The Elemental Sword Demon King
Episode 33: The Desire of the Former Queen

POV: Tiana Von

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Three years ago.

"Haa, huh, huh,"

A girl ran through the forest in Astral Spirit, filled with many crooked trees lined up. His shoes had long since slipped off, and the bare soles of his feet were full of wounds.

Since her long black hair had been combed on both sides of her long-sleeved and luxurious yet polite clothes, she did not walk smoothly.

From behind him, the loud sounds of many trees being cut down approached. Being trapped is only a matter of time.

(Why did such a thing happen?!)

The girl was invited to see the Sword Style Festival as the guest of honor of the Eldant Empire. Although referred to as the guest of honor, she was invited as an extra on the grounds.

Out of the candidacy of «Divine Ritual Obsession», the Queen's training organization, she was overloaded by the imperial family. She had nothing special other than the title of second ex-daughter and the fact that she was just a thirteen-year-old girl.

His noble companions, who were supposed to pledge allegiance to the imperial family, sent a look of disdain to him. Even the courtiers mocked him behind his back.

'A worthless lost queen.'

It was painful for him to be at the match venue because he would be exposed to the gazes of many people. The match with Rei Assar, which he wanted to see, was held later in the afternoon, and even if he left, no one would be very worried.

Therefore, he came to the middle of the forest like this, alone. Without knowing how terrifying this place was, the Astral Spirit forest.

Approaching him from behind, the tree spirit (Dryad) let out a terrifying roar. Naturally, Dryad had an obedient spirit temperament. Perhaps, he was angry that the girl stepped on and broke a twig in the forest.

(Not good, if this continues I may,)

He can't escape. Realizing that, he prepared himself. He stopped at that spot, turned around and stared intently at Dryad.

"You, if you are my knight, then just go and defeat," shouted in a trembling voice, he started reciting summoning spells to summon his erkontar spirit.

*ᚠ ᚢ ᚱ ᚲ ᚷ ᚠᚢ ᚦ ᚨ ᚱ ᚲ ᚹᚺ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛗ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞ ᛁᚠ ᚨ ᚲ ᚾ*

"You are the king of the sons of men, the knight and the swordsman!"

* ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛗ ᛜ ᛟ ᛈ ᛋ ᛏᛒ ᛖᚠ ᚢ ᚦ ᚨ ᚱᚲ ᚹ ᚺ ᚾ ᛁ ᛃ ᛇ ᛈ ᛉ ᛋ ᛏ ᛒ ᛖ ᛚ ᛜ ᛞ ᛟ ᛗ ᛚᛜ ᛞ ᛟ*

"With the old blood contract, be the sword that protects me, come forward and do my bidding!"

A spirit seal was engraved on the chest of the girl, emitting a faint light. But that's all he did. Suddenly, the path with his contracted spirit was cut off and the seal light disappeared.

(I thought so, there is no hope anymore, I.).

Desperation appeared on the girl's face. The dryad roared and swung its wooden-like arms. At that moment, a dazzling light flashed from before his eyes.

"Eh?"

The girl opened her eyes reflexively. Dryad's wood-like arm had clearly disappeared from his sight, as if time had stopped.

From the cross-section of the cut tree, something like a black fog came out. And then there was the sound of someone landing on the ground.

Before the girl's eyes, a boy stood up. He had black hair and wore a black vest with dark blue pants. The boy clasped the jet-black demon sword that emitted a black mist.

"Stay there, it's dangerous." He told her bluntly and turned towards the spirit in front of her.

The dryad, whose arms were cut off, roared furiously and attacked the boy. While swinging her other arm, the girl reflexively covered her eyes.

"But it won't work for me, I'm sorry."

The boy stopped the blow coming from the Dryad with all his might, alone with one sword. And then he exhaled and kicked the ground at the same time.

With all his strength, he cut off his arm and struck his body extremely hard with the middle of the sword. That was one blow. With just a single blow, the spirit, which boasted of its power, was dropped and became motionless.

"Maybe I'm a little overreacting. Even though it was my intention not to hurt him as much as possible."

The girl was dumbfounded and the boy turned around. If he described it, he would call it slender and handsome. Her eyes were so clear that she could easily be mistaken for a girl of her age.

At that moment, he did not seem like a person carrying a spirit in the blink of an eye. Then, the girl suddenly realized.

(Eh? This guy, I think I've seen him somewhere.) The girl tilted her head to the side.

"Err, are you okay? Do you have any wounds?" The boy asked in a calm voice.

"I, yeah, I'm fine. I thank you for saving me."

"Really, that's good." The boy heaved a sigh of relief, put down the jet-black demon sword and walked towards him.

"Aah!"

The jet-black demon sword was emitting a black mist, the girl realized its significance and her face turned pale. That'sthat's all. A sword that cuts through a spirit cannot be an ordinary sword.

(That's an elemental aero! But, why?!)

Then, the girl finally came to her senses. He must have remembered the boy's face.

"No-no way, why?"

He should have seen it before.

Seeing the girl's expression stiffen, the boy stopped his steps, puzzled. And then, as if he realized something, his eyes widened.

