—I am here, Kamito. Undoubtedly here in your heart.
Echoing in his mind was her voice.
A gentle voice that one could submerge oneself within.
However, she was no longer in this world. The spirit seal that stood as evidence of the contract had already vanished. Only a moon-like crest remained branded on his right hand.
In order to protect Kamito, she had left behind the power of darkness.
This power was bequeathed to Terminus Est, the Demon King"s Sword.
(...Restia"s will has already become a part of my heart, but—)
Lying on the bed in his room right now, Kamito reached out to block the light in front of his eyes.
He had already discarded the black leather glove he used to wear on his left hand.
...Right now, with the seal gone, it was no longer necessary to wear that thing.
"Because, you"re already..."
Kamito sighed lightly. Suddenly, he felt an alarming squirming under his sheets.
Kamito frantically pulled his sheets.
"...Wah, that feels cold, Kamito."
The adorable silver-haired spirit emerged from under Kamito"s sheets.
To Kamito, this was already a scene that could not be more familiar. However, this sight—
"E-Est, what"s with your look..."
Indeed, Est was not in her usual naked kneesocks getup.
Two twisted horns, one on each side of her head. The snow-like complexion of her skin was covered by a bondage suit of black leather. Pitch-black wings sprouted from her back. Her mysterious violet eyes looked down coldly at Kamito from above.
In contrast to her usual purity and innocence, Est was currently the very image of depravity and seduction.
(...N-No way—!)
Kamito suddenly realized that Est had inherited Restia"s power of darkness as the Demon King"s Sword. Did she turn into this under that power"s influence?
"—Kamito."
Dressed in the black outfit, Est touched Kamito"s lip lightly with her index finger.
Sultry to the point of shaking Kamito to the core, her appearance was making his heart pound uncontrollably.
"Est, y-you..."
"No, I am no longer the sacred sword Terminus Est."
"...Huh?"
Seeing Est shake her head in disagreement, Kamito was at a loss for words.
Expressionlessly, Est gazed at Kamito.
"I am... the spirit that has fallen into darkness, Dark Est."
"Dark... Est...?"
"Indeed. I am now the messenger of eternal night, the existence that shall plunge the world into darkness—"
Est gently closed her violet eyes and declared lightly in a voice so sorrowful that it almost plunged the listener into darkness.
"...Hey Est."
Resting his forehead against his hand, Kamito sighed while reaching one hand towards Est"s head.
"Ah, what are you doing, Kamito?"
With her horns suddenly plucked off, Est frantically tried to s.n.a.t.c.h them back.
...So light. They felt as though they were made of something like cardboard.
"...Jeez. Where the heck did you find these things?"
Kamito asked lightly while dodging Est"s hands that were trying to s.n.a.t.c.h back the horns.
...Well, the answer was obvious. Most likely from among a certain princess"s ritual equipment or something like that.
"Kamito, please return that to me."
Est made a rare, shaken look.
"Without that, I cannot become Dark Est."
"...Then just don"t become that whatever Dark Est. By the way, what exactly is Dark Est?"
"Yes, because Kamito won"t play with me recently, I have turned into a bad girl."
Est"s words shocked Kamito.
Indeed, Kamito had been pondering the issue of Restia"s disappearance for the past few days, leaving him no time to spend with Est. She was apparently sulking for this reason.
"S-Sorry Est."
Kamito apologized while stroking Est"s silver hair gently.
"Huah~"
"But you must turn back to the original Est for me. I still like the usual Est better."
While Kamito was hugging her in his arms and stroking her head lightly, the legendary sword spirit half closed her eyes in pleasure.
"Yes, Kamito."
Est nodded.
"—I am your sword, your wish is my command."
...Rustle, rustle.
Est started to take off the black bondage suit while still being held in Kamito"s arms.
"W-Wait! You don"t have to strip right here—"
Just as Kamito was about to stop her—
"Kamito-san, bad news!"
Suddenly, his room door flew open.
"...What!?"
Barging into the room, the girl stared with her emerald eyes wide.
A dazzlingly beautiful face, adorned with sleek, l.u.s.trous platinum blonde hair.
The visitor turned out to be Rinslet Laurenfrost, the daughter of Margrave Laurenfrost from the Ordesia Empire.
"...~K-Kamito-san, what, exactly, are you doing!?"
"H-Hold on! This is a misunderstanding, Est was saying she"s going to plunge the world into darkness, umm—"
Kamito desperately tried to explain but—
He was currently sitting in bed, holding in his arms a half-naked spirit in the form of a beautiful young girl. No amount of explaining could ever help.
"Th-That is truly too vulgar. Sure enough, Kamito-san, you are the king of l.u.s.t."
"Rinslet! Lower your voice or else people will hear outside—"
"Kamito, this outfit is hard to take off because of the wings."
"Like I said, stop stripping!"
"So you prefer a partial state of undress, Kamito?"
"...Kamito-san!!"
Byoooooooo...!
Cold air exploded from all over Rinslet"s body, freezing the air in the room all at once.
Frost appeared on the window. The rug underfoot was also frozen solid.
"—Seriously, what exactly are you two doing?"
"...Eh?"
As Kamito exclaimed in surprise, a giant white wolf appeared outside the door—Rinslet"s contracted spirit, Fenrir.
"Fenrir... Y-You can talk?"
Completely forgetting the crisis at hand, Kamito asked in shock.
However, Fenrir shook his head.
"No, I am merely borrowing the body of this demon ice spirit."
Kamito remembered this voice.
The clear voice of a girl"s, conveying strong willpower.
"...Could it be, you"re the Water Elemental Lord?"
"Listen carefully, Demon King"s successor. I have very important things to tell you right now."
"...Very important things?"
Fenrir nodded affirmatively, his eyes shining brightly as they stared at Kamito.