Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume11 Chapter1 (section)

===Part 3===

At daybreak as judgment loomed over the imperial capital.

Rubia broke the Divine Ritual Institute's taboo and entered the deepest part of the shrine.

This was a place where even Queens were absolutely forbidden.

Astral Zero's True Sanctuary.

She went before the guardian spirit that protected the True Sanctuary.

It probably had not expected a Queen would break the taboo. Suffering a surprise attack, the guardian spirit was devoured and destroyed by the mystical flames of absolute zero before it noticed Rubia's intentions.

The one hindering her from gaining an audience with the Elemental Lord no longer existed.

In the first place, only Queens were permitted to step foot in the shrine. Stationed outside the shrine, the spirit knights could not notice what happened inside.

Passing through the endless corridor leading to the True Sanctuary, Rubia reached the deepest room.

Then she opened the towering final gates.

Following the steps that led high above, she reached the top level.

She arrived at a throne that was covered by a massive curtain.

"&mdash;I saw ''that''."

Trembling&mdash;

Her entire body shuddered from terror.

This girl who was the Strongest Blade Dancer's imposter...

Rather than anger, she was trembling from pure terror.

Seeing her pale expression, the trio involuntarily swallowed a mouthful of air.

"What was it&mdash;"

Kamito was the first to speak.

"At the True Sanctuary where the Elemental Lords reside, ''what did you see''?"

Rubia&mdash;

The color of fear clearly surfaced in her eyes of ruby.

"&mdash;You must have witnessed the same sight as I did. Three years ago."

"...!"

Kamito recalled the feeling that felt as though a sharp blade had stabbed into his heart.

Cold sweat broke out from his forehead and dripped on the ground.

"Kamito and Nee-sama both saw the same thing?"

Claire frowned with surprise&mdash;

She instantly understood.

"...Th-That's right. You were the previous Blade Dance's&mdash;"

(...Come to think of it, Claire already knows.)

Turning his gaze away, slightly embarrassed, Kamito sighed in his heart.

Claire's gaze towards Kamito did not show any signs of reprimand. Although Kamito still had some doubts, he swept them aside for now&mdash;

(...I saw the Elemental Lords three years ago?)

Having an audience with the Elemental Lords was an absolute taboo even for a Queen.

However, there was ''one and only one exception''.

&mdash;Namely, the winner of the Blade Dance.

The elementalist who obtained victory throughout the brutal blade dances was rewarded with the chance to personally voice their Wish in front of the Elemental Lords ruling from the True Sanctuary.

(...!)

Throb&mdash;Instantly, Kamito's brain felt a pang of intense pain.

Whenever he tried to recall what had happened back then, his thoughts entered a hazy state.

"...That day, I probably ''saw'' the same thing."

Recovering barely enough to speak, Kamito shook his head lightly.

"But I have no memories of that time at all."

That which existed in the deepest part of the True Sanctuary.

The only image he could recall was the darkness that devoured Restia.

Kamito's gaze was drawn to the demon sword of darkness gripped in his left hand.

(Restia, you should know, right?)

The true identity of that which had caused the Calamity Queen to despair.

"That day, what I saw was&mdash;"

Just as Rubia was about to speak...

Raging flames suddenly poured out from thin air.

"...What!?"

Kamito swiftly readied his dual swords&mdash;

Next, he suddenly turned his gaze towards Rubia.

"...Ah, guh...!"

Rubia was crouching on the floor, groaning in pain.

Many beads of sweat appeared on her forehead while red droplets of blood dripped from her arms.

"N-Nee-sama, what's going on!?"

The first to notice Rubia's unusual symptoms, Claire held her hand.

"So hot!"

As soon as she touched the dripping blood, Claire screamed softly.

The blood flowing from her body was boiling like seething lava.

"What... is this... Nee-sama, what on earth, happened...?"

Rolling up Rubia's sleeve, Claire could not help but hold her breath.

Covering her arm was an ominous seal that resembled a snake.

(That's a Cursed Armament Seal...!)

"...Looks like the final moment has arrived."

Losing all color of blood from her face, Rubia smiled in a dreamlike manner.

"The final... Nee-sama, what on earth... is going on...?"

"&mdash;The flames of purgatory are demanding my soul."

Suddenly, the crimson flames that had manifested out of the air bared their fangs towards Rubia.

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