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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: The Iron Empress
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On the team match arena.
As we began to step onto the stage, a murmur rose from the VIP section.
"Oh, Sharin Sazalys, isn't that the Blue Tower Master's daughter!"
"Well, well, a big shot has appeared."
"Hmm, but wasn't she adopted?"
"What does that matter? She's the top student in magical studies and even has 'Mirinae'!"
As expected, Sharin was the most talked-about person among the VIPs.
Mirinae, the eye that was considered the greatest talent for a mage.
Sharin, born with it, possessed such extraordinary talent that it overshadowed any talk of her being the Tower Master's adopted child.
Of course.
"...Hmph."
Sharin herself didn't take kindly to the mention of her adoption.
Sharin's eyes pierced the back of my head with her gaze.
It must have been because of what I said when I brought her into the team.
My promise to show her a way to get back at her adoptive father, the Tower Master.
She didn't press for details then, but it must have been something that bothered her deep down.
"But why isn't Sharin the team leader?"
"Hanon, I've never heard that name."
"But those eyes and hair color…"
Before I knew it, the VIPs' gazes had shifted from Sharin to me.
My hair and eye color were identical to Iris's, who had just been on stage.
That meant they must have realized the origin of Hanon's lineage as well.
The Ducal House of Robliajou.
That I was descended from that very bloodline.
However, my surname was Airei, not Robliajou.
There were quite a few who openly questioned this point.
"How interesting."
Only one person.
Except for that woman who was watching me with bright yellow eyes, full of intrigue.
With snow-white hair and eyes with a peculiar curve, the woman, whose alluring figure was revealed through the long cloak draped over her shoulders, smiled as if enjoying a fascinating spectacle.
There are four dukes in the Haisirion Empire.
The one who holds the Eastern Duchy.
The White Oak Duke.
The oldest Duke, who had been with the Haisirion Empire since its very beginning.
'I knew she'd be interested in me.'
Even from this distance, an absurdly dangerous aura emanated from her.
My Iron Skin trembled instinctively.
It was as if it was urging me to avoid the White Oak Duke's gaze immediately.
Considering what was to come, I couldn't afford to be this afraid.
I turned my back on the White Oak Duke's gaze and stepped onto the arena.
As I did, the gazes from around us faded away.
Thanks to the magic cast over the arena.
"It's even more interestingly crafted magic when you're inside."
Sharin looked around at the magic, smiling with interest.
"Don't dispel it."
"What do you take me for?"
Fickle.
Leaving Sharin, who could act impulsively at any moment, I raised my head.
"Seron."
"Ah, yeah, what is it?!"
Seron, gripping her axe tightly, replied, sounding quite tense.
Unlike me, Seron was looking at someone else.
There, a middle-aged man who looked exactly like Seron was smiling broadly.
He was even holding a sign that read 'Go Daughter!'
She was probably nervous because her dad had come to watch.
"Up to round five, only Seron and I will take on the apostles."
There were a total of ten types of apostles in the team match.
Naturally, there were also ten rounds for the apostles.
As the apostles got harder in the later rounds, it was most efficient for Seron and me, with our superior stamina, to handle them early on.
I turned to Seron, a smirk playing on my lips.
"If you're nervous, just say so. I'll take you out."
A vein throbbed in Seron's forehead.
"Nervous? Who, me?!"
She menacingly swung her axe around.
"Princess Sweet Potato, just you watch! I'll finish them off faster than you!"
Wasting energy early.
"Card, Grantony, you two get ready. Sharin, wait until I call you."
"Good luck out there."
"Heheheh, this is going to be fun."
"I should've slept more."
Listening to their individual replies, I rolled up my sleeves.
Then, the moment I sharpened my hand.
Thud!
With the sound of the ground shaking, an apostle in the form of a giant ox appeared.
Round 1.
Water Buffalo Apostle.
Tick!
At the same time, the clock measuring the combat time began to move.
Seron and I kicked off the ground simultaneously, shooting towards the Water Buffalo Apostle.
The Water Buffalo Apostle swelled its arms enormously, as if it had no intention of being instantly killed like the one Iris faced earlier.
Then, it threw a punch at me, who had arrived right in front of it.
A fist larger than my head came hurtling towards me.
I tilted my head back, narrowly dodging the incoming punch.
I could feel the sheer weight of the punch as it brushed past my head.
Was that how she instantly killed it with a single sword swing?
Once again, I felt awe at Iris's strength.
While I dodged, Seron lunged into the Water Buffalo Apostle's embrace.
Then, a jet of water shot out from the Water Buffalo Apostle's mouth.
"Agh, agh!"
Seron hurriedly split the water jet with her axe, causing water to splash everywhere.
As a result, Seron ended up looking like a drowned rat.
Her pale skin and the thin layer of clothing beneath her shirt became visible through her soaked attire.
"Moooo!"
The water buffalo thrashed its body and suddenly snorted loudly.
Squelch!
Leaping in an instant, I seized the water buffalo's head in my grip.
Seeing it snort steam somehow made me feel incredibly disgusted.
The water buffalo flinched and peered at me through my fingers.
