[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 37

    "Myorn, what’s your name?"

    Kaylen''s question made Myorn''s fur stand on end, bristling like a hedgehog. Then, abruptly, her fur shifted into a curious "?" shape.

    "...What are you talking about? This is my name."

    "That might not be true. Isn’t ‘Myorn’ just a Dwarven pronunciation of ‘Meier’?"

    "Uh...what...?"

    Her large green eyes, peeking out from between the fur, quivered slightly. She had never imagined she’d hear such a thing in a place like this.

    "The castle created by the Dwarven queen Kaina, the wife of Emperor Ernstine. Isn’t that right?"

    "Wait, how do you know about that?"

    "I’m connected to that name as well."

    "That’s impossible..."

    Connected to the name Meier? Someone like that couldn’t possibly exist anymore. After all, the Meier Empire had fallen a long time ago.

    "If you make the Oath of the Volcano to keep my secret, I’ll explain everything in detail."

    The Oath of the Volcano. A sacred contract performed by Dwarves using fire or earth spirits as intermediaries. For Dwarves, it was the strongest binding pact imaginable. Breaking it came at a steep price—the loss of significant spiritual power. Because of this, Dwarves treated the oath with extreme caution.

    Perhaps that’s why.

    Among non-Dwarven races, almost no one knew about the Oath of the Volcano. That Kaylen could even mention it made him all the more suspicious.

    "You...you even know about the Oath of the Volcano?"

    "I’ve read some of Emperor Ernstine’s records," Kaylen replied with a calm smile.

    As she watched him speak so nonchalantly, Myorn sank into contemplation. He knew too much to dismiss this as nonsense. He even knew the origin of her name.

    "Ugh. This is so strange..."

    She had always assumed his exceptional magical abilities came from his time at the Magic Academy. But on top of that, he could wield aura like a knight, knew the story behind her name, and was aware of the Oath of the Volcano?

    It was all too suspicious.

    Normally, it would’ve been wise to approach someone like him with extreme caution, especially considering the proposal he’d just made. And yet...

    "If all I have to do is keep his secret, this is too good to pass up."

    After all, there was no one left for Myorn to share secrets with. Her Dwarven clan had already been wiped out. Even though she lived in the human world and worked at the Fairy Tower of Magic, dominated by elves, she was little more than an outcast.

    This was a promise she could easily keep.

    "On the other hand, the information he let slip about Emperor Ernstine’s records... I have to know more about that."

    With no one to confide in, the risk was practically nonexistent.

    "So, the condition of the oath is simply to keep your secret. Is that it?"

    "Yes, that’s correct."

    "Alright. I swear. I’ll keep your secret."

    A flame ignited above Myorn''s eyes, forming the shape of a mountain. Her fur burned away, revealing her pale forehead as fiery patterns danced across her skin. Soon, the flames solidified into the image of a crimson volcano.

    "By the will of the mighty volcano, I, Myorn, swear to never reveal Kaylen''s secret to anyone. Should I break this oath, the wrath of the volcano will descend upon me."

    Whoosh!

    The flame flared fiercely one last time before vanishing, leaving behind a glowing crimson volcano etched on her forehead. The small red mountain stood vivid amidst her now bare forehead and eyes, though the momentary cleanliness didn’t last.

    Swoosh.

    The fur around her forehead regrew almost instantly, covering the volcano mark as if nothing had happened.

    “You seem to lack spirit energy,” Kaylen observed with a knowing tone. “The way your fur grew back so quickly after taking the Oath of the Volcano—it’s telling.”

    Myorn’s fur bristled at his words.

    “You even know about that?! It must have something to do with your secret.”

    “Yes,” Kaylen replied calmly. “I am...”

    ***

    One Week Later – Semifinals of the Tournament

    With the arena restored after the last battle, the second match of the semifinals was ready to begin. If the duel between Princess Violet and Lioness had captivated the public, this match was the one drawing whispers of intrigue among insiders.

    Kaylen Starn.

    The dark horse of the tournament, his unexpected rise as a formidable contender had everyone talking.

    “That’s Kaylen?”

    “He’s bigger than most knights.”

    “They say he took down a Meister with his bare hands.”

    “How could a mage defeat a Meister clad in a mana suit with just his body?”

    His feat of overpowering a mana-suited Meister spread far and wide, drawing the attention of foreign magic towers. Even representatives from these towers had come to observe him. Despite the still-ruined spectator stands, many managed to find spots to scrutinize his every move.

