Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume8 Chapter2 (section)

===Part 3===

"Uu, mm......"

When he opened his eyes―

Kamito was lying atop a soft bed.

Clean sheets that smelled nice. Daylight flooded in from the large window.

(......Where exactly is this?)

<!--60-->
And with no time to guess,

"I'm surprised. You really were a boy."

"......!?"

Kamito leaped from the bed at the voice he heard overhead.

No, rather, he tried to leap from it but failed.

It seemed that his lower half was numb and couldn't move.

Greyworth smiled like she was having fun and,

"Sorry, I allowed myself to cast Binding magic on you. It would trouble me if you ran wild."

"Kuu......"

"At any rate, moving will open your wounds. Even if I held back, my sword still pierced your stomach."

"......"

Certainly, his lower torso was aching with a dull pain. The bandages thoroughly wrapped around him were stained with blood.

"I have applied healing techniques. You should be fully healed in three days."

"......Why did you save me?"

"Because I've taken an interest in you. At such a young age, having strength incomparable to the other assassins, calm judgment ability and moreover―"

And she paused, then took out ''that'' and showed it to him.

"You were carrying a pretty interesting item. The legendary-class demonic accessory, Solomon's Ring."

"......Give, it......back, give it back......!"

Kamito widened his eyes and stretched out his hand as if possessed.

<!--61-->
But those fingers only grasped air.

"......I'm surprised, you can move while under the Binding. It appears you treasure this very much."

Greyworth smiled bewitchingly and leaned in close to Kamito's ear.

"Sorry, but I investigated your body as you slept. You possess a princess maiden's disposition to commune with spirits, it seems?"

"......!"

Kamito averted his gaze wordlessly.

It was impossible to deceive her. An elementalist of the Dusk Witch's caliber could easily see through an elementalist's disposition.

"An existence that shouldn't exist in this world, a male elementalist ― no, there is one in the history of the continent. That kind of abnormal existence."

As if taunting one who had taken the bait, the witch whispered in his ear.

"......"

"I wonder if this is the second coming of the Demon King that once brought destruction and disaster to the continent. Truly a dangerous existence."

"......What do you intend to do with me?"

Kamito finally spoke.

If he was handed over to the empire, the chance to meet Restia again would be forever closed to him.

That was the only thing he definitely needed to avoid.

But to Kamito, who had a tense face,

<!--62-->
"Lad, how old are you?"

A question with no relation to the topic was asked.

"......"

"Defiant, aren't you."

The witch began to fiddle with the ring in her hands.

"......Thirteen. I was taught that by the ones who raised me."

"Thirteen, huh. ''Age-wise, that's enough.'' And with this face―"

She muttered to herself about random things and then smiled.

"Lad, won't you become mine?"

"I refuse."

Kamito replied immediately.

"Don't conclude that so quickly. This is a trade. It's not bad for you either."

"......What do you mean?"

"What if I were to say I could release the spirit sealed in this ring?"

"What―?"

In an instant, Kamito's countenance changed.