As expected of an ox, its eyes, at least, sparkled with clarity.
'Magic Engraving, Flame.'
Fwoosh!
At that moment, the magic engraving etched into my Iron Skin activated from my fingertips, unleashing high-heat flames.
Crack!
I crushed the water buffalo's head with the intense heat and the crushing power of my grip.
With its head gone, the water buffalo could no longer struggle and perished.
Taking a light breath, I turned my head and glanced at Seron.
She was spitting, as if water had gotten into her mouth.
"Ugh, what is this salty taste?"
"Probably milk. More importantly, dry yourself. I don't have a fetish for seeing your underwear."
Seron belatedly checked her body and flinched.
She hunched over, covering herself, and shouted.
"Agh, agh, it's not underwear, it's my shirt! What are you even thinking?!"
"I'm not thinking anything."
"…Hey, that actually makes me even angrier, you know?"
While we were exchanging trivial banter, the second apostle began to appear.
It was a spider apostle, with a human torso and a spider's lower body.
There was no time to bicker with Seron.
Seron seemed to realize this too, pouting her lips and gripping her axe tightly.
"Let's keep going."
Seron and I kicked off the ground once more.
* * *
Outside, where Hanon's team's match was in full swing.
The people seated in the VIP section showed a lack of interest as they watched the match.
"When will Sharin finally step up?"
"Aside from those two, everyone else has been hands-off since earlier."
Perhaps because Iris's combat was so impactful earlier,
even though Hanon and Seron were clearing the apostles faster than the average third-year students, everyone's reaction was quite lukewarm.
It seemed they were unconsciously comparing them to Iris.
Hanon and Seron fought well.
They couldn't finish off the apostles in a single blow like Iris,
but they defeated the second apostle in a relatively short amount of time.
From the third apostle onwards, Card and Grantony began to actively participate.
Card's magic was Shadow Magic.
The shadows that emerged from beneath his feet executed appropriately lethal attacks while Hanon and Seron were fighting.
Grantony's Necromancy also provided excellent support.
He not only created footholds for Hanon and Seron to leap from wherever they were,
but also bound the apostles to prevent movement.
Their coordination was excellent.
In particular, Hanon's instructions were always perfectly applied whenever a new apostle appeared.
It was as if he knew everything about the apostles before they even appeared.
Of course, all the apostles had already appeared thanks to the third-year students and Iris's team earlier.
While it was plausible to think of countermeasures for the apostles during that time,
even considering that, Hanon's methods for defeating the apostles were optimized.
"Hmm?"
"That child."
Among the VIPs, some realized this and cast peculiar glances at Hanon.
He was so knowledgeable and seasoned regarding the apostles that he didn't seem like a first-semester sophomore.
"How boring."
"I was expecting Sharin Sazalys's magic."
However, there were also those who didn't notice this.
Hanon was certainly defeating the apostles in an optimized way,
but to the uninitiated, it was a frustrating lack of spectacle.
This opinion mainly came from those lacking skill who had never personally ventured into the Magic Labyrinth.
While there were those who earned their seats through outstanding skill,
there were also those who secured their places due to their parents and circumstances.
The VIP section had begun to split into two categories.
And among them,
the one closest to the former category narrowed her eyes like a fox.
"Hmph, hehe, what an interesting boy."
Known to others as the White Oak Duke.
The oldest Duke in the Empire and a living witness to its history.
She was watching the match with far more interest than she had shown during Iris's turn.
A golden light swirled in her eyes before fading.
"Your Grace, White Oak Duke, do you find the youthful vigor so enjoyable?"
Then, her attendant, who wore an eyepatch over one eye and stood behind her, asked.
Hearing his voice, the White Oak Duke tapped her chin with a long finger.
"The vigor of youth is always enjoyable to behold. Just like how one's gaze is drawn to a fiercely burning flame."
"Even considering that, you seem more amused than usual."
Indeed.
The White Oak Duke was smiling a lot today.
The reason was simple.
It was all thanks to the boy reflected in her eyes.
"The Iron Empress, huh."
She muttered to herself, her eyes glinting quietly.
She had lived as a Duke since the Haisirion Imperial Dynasty existed.
Those who possessed Mystics were rare, but not nonexistent.
But among them, sometimes peculiar things emerged.
Just like now.
"Heh, hehehe."
She couldn't help but laugh as she watched Hanon create flames from his grip.
What madman would think of engraving magic directly onto their own body to use it?
Especially magic engravings, which are now considered relics of the past and have fallen into disuse.
'Magic engravings and Mystics should have a peculiar compatibility, shouldn't they?'
As one who had lived for a long time, possessing extensive knowledge, she wore a smile.
'Whether he knew it or not when he did it…'
Regardless, something interesting had appeared after a long time.
She had come to see how the renowned Third Princess had grown, but unexpectedly, a new source of amusement caught her eye.
The White Oak Duke dangled her ankle beneath her long leg.
'Well then.'
How much value will you prove?
The First Prince and the Third Princess.
At that moment, she, who had still not pledged her allegiance to either, discovered a new value and smiled chillingly.