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

===Part 3===

After going separate ways from Claire and the girls, Kamito was taken to a military officer's suite located one floor above the conference room.

Even though it was an officer's suite, having remained unused for so long, it had become more like a storeroom.

(...Oh man, do I have to change into this outfit?)

Sighing, Kamito hung up his Academy uniform in the closet of this dust-covered room, changing into the pitch-black armor that was engraved with demonic beasts.

He then put on the blood-red cloak and the spike-tipped boots.

Finally, he covered his face with the creepy skull mask.

(I expected my view to be blocked, but visibility is surprisingly good...)

Spirit crystals glowing red had been installed into the skull's eyes and apparently enchanted with Night Vision magic allowing him to see clearly in dark conditions. Furthermore, the armor worn under the cloak also felt lighter than expected, not uncomfortable at all.

(...Next, I guess this is my "script.")

Kamito tossed a bound pile of paper onto the table.

The script was prepared by Rubia. She had apparently collated Demon King Solomon's actual quotes, based on historical sources in the field of Demon King studies.

(I just feel that those historical sources made stuff up...)

With skepticism, Kamito opened the script.

"Uh, I am Solomon the Demon King, awakened after the passage of a millennium&mdash;"

Just as he read out the words on the first page, in that instant...

The mouth section of the mask suddenly discharged black smoke.

"...W-What the heck is this!?"

Kamito frantically took off the mask.

The skull mask hit the floor and bounced, spewing smoke while spinning.

"...So it had this kind of design."

Kamito muttered in exasperation. Just then...

"Fufu, it suits you quite well, Kamito... Fu, fufu, fufufu..."

"...!?"

He looked back, only to see that Restia had returned to human form without him noticing, laughing adorably while rolling on the bed, her wings shaking.

"...C-Come on... I'm putting in a serious effort here."

When Kamito protested with displeasure...

"Fufu, I'm sorry. Still, that appearance is to blame for being too weird&mdash;"

"...I-Is it that weird? From what I saw in the books in Rubia's study, the Demon King's appearance was pretty much along these lines."

Despite minor differences, the Demon King's image was essentially portrayed like this.

"Indeed, he was frequently clad in that blood-red cloak. However, he neither wore that kind of skull mask nor spewed smoke&mdash;"

Restia giggled on the bed.

(...!?)

In that instant...

Kamito finally noticed something important.

(...! Oh right, Restia was the Demon King's&mdash;)

Indeed, Restia once held the title of the Demon King's Sword. That was why those old men at the Instructional School assigned her to educate Kamito, the Demon King's successor.

&mdash;Why did I fail to notice this until now?

Compared to checking history books, he should have done something first.

Clearly, she was the authority on information about the Demon King&mdash;

Kamito took a deep breath and...

"Say, Restia&mdash;"

He started the conversation.

"What is it, Kamito?"

"Can you tell me about Demon King Solomon?"

Hearing that, sitting on the bed, Restia tilted her head.

"...Why do you want to know about him?"

Her dusk-colored eyes stared straight at Kamito.

Kamito could not help but avoid eye contact.

"...That's, just for reference, because I'm going to play the Demon King next&mdash;"

His answer sounded like an excuse.

Yes, it was an excuse. His interest in the Demon King from a thousand years ago was genuine, but not limited to that. To be honest, he was a bit curious about the man who had used her in the past as he had done.

(...Sheesh, what is with this childish competitiveness?)

Kamito mocked himself wryly in his own thoughts. Perhaps, this subconscious jealousy was what prevented him from choosing to ask her directly about the Demon King.

Kamito did not know if Restia read his mind, but&mdash;

She chuckled and...

"&mdash;Yes. Of course, I might know a few more details than human history books, but actually, I didn't know him extremely well."

"...Huh?"

Hearing the unexpected answer, Kamito could not help but ask:

"But didn't those people at the Instructional School call you the Demon King's Sword&mdash;"

"Yes, I was indeed used by the Demon King. However, that man merely used me as a powerful tool instead of a ''contracted spirit''."

"...Not as a contracted spirit?"

Kamito doubted his ears.

"Yes, that's right&mdash;"

Restia nodded.

"I was not the Demon King's contracted spirit. No, and not just me either. Legends speak of the seventy-two spirits under his command, but in reality, he did not enter into spirit contracts with them. He simply used Ren Ashdoll's power to dominate them, that's all&mdash;"

"...Is that what happened?"

This was definitely a fact that no history book had recorded.

In a way, it might be similar to how Jio Inzagi had used a Bloodstone to control spirits. Of course, the Demon King's case was on a completely different scale&mdash;

Kamito's gaze suddenly fell upon the spirit seal on his left hand.

(...I see. She didn't enter a spirit contract, huh?)

While feeling surprised by what she revealed, Kamito also felt strangely reassured.

"Fufu, what's the matter, Kamito?"

Restia chuckled and peered to inspect Kamito's expression.

"...Oh, no, uh&mdash;"

Kamito hastily shook his head.

"But Restia, weren't you responsible for the mission of guiding the Demon King's awakening?"

He brought up the question that had surfaced in his mind.

The original mission of Restia Ashdoll the darkness spirit was to promote the awakening of the human incarnation of Ren Ashdoll's reborn power, guiding him to become the assassin to eliminate the insane Elemental Lords.

If Demon King Solomon only used her as a simple tool, then what about her mission&mdash;?

"...There was nothing I could do. He did not heed my words at all."

Restia shrugged and shook her head.

"From the moment I was unsealed, he only used me as a weapon and refused any kind of interaction. He wielded my power according to his own will to vanquish countless spirits&mdash;"

"...In that case, Demon King Solomon's aggressive conquest of the continent was not because he was controlled by the will of Ren Ashdoll."

"All along, Ren Ashdoll's objective is to destroy the Elemental Lords."

Pausing a little, Restia continued.

"Starting the Demon King War was his own idea. I have no idea what considerations went through his mind to start that war. The Demon King never bared his thoughts and feelings to spirits. If anyone ever understood that man's heart, most likely it would be ''her''&mdash;"

Staring off into the distance, Restia whispered.

"...Her?"

"The one and only spirit who won his trust and contracted with Demon King Solomon."

"There was a spirit like that?"

"Yes. However, legends say that spirit was laid to rest together with the Demon King. Inside the Pyramid somewhere unknown in the desert&mdash;"

With nostalgia in her eyes, Restia murmured.