Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Chapter9 (section)

===Part 6===

In front of Est---

The Sacred Maiden that had defeated the Demon King's body crystallized into a spirit stone.

"Mas......ter......?"

"Est, don't make that kind of face."

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Areishia's right hand that could still move touched Est's cheek as she struggled to talk.

"I knew about this from the beginning."

She wore such an adult expression despite being only sixteen years old.

Seeing even those fingertips crystallize---

The sword spirit finally understood.

That this was --- a curse.

The combined resentment and curses of the spirits that had been slain by the holy sword's power thus far.

That had amassed until the limit and was eroding her master's body.

The Demon Slayer was a sword that destroyed all curses.

But those curses didn't disappear from this world. The holy sword that had absorbed those various curses would one day pass them onto its master.

The spirit weapon --- Terminus Est was not a holy sword.

Taking the user's life in exchange for granting enormous power was unmistakably the properties of a demon sword.

"No......way......"

The girl's forgiving hand. Est could not watch as those fingers that had always gently pet her head hardened and became a spirit stone.

"Master! I didn't know! That I---"

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"I know, Est."

Areishia smiled and gazed at Est gently.

"Master......you knew that you would......"

"Yes. That's why it's not Est's fault."

While patting Est's silvery white hair, she slowly nodded.

But her voice wavered and tears gathered in those eyes.

It was obvious. In the face of death, there was no way she wasn't afraid.

That was why she wasn't anything like a sacred maiden.

She was just a normal sixteen year old girl.

"Master......"

"Good bye, Est. My only friend."

"No, you can't......master......!"

A small voice leaked from Est's lips.

"No......Arei......shia......!"

"......That's the first time you've called my name. I'm hap.....py......"

"......!?"

With a clear sound, the girl's neck crystallized.

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Est could do nothing but watch.

[[File:STnBD V05 241.jpg|thumbnail|right]]

At the moment the girl who had revealed her heart for the first time shattered after becoming a clear crystal.

"Est, I---"

The hot tears dropped onto Est's cheek.

"Honestly, I didn't want to become anything like a sacred maiden."

"---Areishia!"

A wail echoed through the Demon King's castle.

For the Sacred Maiden that bore the hopes of all people and had fought to this point alone---

That was her end.



And so Est sealed herself in the Demon King's armory.

So that nobody would contract the demon sword hidden deep within.

So she would never lose anybody important again.

She would never open her heart to anyone --- she solemnly swore that.