[Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]

    Chapter 39

    Myorn’s Laboratory

    “Now then... Shall we start with the first test?”

    Myorn’s fur clumped together like threads, wriggling.

    Whoosh!

    Amid the pile of junk, Myorn pulled something out. It was a piece of full plate armor, glimmering silver.

    “What was its name again?”

    “Alkas, Master.”

    “Alkas, put it on.”

    “Wait... me?”

    Alkas, who had been dragged into the lab without explanation, looked startled but didn’t seem entirely displeased.

    After all, wearing a mana suit had been a longstanding dream of his as a knight.

    “I’m not a Meister, though...”

    “I already told you. I heard you’re a knight without color or scent.”

    “Yes... that’s correct.”

    “This is perfect for someone like you. Probably.”

    With that, Alkas received the mana suit.

    “Inject your mana into the mana stone embedded in the helmet.”

    “Yes.”

    “Don’t resist the pressure. Just relax.”

    “Understood.”

    “Let me know if it gets too much.”

    Bzzzzzzzz!

    The steel armor, shimmering with mana, began to shift, molding itself to fit Alkas’s body perfectly.

    “It’s heavier than I expected.”

    “What about the fit?”

    “It’s manageable.”

    “Now, try using your aura.”

    Whoosh!

    Myorn tossed him a sword, and Alkas immediately infused it with his aura.

    Vrrrrrrr!

    A sharp blue light radiated from the sword, far stronger than the aura he was used to summoning.

    Overwhelmed with emotion, Alkas couldn’t hide his excitement.

    ‘So this... is the power of a mana suit!’

    However, the reactions from the two observing were less enthusiastic.

    “Huh. It doesn’t come out the same for him, does it?”

    “Hmm. Could it be the difference between a Sword Master and an Expert?”

    Step, step.

    Kaylen approached Alkas, his footsteps measured, and firmly gripped the mana suit.

    “Alkas, try summoning your aura again.”

    “Yes, my lord.”

    Vrrrrrrr!

    Once more, Alkas’s sword gleamed brightly with aura.

    Kaylen closely inspected the mana flowing through the suit, carefully measuring its output.

    “The aura still isn’t fully stable yet.”

    “What did I say? To become a Sword Master, you can’t rely solely on your mana heart. Is the mana in your toes and head just for decoration?”

    Kaylen’s sharp tone cut through the air as he offered advice to Alkas.

    “Alkas! You’re being hasty. Aura must be built up steadily from the ground up. Are you so excited just because you’re wearing a mana suit? Remember, this mana isn’t yours. You need to approach this more carefully and establish a solid foundation.”

    “Yes, I understand!” Alkas replied, startled but earnest.

    “Good.”

    “Yes, I’ll focus on steadily refining my aura!”

    With those words, Alkas began adjusting his aura...

    Crackle!

    The aura etched along the blade suddenly ignited, spreading like a blaze.

    Kaylen’s presence was almost suffocating, radiating an overwhelming sense of authority. He stood as an unshakable force, his voice calm yet laden with absolute command:

    Work!

    Forge and hammer until you produce results!

    “Alkas, you must assist Lady Myorn as much as possible. The more advanced the mana suit becomes, the quicker I can guide you to become a Sword Master.”

    “Yes, my lord! I will devote every ounce of my strength to fulfill your command!”

    Hearing that his efforts might lead to becoming a Sword Master, Alkas seemed ready to leap into fire without hesitation.

    Watching this, Myorn sighed deeply, her exhaustion evident.

    “Hah... Fine. I’ll adjust the design further. But more importantly—”

    Myorn rummaged through her pile of odds and ends, pulling out an object with visible effort, utilizing every ounce of strength.

    What she produced was a full plate of armor, pitch-black and ominous in appearance.

    “Kaylen, here’s yours. The item for the finals.”

    “It’s finished already.”

    “It’s just a modification of the original design. Like you asked, I completely ignored stability. It’s absurdly heavy, the pressure is intense, and it won’t last long. There’s no longevity to it.”

    The suit was something no ordinary mage could hope to wear—its weight and immense pressure would make it unbearable. It also had no extended duration or transformation capabilities.

    Every aspect had been sacrificed in favor of one single trait: pure output.

    “All it’s got is power. That’s all I focused on.”

    “That’s precisely what I wanted.”

    “But even with this, I doubt you’ll manage against Glacia. Are you seriously not going to use aura?”

    “I never intended to win in the first place.”

    “Yeah, I figured. I just want to see if you can survive one hit without using aura.”

    “You’ll see soon enough.”

    Kaylen smirked.

    “I’ll show you the power of a mage, not a meister.”

    Finals Day.

    For Princess Violet, the day began like any other.

    She rose at six in the morning.

    “Glacia, wash me.”

    Her mana suit cleaned her body within minutes.

    “Jane, are there any documents that need signing?”

    “No, Princess. It seems there aren’t many coming through today because of the big event.”

    “Ridiculous. A tournament match shouldn’t disrupt government business.”

    She reviewed and approved a few remaining documents.

    “Robin showed promise yesterday.”

    “Shall I add him to the recruitment list?”

    “Look into it. He’s been raised by the Tower of the Sky, so his loyalty to them will run deep.”

    “Understood.”

    “Princess, it’s time.”

    “I’m on my way.”

    Tap. Tap.

    As Violet walked, Kaylen wasn’t on her mind at all.

    He wasn’t anywhere near her level.

    His Fire Wave was impressive. She acknowledged that his spell, used to defeat the Wind Meister Robin, had displayed considerable power.

    But it’s far weaker than Lionus.

    For a non-meister to pull off such magic was surprising, but the raw power was incomparable to Lionus.

    Thus, the finals didn’t stir any sense of tension in her.

    Still, Kaylen is the top recruit on my list. I should let him save face and not crush him too quickly.

    Planning to go easy on him for appearances’ sake, Violet entered the arena.

    She never anticipated what awaited her.

    Crackle.

    Bzzzzzzt.

    “Princess.”

    Glacia’s half-mask began to spark with electricity.

    “You don’t need to hold back.”

    A portion of Kaylen’s mask burned, blackened by the intense currents coursing through it.

    [Translator - Kiteretsu]

    [Proofreader - Kyros]