Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume15 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 3===

"Yes, it happened a thousand years ago&mdash;"

The creature calling itself the legendary dark dragon looked out into the distance and began to recount.

"Why is it narrating when no one asked...?"

"Shush, just listen and don't interrupt."

Rinslet silenced Claire.

"As a powerful dragon spirit, I led the dragons and spirits of Kelbreth Mountain to bring wanton destruction upon the lower realm. Back then, Demon King Solomon had brought virtually all lands under his rule but no army of the Demon King could ever defeat me&mdash;"

"Ehhhh, that's amazing&mdash;"

While eating snacks that Rinslet had prepared in advance, Claire concurred.

&mdash;However, what then appeared was precisely the Salvation Army led by Sacred Maiden Areishia. The Salvation Army routed the dragon army and ascended the Kelbreth Mountain peak, Vritra's stronghold. The people of the lower realm all rejoiced to see the notorious dark dragon coming to an end.

However, Areishia's power was not that strong at the time, hence the powerful Vritra defeated her army and succeeded in capturing her.

"Are you really speaking the truth? The Divine Ritual Institute never taught this."

Fianna asked skeptically.

"Guaranteed. During my prime, even that Dragon King took care not to offend me."

Vritra answered with overwhelming vigor.

"However, I made a grave mistake at the time."

"...Mistake?"

"Yes, meeting defeat at my hands, the sacred maiden depleted her divine power and the sword turned back into its original form as a spirit. Intending to take the powerful sword spirit into my possession, I touched her foot."

"Oh..."

Hearing that, Claire and the girls looked at one another.

"For some reason, that seemed to incur the sword spirit's wrath. In the next instant, my arm and a wing had been sliced into two&mdash;"

The dark dragon Vritra began to shudder.

"I do not remember clearly what happened next, except that I was thoroughly beaten up, escaping back into this temple of my residence, barely alive. However, that was a poor decision. An isolation barrier was deployed around the temple. In my weakened state, I was sealed by the sacred maiden."

"So that was how you became like this."

Rinslet said with pity.

Its appearance was supposed to be more humongous and terrifying originally. However, after being sealed in a de-powered state, Vritra turned into this strange dragonoid shape.

"...Well, I understand the story now. What an ordeal."

Saying that, Ellis patted Vritra's head.

...It looked like this was the temple where the dark dragon was sealed, no mistake.

However, there was no point in dwelling on the details of what happened to the dark dragon&mdash;

"Then why did Nee-sama come here?"

Claire asked.

"Hmm, that Fire Queen arrived here on a certain stormy night. Due to the mist barrier deployed by the sacred maiden, ordinary people usually cannot find this place. However, through her unusual intuition, she found the location of this temple."

"Rubia-sama used to be known as the top Queen of all age&mdash;"

Fianna murmured quietly.

"The Fire Queen had suffered severe injuries and was apparently under pursuit."

"Back then, both the Divine Ritual Institute and Ordesia's knights were searching for Nee-sama. So it was because she hid in this place, protected by the sacred maiden's barrier, that they lost her trail..."

"That girl stayed here for many months to undertake princess maiden training. As it so happened, I was lacking a conversation partner too. Those days were such a delight..."

&mdash;The dark dragon kept nodding as though remembering that time fondly. Although spirits had no concept of time, after being sealed in this kind of place for as long as a thousand years, it was probably hard not to feel lonely.

"I see..."

Claire murmured with a complicated expression.

The past Rubia in Claire's memories was very gentle, considerate and approachable. Back when she was staying at this temple, it was possible that she had yet to become the current Cardinal, consumed in her quest for carnage.

"So Nee-sama trained here..."

Saying that, she looked around the temple's dim interior.

However, this decrepit temple did not look suitable for a princess maiden's training no matter what.

What exactly did her sister do to obtain such potent power...?

"How did Nee-sama train? We want to become stronger."

Claire approached Vritra and said with a pleading expression.

"...Hmm, become stronger huh?"

Vritra mused.

"Indeed, I cannot sense power from you on that girl's level. The hellcat seems to be a powerful spirit, but has not released its rightful power at all."

"..."

Hearing the same thing as what her sister had said, Claire was instantly plunged into despair.

Seeing like that, Vritra closed its eyes for a while before&mdash;

"You lot, follow me&mdash;"

It turned and moved deeper into the temple.

"...?"

Claire and company looked at one another.