"Well, Shit!" He covered his face with both hands and shouted.

Facing such a boy, the girl showed her index finger, "Why is Miss Rei Assar a boy?"

"Gee!"

The girl looked at the boy, who was trying to catch his breath, with a stern look. He understood that he was saying something unthinkable.

After all, the boy in front of him had short hair and his chest was completely flat. No matter how one looked at him, he was a man.

(But, I can't possibly see it wrong!)

The boy's face was similar to the Strongest Sword Style Holder, who had currently won throughout the tournament due to his overwhelming strength. Without a doubt, it was the face of that person, Rei Assar.

(In addition, the sword also.).

And then, above all else, there was that sword skill, which was displayed when he had with just a single punch dropped that raging spirit.

"Ah, this, err, how to say it," the boy tried to trick her in a panic and in a hurry. "What to do, Alicia!"

"I don't care. Even if you're not in the middle of a match, I always warn you to wear women's clothing."

"But I didn't expect there would be anyone in the middle of the forest like that!"

"Remove that, since she is a cute girl, you went to save her without thinking."

"Me, not like that!"

The boy, for some reason, secretly spoke with the jet-black demon sword held in his hand.

The girl's head was completely fucked. He was also surprised that Rei Assar's real identity was male, because from the start it was difficult for him to believe in the existence of a male elementalist.

Those who can contract spirits are just pure girls. It was common sense that was taught to her from «Divine Obsession» Ritual since she was young.

Speaking of a male elementalist, nothing came to mind, except that legendary Demon King, Ratanak.

(The favorite of this tournament, the famous Miss Rei Assar, is actually a man?!)

If it was known, the scandal would become so huge, that it would greatly affect the Sword Style Festival.

Scratching his hair as if giving up, the boy looked at the girl resignedly, "Err, there are some circumstances to this. So, I'm a man, but without asking anything, can you keep this a secret from everyone?"

Receiving her troubled and pleading gaze, the girl felt her chest pulsing spontaneously.

(What, what should I do?!)

Honestly, the girl was confused. The Strongest Sword Style holder that he admired was male, even if he suddenly said such a thing, there was no way anyone could directly understand it.

Moreover, even though her inheritance rights had been removed, she was still the second princess of the Eldant Empire and a pure princess of the «Divine Obsession» Ritual.

Is it alright for him to ignore the fact that would tarnish the «Sword Style Festival», that's what he thought. However, when he saw the troubled face of the boy, he felt guilty.

"I understand." Accidentally, he nodded.

"I won't tell anyone, I won't ask anything. You saved my life."

Even if his true identity was male, Rei Assar was still the Strongest Sword Style Holder he admired. His Sword style gave the girl, who had always been depressed from that day on, courage. That understanding will not change.

In addition, there was also the fact that he had saved his life. Giving a gift for the good service of a Knight was the teaching of the imperial family.

"Thank you! You saved me from trouble!" The boy breathed a sigh of relief.

"You're a pretty simple person. It's just a verbal promise."

"Yes, but you don't look like a girl who's going to break a promise."

Facing such straightforward words, the girl's cheeks were dyed slightly red.

(Why is my chest pounding?!)

"I will escort you to the forest exit, because the Astral Spirit forest is dangerous."

"Thank you, please."

"Your shoes, they seem to be loose. Come on, hold my back."

The boy noticed that the girl's legs were covered in wounds and helped her climb up her back.

"Errm, my chest is touching your back." Embarrassed, the girl whispered by the side of her ear.

"Yes?"

"Ti-nobody." With her cheeks dyed red, the girl quickly turned her face away.

In the middle of the dimly lit forest, while listening to their voices stepping on the fallen leaves, the girl asked, "Hey, why are you pretending to be a girl and participating in the «Style Festival of Sword»?"

After the question was thrown, the atmosphere became silent for a while.

"Because, I have «Want» that I want to grant." The boy answered with a serious expression.

«Wish», a miracle from the Elemental Lords bestowed upon the winner of the Sword Style Festival. At that moment, the words the boy spoke brought understanding in the girl's mind.

(So, if it's for «Wish» The Strongest Sword Style Holder, even my strength..).

After coming to somewhere near the match area, the girl was gently released from her back.

"After this, you have to go back alone. Because I'm gonna have the next game."

"Yes, thank you. Err...."

"Um, what's wrong?"

"Tell me your name."

"My name?"

"Rei Assar is an alias, right? Not that, tell me your real name."

After he hesitated for a while, he replied, "Here, I am Kaizo. Kirigaya Kaizo's."

"Kirigaya Kaizo." It had a strange and mysterious voice. The girl muttered that name as her tongue rolled.

"Well, err, can we meet again? Kaizo."

"Eh? Y-yes, after the Sword Style Festival is over?"

"Is so. That's a promise, Kaizo."

After that, in seven days, Rei Assar held the title of the Strongest Sword Style Holder. However, the girl never met him again. Because he, who was supposed to be given «His wish», suddenly disappeared.

...

*Connected.....

*Note: This story is fictitious. If there is a similarity in the name of the character, the scene, or the story, it is a mere coincidence and there is no element of intentionality.