Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume13 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 2===

"...Why did this happen!? Then merging with Zirnitra is&mdash;"

After hearing Iseria's confession, Rinslet's face instantly went deathly pale.

What happened on that fateful day, four years ago.

The cruel truth shocked her deeply.

"No way, I can't believe it... Iseria-sama... Please tell me that isn't true...!"

'...Sorry, Rinslet. Everything is due to the sins of my past self.'

"Iseria-sama..."

Sitting astride Fenrir's back, Rinslet was at a total loss.

(...Why? ...Why not me but her...)

Fenrir jumped over fallen trees and landed on a piece of barren land ravaged by a blizzard.

&mdash;Just at that moment, still in a dazed state, Rinslet opened her eyes wide.

"&mdash;Kamito-san!?"

She saw Kamito charging into the punctured crack in Zirnitra.

The punctured crack quickly regenerated, intending to imprison Kamito inside.

(...Now is not the time to be shocked!)

Supposing what lay inside was really the existence that Iseria mentioned&mdash;

"&mdash;Fenrir, quickly!"

Receiving Rinslet's command, Fenrir took a massive leap.

While roaring to blow the blizzard apart, he jumped into the gradually closing crack.

Inside the crack were intensely burning flames.

Seeing that, Rinslet immediately chanted spirit magic while riding Fenrir.

"O king ruling over cold winter, I beseech thee to grant unto me thy protection&mdash;Field of Cold!"

At the last minute, a shield of cold air deployed in Fenrir's surroundings protected her.

Originally, these were not flames that could be defended against using spirit magic but fortunately, they had lost over half their power inside Zirnitra's body.

"&mdash;Kamito-san, where are you!?"

Cursed ice stood upright before her, blocking the way. In response&mdash;

"O primordial ice, shatter mine enemy&mdash;Icicle Spear!"

Rinslet summoned a giant spear of ice from the air, destroying the obstacle in one hit.

Inside the shattered wall of ice&mdash;

"&mdash;Kamito-san!"

She could see the figure of Kamito trapped inside the black cursed ice.

"...Guh, Rins... let...?"

His upper body already covered with cursed ice, Kamito moved his lips slightly.

Rinslet instantly jumped down from Fenrir's back and rushed over to his side.

"...Kamito-san, I shall save you right away!"

"...Rins... let... no... Hurry, escape..."

Kamito's voice sounded like he was out of breath, but Rinslet simply shook her head in response:

"I am a noble from the honorable House of Laurenfrost. I shall never abandon others!"

Rinslet took a step back and chanted spirit magic.

"O primordial ice, shatter mine enemy&mdash;Icicle Spear!"

The spear of ice summoned from the air pierced the black cursed ice that was afflicting Kamito.

Inside the magical chamber sealed in ice, a crisp sound was heard.

&mdash;But that was all.

Not even a single crack appeared on the cursed ice covering Kamito.

"...Why is this happening!?"

'The cursed ice is absorbing Kazehaya Kamito's burgeoning divine power. This level of spirit magic is unable to deal any damage to it&mdash;'

Iseria's voice sounded in her mind.

"Why is this happening..."

The black cursed ice even absorbed Rinslet's magic as well, advancing even faster.

"...Guh, ah, ahhhh...!"

Strangled with cursed ice tightening around his throat, Kamito made painful noises.

"Kamito-san... Kamito-san...!"

Rinslet reflexively hugged him, cradling her arms around his neck.

This was to protect Kamito's head from the spreading of the cursed ice.

But that kind of action proved fruitless as well.

The cursed ice mercilessly froze her arms gradually.

"...Guh, Rins... let... hurry... let go..."

"...No... Don't... wanna!"

Rinslet kept shaking her head like a child throwing a tantrum.

Throwing her usual elegance out the window, she screamed with a crying face:

"B-Because if you're gone, Claire will be heartbroken!"

"...!"

"Also the Captain, Her Highness the Imperial Princess, Miss Sword Spirit... As well as m-me..."

Rinslet stared in the Kamito's face while cradling his head in both arms.

They were close enough to feel each other's breaths. Rather ill-timed, their cheeks went red.

"Rinslet..."

"...That's why... I will never... ever give up!"

Hearing Rinslet's words&mdash;

"...Ahhh... Right, ah...!"

Despite his hazy consciousness, Kamito still nodded.

(...Th-There should be some solution...)

He felt an intense chill all over his body. Spreading to his feet, the cursed ice was absorbing divine power.

"...Guh... Ah...."

Kamito's eyelids slowly closed over his eyes.

"&mdash;Kamito-san!"

Rinslet screamed loudly but Kamito did not wake up.

...He had apparently lost consciousness completely.

(...Ooh, shattering this cursed ice is the only way!)

Rinslet refined divine power, preparing to unleash spirit magic again.

&mdash;At this time, something glowed inside the cursed ice that was gradually imprisoning the two of them.

(...Miss Sword Spirit?)

What was glowing was the sacred sword in Kamito's hand.

Indeed, even with his entire body covered in cursed ice, Kamito still did not let go of the Demon Slayer. Even with his divine power sucked dry, in a state of unconsciousness, he still maintained its elemental waffe form without dispelling it.

That was Kamito's will, resisting to the very end.

He knew. That this Demon Slayer was his only hope for breaking the cursed ice&mdash;

(...So long as he has enough divine power, he can allow Miss Sword Spirit to bring out her power!)

And the only method was&mdash;

Making her decision, Rinslet nodded.

"Kamito-san... I, love you, Kamito-san&mdash;"

She touched Kamito's cheeks with both hands.

Then&mdash;

"E-Even as a noble, I have confessed my feelings. Before I hear your answer, I will not permit you to die...!"

She kissed the unconscious Kamito.

With every breath, she sent refined divine power into Kamito's body.

Kamito's throat moved as a result, despite the fact that he was supposed to have lost consciousness.

"...Guh... Ah, ku..."

"I offer you all of my divine power, Kamito-san&mdash;"

Hugging Kamito's neck tightly, Rinslet kissed even deeper.

The Demon Slayer's light strengthened, its rays producing diffused reflection inside the cursed ice.

The cursed ice cracked. From that crevice, the sacred sword, shining with silver-white luster, appeared.

"...O-Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh!"

Just as Kamito's mighty yell echoed within Zirnitra's body, in that very instant...

The prison of cursed ice locking them away was shattered.