day— That was about the incident that Jio Inzagi battled the Sylphid Knights, and stole highly classified materials of the strategic-class militarized spirit from the sealed library in the Academy.

There were five knights, who were injured that time. Furthermore, Rakka and Reishia, who were also Ellis' teammates, were injured during the quest in Mine Town.

The total number of people in the Sylphid Knights was twenty at best.

So, that meant that a third of the organization was not functioning in their present condition.

"Are your two teammates already alright?"

"Ahh, they seemed to have recovered to the point of being able to somehow move their body. They have not yet recovered to the point where they can come back to the academy. If you had not come to help at that time, the girls and I would surely have been unable to return to the academy. ...I have to express my gratitude to you again."

"We were at that place because of our quest. It's natural to protect comrades of the academy, so Ellis, it isn't something you have to feel indebted for. We also received a reward and a thank-you-letter from the Knights."

Kamito reflexively made a bitter smile at the ever-serious Ellis.

"That's something awarded to Team Scarlet. What I am saying is, err, that ''I have to express a more personal gratitude'' to you, or perhaps I should say that I want to do so..."

"Uh?"

Ellis bashfully mumbled. It was unusual for her, who was always frigid.

"What? Say it in a louder voice."

"...I-I mean—"

Ellis came closer to his body.

Smelling the faint yet nice smell of soap, Kamito was spontaneously startled.

"Err, do you have some plans after the supplementary class?"

"Plans? Ahh, we're having a victory celebration party with Claire and the others, but... Ellis, are you also coming?"

"..."

When Kamito answered, Ellis placed her hand at her chin like she was a little perplexed—

"No, I'll have to decline. I seem to be disliked by Claire Rouge."

She calmly shook her head.

"Then, are you free in the evening?"

"Yes, as long as it's not too late..."

Kamito tilted his head—

"However, why?"

"Uh, ah... I mean, err, I-I want you to help me with my studies!"

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"Studies?"

"That's right! D-Didn't you promise that you'll teach me just now?!"

Ellis' face turned bright red.

"Err, I certainly said that, but... it's rather sudden."

"...W-Will you teach me or will you not, which is it?!"

"I-I got it... Let's see, well then, five o'clock in front of the middle auditorium, is that alright?"

"U-Um, I got it. After all, I also have to prepare various things."

"Prepare?"

"I-It's nothing... J-Just look forward to it!"

After telling it one-sidedly, Ellis quickly hid her face beneath her textbook.

(...What on earth was that?)