Editing Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance:Volume3 Prologue

==Prologue==

3 years ago, at the Blade Dance match venue.

"My granddaughter, look closely at Velsaria's blade dance. Sooner or later you will also serve and carry the Empire's dignity on your back and will be fighting in the blade dance matches."

"Yes, grandfather."

Towards the old aged grandfather's — Duke Fahrengart's — words, the little girl nodded and replied with a dignified voice.

She had auburn colored pupils blessed with strong light and beautiful eyebrows that were sharply angled.

Her mesmerizing blue hair was tied in a ponytail.

She was a lovely girl that anyone would turn around to look at, but there was absolutely no coquetry or sweetness in her facial expression.

She had an atmosphere like the edge of a blade that could slice one with just a touch.

Ellis Fahrengart.

Her talent as an elementalist was revealed since childhood. It had been determined that starting as of next spring, she would attend the only elementalist training institute in the Ordesia Empire, the Areishia Elementalist Academy.

She was an elite candidate as a promising Empire Spirit Knight.

Ellis leaned forward from her seat and looked down at the arena right below.

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Her soft breasts were touching and rubbing on the iron fence. Her recent worries were that compared to the other girls at the same age, her breasts were developing too much.

("Really.....Things like breasts just posses as a nuisance to swinging a sword.)

Regarding this topic, the girls around her were completely jealous, however—

For Ellis, who had totally no interest regarding love affairs, having huge breasts was simply an obstruction.

("......Something like love is pointless, I will become a knight. A splendid knight just like Aneue.")

Ellis strongly closed her fist, at that moment.

A loud cheer broke out in the arena.

From the West gate, the Ordesia Empire's representative elementalist had entered.

There was a girl with blonde hair that was beautiful like it had gathered and refined the radiance of the stars.

Delicately sculpted carvings decorated her silver armor.

Clothed in a red cloak, that appearance of hers was just like a general returning victoriously.

Velsaria Eva Fahrengart.

She came from a lower noble family that went into ruins in the Ranbal war. Anticipating her talent as an elementalist, she was adopted into the Fahrengart house, and became Ellis's two year older step-sister.

Even though she was a freshman from the Areishia Spirit Academy, she was chosen from among the elites gathered from many nations as a representative at the Blade Dance. 

The fact that a freshman was chosen as the Blade Dance representative was unprecedented in the long history of the Areishia Spirit Academy.

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With such a step-sister, Ellis' ideal image of a knight built up and she respected her from the depths of her heart.

She headed towards the middle of the stage. Then, from the east gate, her opponent elementalist appeared.

Having long black hair that extended to her hips, she had the foreign-styled attire with a large slit inserted at the edge of the pants.

Although having youthful features, she was so beautiful that even Ellis, despite being of the same gender, was taken back.

In her hands lay, contrary to her lovely appearance, an ominous darkness-colored sword.

"Grandfather, who is that girl?"

"Ren Ashbell, an independent elementalist."

"Independent........not belonging to any country or organization. Is that what you're implying?"

"Yeah. It seems like there was the influence of a powerful person. It also seems like she's the same age as you, 13 years old."

"......."

Ellis bit her lips. Although having the same age, the fact that the girl was participating in the Blade Dance, was truly mortifying.

And then, the bell signalling the start of the match was rang.

The greatest Kagura offered to the Five Great Elemental Lords— the Blade Dance had begun.

Immediately Velsaria Eva's armor activated— and instantly shifted into battle form.

Sparkling particles of light constructed her composite armor. From both shoulders large twin-main cannons emerged.

That truly was the impregnable fortress that reigned over the lands.

Velsaria Eva's elemental waffe —Silent Fortress.

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(.........What a contracted spirit. No, the one that should be praised is Aneue<ref>The japanese term for an elder sister. However, this term also carries a '''great''' amount of respect and thus, cannot be fully translated. Therefore, it has been left as is. For more details see [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_honorifics Japanese honorifics].</ref> the one using it.)

Velsaria's contracted spirit was an ancient sealed spirit that was sealed under a certain old castle.

On top of its ferocity, it was a sealed spirit that was said to be impossible for a normal elementalist to make a contract with.

And, she was able to perfectly control it.

Currently, Ellis could not even release the elemental waffe of her contracted spirit.

Just thinking about the ability difference between her and her target, also being her sister, she succumbed to feelings of shame.

(W-Will I be able to catch up behind Aneue.......)

Velsaria swung her hand up, —the main cannons on both her shoulders fired once.

She did not like a refined blade dance. She would always blast her utmost maximum firepower at her oncoming opponent—it was an extremely simple battle style.

There was an ear-splitting thunderous sound. In the arena, countless of pillars of fire's rose up.

It was over— not only Ellis, but thousands of the audience were sure about it.

But.

"Ehh?"

Ellis widely opened her eyes.

The cloud of dust cleared up and—

That black-haired girl's figure wasn't there.

(No way!?)

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In that instant, a high-pitched metal-sound echoed.

Before anyone knew —the girl had moved to in front of Velsaria.

The demon sword of the girl with fluttering black hair stabbed through the Silent Fortress's composite armor.

Immediately, there was a black fog gushing out like blood spraying.

Having the armor destroyed, Velsaria slowly collapsed to the ground.

Silence arrived.

And then—

When the audiences finally noticed the situation, a break of cheers arose from where they were.

It was an unbelievable outcome. From the military based family, the Fahrengart Duke's knight was beaten by a young unnamed elementalist.

"......"

While Ellis was bewildered, the black haired girl that has beaten Velsaria was bewitching.

The elementalist that has beaten her respected sister— by all right, was supposed to be someone hated.

But, at that time what Ellis was embracing in her chest was a feeling opposite of hatred.

She was 13 years old. Although the girl was of the same age, she had shown her overwhelming power.

(Someday I too, just like her—)

A faint bud of admiration eventually became Ellis' clear goal and was carved into her heart.

Together with the name the Strongest Blade Dancer— Ren Ashbell.


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===References and Translation Notes===
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