Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume19 Chapter7 (section)

===Part 3===

Meanwhile, Kamito was in his room polishing Est.

He pressed a steel spirit crystal against the sacred sword's blade and poured in divine power, polishing meticulously. Every time the spirit crystal brushed against the blade, tiny particles of light floated into the air.

(Doing work as usual helps with calming the heart and mind...)

Using a dry cloth, he carefully rubbed the blade he had spent his time polishing.

An observer might think he looked confident.

But Kamito was not polishing his sword because he was confident.

It was the opposite.

Starting from the time at the Instructional School, he would polish his weapons like this before missions. For Kamito, weapon maintenance was akin to a ritual for adjusting his mind.

'...Hua, it feels nice, Kamito.'

The silver-white blade flashed. Originally, there was no need to polish or sharpen the Demon Slayer, an elemental waffe, but Est apparently enjoyed the feeling of her blade being polished.

(Maybe it's kinda like cleaning ears for us humans...)

Thinking that, Kamito smiled wryly.

As a side note, Restia apparently disliked getting her blade polished.

According to her, it was a bit embarrassing.

Reminded of Est's refusal to expose her bare feet, Kamito was truly confused as to what triggers spirits' sense of shame and embarrassment.

'Kamito, I entrust the back of the blade to you too.'

"Yeah, I got it."

Responding to Est's request, Kamito started to polish the back of the blade.

Staring at the phosphorescent flash of divine power, he fell into deep thought.

Protecting Claire in the sealed cave and performing the spirit contract ceremony had been just a few months ago.

After that, Est had been Kamito's sword all this time.

There was once when she exhausted her power to save Kamito and was lost as a result.

And also because Kamito lost his memory one time, it interrupted the spirit contract temporarily.

But no matter what, Est was always Kamito's sword.

Even if she had to oppose Sacred Maiden Areishia, her former contractor, she swore she would remain Kamito's sword forever.

'Kamito, what is wrong?'

Perhaps because his hand stopped for a moment, Est asked.

"...Hmm? Oh, uh, I was just thinking you're super awesome, Est."

'...!'

When he revealed his true feelings without thinking, Est's blade instantly sparked.

"That burns!"

'...! Sorry, Kamito.'

"It's okay, I was just startled a bit."

Kamito dipped his hand in a bucket of water to cool his scorched finger.

Just then...

The sacred sword turned into particles of light and vanished. A silver-haired maiden dressed in uniform appeared before his eyes.

Her silver-white hair glowed faintly. Skin as pale as snow. There seemed to be faint blush on her expressionless face, dainty as a doll's.

"&mdash;I was startled too, Kamito."

Her clear eyes of violet stared intently at Kamito.

"You are truly the Demon King of the Night, Kamito."

"W-What...!?"

"Kamito, were you speaking your true feelings just now?"

Faced with Est asking expressionlessly...

"&mdash;Yeah, of course."

Despite feeling a bit embarrassed, Kamito still nodded vigorously.

"Est, you've been my awesome partner this whole time. As long as I'm with you, I'll never lose, not even to angels from another world, the Holy Lord, or Sacred Maiden Areishia."

"...Kamito."

Est murmured then stood rooted to the spot.

Next&mdash;

"Kamito, I have made my decision."

Est sat down on the bed in the room.

"E-Est, th-they're showing, you know!?"

"Yes, please have a look. Kamito&mdash;"

"Eh?"

When Est finished speaking expressionlessly&mdash;

She hooked her finger against the hem of her kneesock.

"I want you to see, Kamito. My all as the ultimate sword spirit&mdash;"

"What!?"

Kamito could not help but fix his gaze on Est's leg.

Thighs as smooth as porcelain. Her slender little feet, wrapped in dark blue kneesocks.

Maintaining her posture with her hands against the hems of her kneesocks, Est stared at Kamito.

And Kamito was stunned, sitting on the bed.

...Est had always been strongly against exposing her bare feet.

Even Kamito had never had a chance to see what was hidden inside those socks.

For Est to be willing to expose her bare feet, in spite of all that&mdash;

"...W-Why so suddenly!?"

"This is to prevent my blade from wavering when crossing swords against Areishia."

Est declared firmly.

"I want you to see my all, Kamito, to engrave upon my heart the fact that you are my true master."

"Est..."

Est, as she was right now, was a separate existence from her principal body. But even so, there was always the possibility she might waver when facing off against her former master Areishia.

Even wavering for the slightest instant could end up deciding the outcome of the battle.

"Kamito, please bear witness to my determination now&mdash;"

Est began to slide down her fingers that were hooked against her kneesocks.

"...!"

Seeing that, Kamito could not help but hold his breath.

The dark blue kneesocks rustled as it slid below the knees&mdash;

There, they suddenly stopped.

"...?"

"...Sure enough, it is still embarrassing."

Est shook her head mildly.

Perhaps due to embarrassment, there was a faint tint of pink on her snow-white complexion of a spirit's.

Kamito was seeing this expression for the first time.

"Est..."

Kamito&mdash;

"Hang in there, do your best."

He spoke in a serious tone of voice.

"...!?"

...Indeed, this was Est's determination.

As her contractor, Kamito was obliged to witness to the very end.

"...No good. To go further, even for Kamito..."

Est was speaking so quietly that her voice seemed like it would vanish any moment.

To encourage Est, Kamito spoke in her ear to persuade her.

"Still, I do want to see all of you, Est."

"Kamito... I understand..."

Est nodded mildly.

Rustle. Rustle.

The kneesocks moved downwards.

As the kneesocks formed coils, the snow-white calves came into view.

"Hwa, so embarrassing, Kamito..."

"Est, just a little more... Hang in there, just a little more..."

"...No, sure enough, this is the limit, no more."

"Just hang in there a bit, Est&mdash;"

Kamito's voice naturally grew more and more fervent.

"...! K-Kamito, so perverted."

Just as Est whispered that...

"&mdash;Fufu, having a lot of fun here, are we?"

Kamito's view turned pitch black.

"...Owah!"

Kamito fell back on the bed.

He looked up&mdash;

Only to see the darkness spirit before his eyes, her jet-black wings outspread.

"Kamito, what are you doing to Miss Sword Spirit?"

"R-Restia..."

...Despite the smile on her face, there was no smile in her eyes.