    In the VIP section, Irene, sitting with a slight grimace, broke the silence.

    “Wow, so many scouts have shown up.”

    “Well, he is special,” someone beside her replied.

    “Ah, that’s right. Myorn, didn’t you... experiment with him? How was it?”

    At Irene’s question, Myorn smirked faintly.

    “I can’t say. I made a promise.”

    “What kind of promise stops you from talking about it?” Irene pouted.

    “Just watch the match. You’ll understand.”

    The air was Robin’s domain, after all. If Kaylen chose to join him there, it would be an advantage for Robin.

    [Circle Reload. Wind Press.]

    A crushing gust of air bore down from above.

    [Wind Arrow.]

    Countless arrows of wind filled the sky, pelting Kaylen’s Earth Shield. Though they couldn’t pierce the barrier, they limited his movements.

    The match was unfolding as the inverse of Kaylen’s quarterfinal battle. While his attacks hadn’t connected, the flow of the match was firmly in Robin’s favor.

    “Robin has an impressive grasp of the power of wind. Truly worthy of being called a Wind Meister,” Irene remarked.

    “For you to give such high praise, Lady Irene... Perhaps I’ve underestimated him. I should adjust my evaluation,” Princess Violet replied.

    “Indeed, Princess. With such talent, I doubt he’ll lose quickly—certainly not within five minutes.”

    Irene’s confident statement made Myorn’s fur bristle slightly. As a summoner of wind spirits, her opinion carried significant weight, making her prediction all the more convincing.

    At this rate, Myorn thought, she was going to lose the bet.

    “Kaylen! Hurry and finish this! I’ve got a five-minute wager riding on you!”

    Myorn’s shout echoed from the stands.

    Hearing her voice, Kaylen smirked. He lowered his hand, which had been channeling the Earth Shield, and focused on his gauntlet.

    “Well then... let’s end this.”

    The prototype mana suit gauntlet—nicknamed Prototype-Normal by Myorn—suddenly shifted. Its metallic sheen turned a deep crimson as an enormous surge of mana began concentrating within it.

    “No way.”

    “This is...

    “A mana suit?”

    “I’ve never seen one like that before.”

    The scouts’ attention shifted immediately to Kaylen’s gauntlet, their curiosity piqued.

    But their fascination was quickly replaced with astonishment as the scene unfolded before their eyes.

    “Fire Wave.”

    Kaylen raised his hand toward the sky, and the gauntlet erupted into flames, blazing like an inferno.

    The fire surged outward, spreading into a massive wave of flames, consuming the air as it hurtled toward Robin.

    [Fly.]

    Robin instinctively ascended higher, predicting a counterattack. If he climbed high enough, the flames would eventually dissipate—or so he thought.

    But the flames moved too fast. Faster than he could ascend.

    A Wind Meister, outpaced and cornered.

    [Tch... Wind Shield! Reload, Wind Press!]

    Robin summoned a shield of wind to protect himself and unleashed a burst of air to push back the flames.

    But it was futile.

    The fiery wave continued its relentless advance, unhindered by his efforts. Like a gentle breeze against a roaring tide, his wind spells proved powerless.

    Whoooosh!

    The shield of wind shattered.

    The flames enveloped Robin’s mana suit entirely.

    [Aaaaargh!]

    A scream of pain tore through the arena as Robin plummeted from the sky.

    [Re-reload... Wind... Wind Shield. Fly...!]

    Desperately, he chanted spells mid-fall, trying to extinguish the flames and stabilize himself.

    But it was no use.

    The fire had already consumed him, leaving him helpless.

    He could not escape on his own.

    [Argh...! I surrender! I yield!]

    At Robin’s frantic declaration of surrender, Kaylen finally spoke.

    “Fly.”

    Just before Robin crashed into the ground, Kaylen lifted him back into the air with a calm gesture.

    [Th-thank you...]

    Robin stammered, his gratitude evident as the flames subsided.

    “Well fought.”

    Robin, narrowly avoiding becoming the first fatality of the tournament, collapsed onto the ground, utterly spent. His sky-colored mana suit was charred black, its once-pristine surface now unrecognizable.

    From the stands, Irene watched with wide eyes.

    “Myorn, that gauntlet... Did you make it?”

    “Yes,” Myorn replied simply.

    “Wow, that’s incredible! You built something that powerful?”

    “No.”

    At Irene’s enthusiastic praise, Myorn gave a wry smile.

    “The incredible one... is him.”

    She couldn’t help but recall the events of a week prior.

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]