Severian's Sacred Sword

"By the way, I am very happy to meet someone. It's no fun being a victim of the jungle. Where should I go to get to the academy?" Kamito asked.

"Which way… I'll tell you that it takes two hours to get to the academy from here on foot," Claire answered.

"What, that far!?" Kamito shouted.

The previous conflict had been resolved with little disagreement, for now, the two of them were at peace.

(Hmm? Why is this girl bathing in a place like this?) Kamito wondered.

Today was a bit hot, but instead of coming all the way to the lake in the forest, there should be bathing facilities inside the academy.

Kamito asked Claire this question.

Claire put her hand into her wet twintail hair and tried to comb it.

"I am here for the Spirit Contract purification ritual. Due to the spring next to the temple, the water here has the highest purifying qualities. Did you know that the Spirit likes women who have a pure mind and body?"

"Spirit Contract?" Kamito pondered.

"A little further into the forest from here, there is an ancient Sacred Sword in the temple. Rumor has it that a powerful Sealed Spirit is locked up there. Since the founding of the academy, not a single Princess Maiden had managed to form a contract with it. That sure sounds like a very proud and Noble Spirit," Claire said with great anticipation.

"Don't tell me you plan to form a contract with a Sealed Spirit?" Kamito was stunned.

"Correct! Do you have a problem with that?" Claire replied.

"Stop, this is too dangerous!"

"Hmph, it seems you know a little about Sealed Spirits even though you are not an Elementalist. I'm quite aware of the danger, but I need a strong Spirit no matter what." Claire muttered.

Even after a millennium had passed, women still looked down on men for not being able to form a contract with a Spirit.

Kamito continued to persuade Claire to abandon her plans. However, the girl was adamant and did not listen to his advice.

In the end, Claire walked deep into the forest.

With her hands on her hips, Claire looked back at Kamito with a sharp gaze.

"Why are you following me, you perverted peeping maniac?"

"Without your guidance, I wouldn't know the way to the academy. As I've said several times, I'm not a perverted peeping maniac. My name is Kamito, Kazehaya Kamito."

"Weird name. Are you from the Quina Kingdom?" Claire asked.

"No, I'm not from the Quina Kingdom. I was born on a far and remote island in a very small village."

Kamito deliberately obscured his own statement.

"Your name also has quite a unique flavor, Claire Rouge." Kamito made a gesture.

"Don't call my name so kindly." Claire snapped.

The two continued walking through the forest, and after walking for several hours, they arrived at their destination.

The temple housing the Sacred Sword stood quietly in a clearing in the forest.

Claire easily removed the barrier prohibiting entry and stopped walking, then turned to Kamito.

"From here onwards it will be very dangerous, so, as a commoner, you should stay away."

"If you knew it was dangerous, why not stop?" Kamito asked.

"Like I said, I need to make a contract with a powerful Spirit." Claire shook her head and stepped into the temple.

Ignoring her warning, Kamito followed suit.

"Why are you following me? I can't guarantee what will happen to you." Claire warned.

"Don't you have absolute confidence in taming it?" Kamito replied sarcastically.

"Of course!"

"Then, it's fine if I come along." Kamito shrugged his shoulders.

"Up to you."

The inside of the temple is foggy and dark and has a heavy atmosphere. Claire frowned slightly at the mildew smell mixed in the air.

"Fire, let there be light."

A small fireball immediately formed from Claire's fingertip, a basic Spirit Spell that harnessed the power of the Fire Spirit.

The flickering light of the fireball illuminated the temple walls dimly. The temple looks like a cave filled with stalactites.

The sword was in the deepest area of the temple.

"That is the sword that the sealed spirit inhabits?" Kamito muttered.

Claire nodded slowly in confirmation.

An unsheathed sword stood tall on a large rock. There was no doubt it was an antique item that was most likely hundreds of years old but it had no rust or dents on the edges. Delicate ancient runes were engraved on the flat part of the blade, emitting a faint blue light.

The two of them were too focused on the sword that they didn't notice a young man sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed. However, this is not entirely their fault. Anyway, the young man's body was covered in bushes.

The young man was none other than Ars.

The arrival of the two teenagers did not bother Ars in the slightest. There was only a little more left before he fully recovered his Immortal Emperor strength. He was at a critical moment, he didn't care about the two 'ants' who came.

The place was previously a natural cave, but several hundred years ago it was discovered by the first generation principal of the Areishia Spirit Academy. Then the girl renovated the cave into a temple.

Over the course of this millennium, Ars had witnessed dozens of Princess Maidens trying to subdue the Sacred Sword, and ending up failing.

"A sword that existed even before the academy was founded, the Sacred Sword Severian." Claire muttered respectfully.

"Sacred Sword Severian? The sword that killed Demon King Solomon?" Kamito shocked.

"Stupid, it can't be the real thing." Claire stated in awe.

"Severian's Sacred Sword thrust into stone can be found everywhere in the Empire. Some remote villages even have them for village revitalization. However, even though it is not a real sword, since it is a Rune Sword, there might be a powerful Spirit sealed within it."

"It is true. Of course, the real thing wouldn't be in a place like that..." Kamito agreed.

If ever in front of him was Severian's Sacred Sword, why didn't anyone take it?

Claire walked towards the sword with determination.

"You stay behind." Claire snapped while pointing at the approaching Kamito. Claire clenched the hilt of the Sacred Sword.

"Don't force yourself."

"Understand."

Kamito decided to watch Claire from the sidelines.

The end result was as one might expect. The Sacred Sword refuses to recognize Claire as its owner and counterattacks.

At a critical moment, Kamito came to save Claire from danger.

Hero saves beauty. This method may be outdated, but it is still very effective.

The protagonist fulfills his task of making the heroine fall in love in less than a day from their first meeting.

Later, Kamito performed the contract ritual in Spirit language in Claire's place.

"Oh Noble Spirit Sealed in the Ancient Sacred Sword! "

"You will accept me as your Master and I will be—"

"You are not worthy."

The ritual is interrupted by a third party voice. The next moment, Kamito felt a terrifying pressure bearing down on him, which made him let go of the Sacred Sword and fly backwards while vomiting blood.

*Whoosh*

Hearing that familiar voice, the Sword Saint flew towards the source of the sound.

"Kamito!"

Claire came up to Kamito who had hit the rock wall hard. Seeing his hurt, she didn't know what to do.

"Who's that?!"

Helping Kamito up, Claire threw a fireball into the darkness. The two saw a young man standing beside the Sacred Sword.