Seirei Tsukai no Blade Dance

Volume 18, Epilogue

Part 1

Claire was running across the training ground that was covered by strange mist.

"Meow..."

At her feet, Scarlet called out feebly.

Simply breaking out of the demon spirit encirclement had exhausted her divine power, to the point where she could not even muster the energy to maintain her elemental waffe. Without the protection of Restia's talismans, she definitely could not have escaped to here.

"...Say, where is this?"

Inside the demon realm's mist that was hanging around, Claire looked at her surroundings apprehensively. The Academy's training ground, supposed to be a familiar place to her, currently looked like another place.

"Kamito..."

She could not help but recite his name. Just then...

"Claire, are you there!?"

Rinslet's familiar voice called out.

"Rinslet? I-I'm here!"

As soon as she called out, Rinslet and Ellis soon appeared, riding Fenfir's back.

Also, for some reason, they were followed by several Imperial Knights.

"I am glad you are safe and sound. Looks like the ruins here have been destroyed successfully."

"...Yes. What about you?"

"Yes. But we were not the ones who destroyed the ruins."

Ellis seemed a bit vague with her words.

"...?"

"Say, did something happen? Why is Astral Zero's moon here?"

The Imperial Knights asked in confusion.

Confronted with the anomalous surge of demon spirits, they looked like they had no time to bother with the student uprising.

"I am not sure either—"

Claire shook her head in response. Just then...

"Ah, the pillar of light vanished!"

Rinslet pointed at the sky and cried out.

The largest pillar of light from the center of the Academy had disappeared without a trace.

"Looks like Kamito succeeded in destroying the ruins."

"Then the demon spirits will stop appearing?"

"Yes, so long as the gate is shut—"

Claire answered, prompting the Imperial Knights to exhale in relief.

Looking up at the sky, she saw Astral Zero's moon grow dim, about to vanish.

Suddenly, she saw countless silhouettes flying over from the sky above the Academy.

"More demon spirits?"

"No, they are reinforcements from Dracunia!"

Riding flying dragons, the knights entered the Academy one after another.

With the Numbers knight serving as the supreme commander missing and the majority of the Imperial Knights unwilling to fight anymore, recapturing the Academy was just a matter of time.

"...Anyway, mission accomplished, I guess."

Claire murmured to herself.

Part 2

The demon realm's mist gradually dissipated.

After executing the Absolute Blade Art, Kamito instantly lied down face up on the ground.

After the ruins were destroyed and stopped operating, the Astral Shift seemed to have stopped.

The terrifying numbers of demon spirits also gradually vanished.

The fragmented remains of the Dunamis angel turned into runes of light and disappeared into thin air.

"...Looks like we made it."

Kamito muttered in exhaustion.

Astral Zero's moon had disappeared. A weak glow leaked from between the clouds.

The sun was starting to rise.

"...Greyworth, what have you been doing until now?"

Kamito asked Greyworth who was standing by his side.

Hearing that, she tossed her gray hair.

"Working out how to take back the Academy from those morons. I can't tolerate people messing around in my backyard."

She smiled wryly and replied.

"Doing things alone is a bit reckless, but you guys showed up in time."

"Just be honest. You wanted to save the students, right?"

"...My unworthy disciple. So you've learned to talk back, huh?"

With an offended look on her face, she frowned.

Even her unlikeable attitude now seemed a little cute when performed by that adorable young girl's appearance.

"Say, how did an elementalist like you get brainwashed?"

Kamito asked just then.

...It was a question he had wondered for a long time now.

He found it hard to imagine the Dusk Witch falling so easily to become the enemy's tool.

"Brainwashing, huh? I wish that was what had happened."

"...?"

Kamito raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"What constrains my soul is the covenant from twenty-four years ago."

Greyworth replied.

"Covenant?"

"Yes, the covenant I entered with Holy Lord Alexandros."

"...!?"

Hearing that name from her lips—

Kamito could not help but gasp.

"...Very well, since I promised, I shall tell you."

With a serious look on her face, Greyworth began.

"—About what I know from the Elemental Lord's shrine twenty-four years ago."