Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume19 Chapter8 (section)

===Part 3===

"My goodness, are you sure you didn't do it on purpose?"

"That goes without saying. Even someone like me would not play a joke at a time like this."

"...Hmph, who can trust you?"

"K-Kamito-san, p-please forget my bottom."

"Y-Yeah..."

"Be quiet. This is the main shrine of the Divine Ritual Institute, you know?"

Using Scarlet's flames to dry their clothes, Claire and the girls bickered while walking along a corridor in the Divine Ritual Institute's main shrine.

The four Queens, who had finished their ritual purification, were leading the way.

Wind Queen Sylpha Lastia, Earth Queen Nia Roshka, Water Queen Feilei Sin Quina, as well as Fire Queen Reicha Alminas&mdash;

The fifth Queen was not present.

Lumiela Leisched, the Queen serving the Holy Lord, had lost consciousness after the oracle was issued, remaining bedridden all this time.

The Holy Lord's oracle had been issued to every church across the continent. As the medium for the oracle, she had collapsed, unable to withstand such massive strain.

(...For the Holy Lord, even a Queen is just a tool, huh?)

Trailing a few steps behind Kamito and company, the masked Rubia remained silent.

It looked like she found it awkward speaking to her juniors, the current Queens.

"Just now, something has happened at the holy capital on Ragna Ys."

Leading the way, Reicha spoke in a nervous voice.

"What happened?"

Her close friend Fianna asked.

"It is faster for you to see with your own eyes. Please do not jump to conclusions based on preconceptions."

"...I understand."



&mdash;The Divine Ritual Institute's main shrine was located on a cliff where there was a great waterfall.

Towards the cliff, one overlooked a vast forest. This was the forest of Astral Zero, even bigger than the Spirit Forest that occupied one third of Ordesia's area.

The sky was mildly red. Even during the daytime, twinkling stars were visible.

At night, two moons, one red and one blue would rise.

"How nostalgic, this air."

Claire puffed out her chest and took a deep breath.

"Yes, the air is filled with pure divine power."

"Yes, it feels like my soul is being cleansed."

"The holy capital was transferred to the Elemental Lords' shrine, in that direction&mdash;"

Saying that, Reicha pointed across the vast forest.

"...Where?"

Placing her hand over her forehead, Claire narrowed her eyes.

"Wait, I shall create a lens of wind using Far Sight."

Wind Queen Sylpha stepped forward and chanted spirit magic.

Kamito and company watched as the air before them became distorted, turning into a massive lens.

Their view was magnified. Scenery far away instantly looked as though it was right in front of them.

Then&mdash;

"W-What is that...!?"

Ellis exclaimed in shock.

Kamito and the others were stunned too.

"Not sure. It suddenly appeared in the sky over the holy capital."

As though superimposed on top, the holy capital had appeared on the Elemental Lords' shrine.

A gigantic black pillar had risen from the central part of the holy capital.

The black pillar pierced a hole in the sky of Astral Zero, producing a swirling void.

(...! That's&mdash;!)

Kamito had seen this scene before.

It was the Otherworld hole he had seen in Ren Ashdoll's dream.

"The gate to the Otherworld has opened?"

Kamito groaned in a trembling voice.