Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume5 Chapter5 (section)

===Part 3===

"– You mean to say, you had a dream about Sacred Queen Areishia?"

"Mmm... I just can't seem to forget about it, that's all."

In the pitch-black cave – 

Kamito walked along with Fianna while telling her of his dream earlier that day. 

That dream – in which Sacred Queen Areishia used the Demon Slaying Sacred Sword to vanquish the Demon King. 

Kamito somehow felt that the contents of the dream might have had something to do with Est. 

"That would indeed be a memorable dream..."

Fianna put a hand on her chin and thought for a moment, then said:

"Perhaps... What happened was Kamito's thoughts and feelings mixing with Est's."

"What does that mean?"

Kamito only knew a little about these academic matters, but Fianna was once an outstanding princess maiden, so she was very knowledgeable in these areas. 

"It's not unusual for elementalists and their contracted spirits to have a mental connection in their dreams. Especially when the Gate between them cannot be opened, such phenomenon will become even more common."

As Fianna talked, she gestured with her index finger. 

"When I lost my connection to my contracted spirit, I would frequently dream of a knight charging forth on the battlefield."

The rider in her dream was probably the spirit Georgios she commanded. By the looks of it, even if the elementalist lost their power, the connection between the two did not break completely. 

"That dream – you're saying it's part of Est's memory?"

If that were true, Est was really the true Demon Slayer Sacred Sword?

"Mmm... To be sure, the picture should have been formed by the mixing of Est's and Kamito's memories – "

Saying this, Fianna suddenly stopped in her tracks. 

"I can understand what you're feeling... Because the same tragedy happened to me before."

"Fianna..."

Kamito also stopped and turned to face her. 

The second princess of the Empire, the impending successor to Rubia, the anticipated heir princess maiden. Unfortunately, when she lost the ability to command spirits and became a fallen princess maiden, those around her reversed their attitudes and regarded her only with disappointment. 

For the young, innocent girl, that would certainly have been an unimaginable horror. 

"But Fianna, you did not just give up because of that."

"That was only because of Kamito's efforts."

Looking at him directly, she replied. 

"My efforts?"

"Three years ago, the blade dance you presented gave me, a lost elementalist, renewed hope and inspiration. If not for you, Kamito, I suppose I would still be hiding away in the castle right now."

"You exaggerate too much."

Embarrassed, Kamito shook his head.

"Of course not, moreover... Since then, I have felt towards Kamito—"

At that moment, a group of bats suddenly flew past their heads. 

"Aaaah!"

Fianna shrieked involuntarily. 

Kamito waved the lantern about, only then did the bats fly away, frightened. 

"... All right, it's fine now. That's right... What were you about to say just now?"

"N-Nothing! It was nothing!"

Fianna mumbled to herself as if to shrug the matter off, then continued onwards. 

... For a lengthy while after, all was quiet between the two apart from the sound of footfalls. 

"Oh, Kamito, you don't plan on telling Claire your true identity?"

Fianna's sudden question came out of nowhere. 

"Mmm, forget it... If I caused someone's dream to be ruined, I would never be able to live with myself."

For a longed-for dream to always remain as a dream was the most perfect situation of all. 

The strongest blade dancer three years ago was long gone now. 

It would be better for "her" to remain merely in the imaginations of Claire and her friends. 

"Furthermore... If they were to find out about my habit of dressing as a girl, they would surely laugh at me to no end."

Looking down at his outfit, Kamito muttered to himself.

"Hee hee... Does that mean I'm the only one to share in Kamito's little secret?"

Fianna suddenly let slip a gleeful smile and clutched Kamito's arm tightly. 

"Hey, watch your step."

"It doesn't matter anyway, even if I were to trip, Kamito will catch me before I fall."

"You rascal... Some princess you are, please be a bit more wary of men!"

"Huh, don't you know? In front of a boy she likes, a princess is but an ordinary girl!"

The princess stuck her tongue out at Kamito mischievously. 

Her adorable response made Kamito's heart quicken. 

"My dear princess, please stop joking around with me."

"... I hate you, I wasn't joking."