Epilogue
Kamito awakened on a stretcher in the tent.It seemed Claire and the others had found the unconscious Kamito.
Bandages wrapped his injuries here and there. The clumsily wrapped portions were likely Claire's handiwork.
(......It looks like the ladies were safe.)
Just as he breathed a sigh of relief and got up---
"You still shouldn't be moving, Kamito."
"Owaa, E, Est!"
The fully naked sword spirit quickly lay down beside him.
......No, there were, of course, knee socks covering her feet.
"Est......"
If it were the regular Kamito, this would be where he would scold her,
(Well, I'll forgive her for today......)
Kamito hugged Est to himself.
"Fuwa......Ka-Kamito!?"
Est's shoulders shook.
Because she always maintained a cool and expressionless face, that action was interesting.
"......I was lonely. I won't get mad today so stay with me here."
With a wry smile, he brought the blanket over Est's small body.
"Kamito......"
Est widened her violet eyes and attached herself to him.
Her mouth was lightly smiling in joy.
"Kamito, you're warm......"
"I see."
While Kamito's heart raced, he hugged the quivering Est's shoulders.
Under the blanket, Est told him various things about what happened after she vanished.
About the single moment when her true body had connected with Kamito. But soon after that, the Gate had closed again so she now had a personality separate from that of the legendary Demon Slayer.
Unexpectedly, it meant that the Sacred Maiden Areishia was a lost memory to the current Est.
Her memory was fragmented, and her memory only really started from when they'd met about two months ago.
Kamito was confused for a while but---
"......At any rate, it's fine to just say that Est is Est, right?"
"Yes, Kamito. That understanding is fine."
......And since it seemed to work, he stopped thinking deeply about it.
Then---
"Kamito, are you really not regretting it?"
"Of course not. I won't say it twice."
Kamito replied decisively to Est's question.
"A cursed demon sword or whatever, Est is my sword --- from now on and in the future."
"But I will steal Kamito's life......"
"Hey, Est---"
Kamito interrupted.
"Est right now only has about a tenth of the past Demon Slayer, right?"
"Yes, Kamito."
Est nodded from within his arms.
"So the curse is only a tenth of its original. If it's only that much, at the very least, I won't turn into stone during this Blade Dance."
Kamito stroked Est's hair.
"I didn't join the Blade Dance to have a Wish granted by the Elemental Lords. But I have found a Wish I want to fulfill."
That was to remove Est's curse and make her into a true sacred sword.
"Yes, Kamito. I am your sword --- for as long as you wish."
She said it with the same expressionless face, but with great vigor behind it.
And at that time.
The entrance to the tent opened---
"Wha!?" "How shameless......!" "Kamito-kun, how bold......"
Ellis, Rinslet and Fianna's jaws dropped open.
Then---
"Y-You, whwhwh-what are you doing!"
Gogogogogogogogogo......!
Claire approached with her Flametounge in hand.
"W-Wait, Claire, this is......"
Kamito quickly tried to make an excuse---
The fully-naked-except-for-knee-socks Est stood up in front of Claire.
"Wh-What is it......"
Claire faltered in front of her oppressive force.
"Kamito is my master."
"......E-Even so, you sleeping together is a problem!"
"Claire also sleeps with Scarlet."
"S-She's a cat so it's fine!"
"I am a cat."
"Eh?"
"I am Kamito's sword. Kamito's kitten. Kamito's toy......that's why there is no problem."
Having said that, Est clung onto Kamito.
Claire yelled with a red face and teary eyes.
"Kamito said he would accept all of me."
"Wha-what is that......Ka-Kamito is my slave spirit!"
Fianna patted the frustrated Claire's back.
"Claire, let's let Est have Kamito for a day. Just for today."
"Kamito-san, as I thought, you really like small girls!"
"To lay your hands on young girls, th-that needs to be fixed! Become neapolitan!"
The glaring Rinslet and Ellis who had drawn her sword both looked at Kamito with cold eyes.
"It is okay, Kamito. I will protect you."
"Please spare me the blade dancing......"
---The first night of the Blade Dance passed.
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