Reason for kanji and reading in 頂の座 Hecate

Question

Character of Shakugan no Shana, Hecate, has a title of 頂の座, which is supposed to be read いただき・の・くら (and is pronounced as such in anime) being translated as "Master/Supreme Throne".
Info about about readings and meanings was checked with / found on Jisho.org

While 座 has similar meanings (seat/place/status/pedestal) and is also used in a compound for throne (王座) it has no reading くら and くら does not mean "a throne" (saddle/warehouse/treasury/contest). That said, there's a word for throne 位 with strikingly similar reading くらい.

Is it a play on something? Is it really switch between 座 and 位 (and would the くらい -> くら change signify something) or just an undocumented reading of 座?
(does not have to be an official explanation)

Maybe maybe even 頂 plays a role here? 頂 also means to "receive" and if くら means a "depository; treasury" maybe it can be a play on the - allegedly she's somewhat different in anime vs manga, but at least in the anime iirc she seemed to be sort of a shell/container (くら) yearning for receiving (頂) experience/emotions? Just a brainstorming

Answer 1

Kura is a valid reading for 座.

Wiktionary stated that it's another kun-reading for 座 which means "high place" as a suffix.

Readings

• Kun: すわる (suwaru, 座る, Jōyō); くら (kura, 座); います (imasu, 座す)

Affix

座 (hiragana くら, rōmaji kura)

1. high place

This also complies with Kotobank, an online Japanese-Japanese dictionary:

デジタル大辞泉の解説

くら【^▽座】
座る場所、また、物をのせる所。他の語の下に付いて、複合語として用いられる。「天磐座(あまのいわくら)」「高御座(たかみくら)」

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大辞林 第三版の解説

くら【座】
高く設けられた場所。「天の石座_いわくら」「高御座_{たかみくら}」「御手座_みてぐら」など、複合語中にのみ用いられる。

Translation:

Explanation on Digital Daijisen

kura (-座)
A place to seat, alternatively, a place capable to put a thing. Used in compound words. 天磐座 (amanoiwakura), 高御座 (takamikura)

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Explanation on Daijirin

kura (座)
A highly established place. 天の石座_iwakura 高御座_takamikura 御手座_mitegura. Only used in compound words.

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(For the explanation regarding her name and title, please read кяαzєя's answer)

Answer 2

Hecate, her title, and her role has a deeper meaning that just the words.

First let us examine her name. The origin of her name seems to be the goddess Hecate of the underworld of Greek mythology.

Originally she was a matron god related to witchcraft and the moon, whose appearances have changed with time, she has been depicted as mistress of witchcraft with three faces, a girl, and a mature woman, an elderly woman, and a three-way road.

In Volume SIII of the light novel series, its revealed that she went by another name in the past, "Nüwa" (女媧). Nüwa is the matron goddess of Chinese mythology, who created humans. The myth 女娲补天 recounts her mending the heavens after one of the pillars holding up the sky and breaking the rope the connected the earth and sky, tilting the direction the sun and moon moved in the sky and changing the direction the rivers causing them to flow towards the ocean on earth. In the myth, she is described as having the body of a snake, a human head, and the virtue of a divine being, carrying a builder's compass in one hand.

Now lets get back to the title at hand, 頂の座. 頂 refers to the highest point overhead. 座 here likely refers to star constellations, as in 星座. In other words can refer to the highest overhead constellations, given her divine origins associated with the sky. Likely in reference to her high authority amongst the Crimson Denizens. Additionally, her most powerful Unrestricted Spell is called Aster, which means Star in Greek. Marjorie Daw also refers to her as, 星の王女様, Princess of the Stars. The throne room of the Seireiden also has a starry atmosphere.

But that's not all. 座 here likely has refers to a pedestal to sit on. Not just any pedestal, but one fit for a heavenly being, which may refer to traditional sacred Shinto dances former refered to as 神座 (kamukura or kamikura). The distinction here is that shrine maidens, through sacred dance, become vessels to convey the will of God. The distinction with Hecate is that the title may also refer to her as "the highest seat of god", referring to her role as Priestess. After all she is the Priestess/Shrine Maiden to the Snake of the Festival, 祭礼の蛇, the Creator God of the Crimson Denizens. Therefore title also refers to here status as top ranking representative (i. e., High Priestess) of the Crimson Denizens.