Kays Translations

Chapter 88: The Princess of Ice and Fire

Clement Yuna—second-year student of the Alchemical Department at the Arcane Academy, specializing in the study of magical circuits—was better known by the title The Princess of Ice and Fire. A dazzling prodigy in magic, her lineage was just as illustrious as her talents. She hailed from the Royal Chamber of Commerce, the most prestigious trading guild across the continent, and her father was none other than a prince of the Starlight Empire. By blood and by right, Yuna was a true princess.

And yet, that was not the end of her brilliance. Yuna was also the current head of the Royal Chamber of Commerce in the Arcane Capital, a woman who combined beauty, noble status, immeasurable wealth, and undeniable authority into one perfect figure.

“Clement Yuna.” She smiled as she regarded the girl standing before her. Yuna had long heard the name of Isabelle Stacie whispered across the academy. Today, she would finally learn for herself just how powerful the so-called Fairy Summoner truly was.

“Isabelle Stacie. Please… guide me, Senior.”

As Stacie’s words faded, the air itself seemed to roar in answer. The wind stirred with violent intensity, gathering around her like a storm on the verge of breaking. High above her head, a massive spirit of wind—the Wind Whisperer—burst forth and took to the sky with a shrill cry.

At the same time, the ground quivered beneath her feet. Emerald motes of light surged into being, flickering like starlight, until they converged into the towering shape of a colossal elk. Its eyes, ancient and filled with gentle wisdom, gazed solemnly at Yuna from across the arena. The creature, the Forest Guardian, lowered its mighty antlers and spoke in a voice that only Stacie could hear.

“Cici, be careful. I can feel the power surging within her… vast and overwhelming. She is like a mountain of eternal ice… and yet at the same time, like molten magma waiting to erupt.”

Fairies could speak, but only to the one who bore the gift of summoning them.

Stacie’s expression hardened into focus, her emerald eyes narrowing on Yuna. The princess of ice and fire raised both arms, steady and calm, already braced for the storm to come. At that precise instant, the supervising professor’s voice rang out across the arena, sharp as a whip.

“Begin the examination!”

An eagle’s cry split the sky. The Wind Whisperer flared its wings, and a storm of gathered wind surged around it before coalescing into blades of razor-sharp air. With a single beat of its wings, the blades shot downward like scythes of invisible steel, slicing toward Yuna.

She did not panic. She leapt backward with quick precision, though the wind blades were faster still, chasing her with deadly intent. Calmly, Yuna began to chant, her voice clear, each syllable steady with confidence. Her crimson cloak flared outward as she poured magic into its fabric.

The dark red cloth shimmered with a metallic gleam, and when the first blade of wind struck it, the spell rebounded as if it had struck a shield of tempered steel. This was no ordinary garment, but an alchemical cloak designed specifically to counter ranged magic.

The clash of magic tightened the air. The atmosphere within the dueling ground grew heavy with tension. Above, the Wind Whisperer circled like a predator, sending down volley after volley of blades that rained upon the arena floor. They cut through stone like knives through silk, leaving deep scars across the ground. Yuna, however, danced through the storm with elegance, her cloak shimmering as she deflected strike after strike, biding her time for the perfect chance to retaliate.

Her speed was astonishing. For a magician, she moved with impossible grace, so fast the wind blades could barely keep pace. A faint glow pulsed from the ring on her finger, brimming with stored mana. Yuna carried no staff; instead, she relied upon alchemical tools and enchanted jewelry to magnify her magic.

Stacie quickly realized something was unusual. Yuna’s movement wasn’t a sprint—it was smooth, sliding, almost gliding. Her gaze dropped, and there, beneath Yuna’s feet, a sheen of ice trailed in her wake.

She’s skating on ice?! Stacie’s eyes widened, but there was no time to process. Yuna had already closed the distance, gliding effortlessly to her flank. Determination flashed in Yuna’s eyes. Her chanting swelled louder, stronger, like the ringing of battle drums. With a sweep of her hand, she traced intricate runes into the air. The temperature plummeted; the very breath of the crowd misted in the sudden cold.

A surge of frost erupted. From beneath Yuna’s feet, a vast plane of ice spread outward in all directions. Spikes of frozen crystal thrust up from the ground like spears, racing toward Stacie with lethal speed.

The Wind Whisperer shrieked and unleashed a raging whirlwind, shredding the oncoming ice into shards. The gale swept toward Yuna as well, threatening to drag her into its violent spiral.

But Yuna was unshaken. With her other hand, she summoned fire. A torrent of flame burst forth, devouring the frost around her. Ice melted, water boiled, and a hiss of steam flooded the arena.

“Burn!” Her voice rang with authority. The firestorm ignited, consuming even the storm meant to shield Stacie. The heat grew unbearable, and for the first time, Stacie’s breath caught in her throat, searing and painful, as though her very lungs were aflame.

The Forest Guardian stepped closer, antlers blazing with green light. Vines erupted from the ground, twisting upward in a frenzy. They formed a dense barrier around Stacie, a living wall of greenery to shield her from the inferno.

With a thunderous boom, the firestorm detonated. Flames rolled outward like a tidal wave, shaking the entire arena to its foundations. Heat seared across the dueling ground, spilling over into other examination areas and forcing even distant students to shield their faces.

The stands erupted in gasps. Dozens of students stared in awe and disbelief. Was this truly only the final examination of a first-year against a second-year? The level of power was beyond imagination. Even Merlin, usually unflappable, felt a jolt of alarm and worry for Stacie.

Stacie, don’t you dare get hurt… You still owe me work tomorrow!

The clash of ice and fire tore through the Wind Whisperer’s storm, scattering it into wisps of dissipating magic. Yuna emerged through the haze, her cloak fluttering gracefully in the blast’s aftershocks, her stance unwavering.

As the smoke thinned, the protective wall of vines was revealed—charred, riddled with holes, nearly destroyed. At its center, Stacie stood unscathed, though her breathing was ragged. The heat had seared into her chest; each breath felt as if her lungs were being scorched from within.

Yuna’s eyes narrowed. She knew one thing now: unless she used her full strength, victory was impossible. For a fleeting second, she hesitated. The magic she was about to unleash might truly harm the girl before her.

But only for a second. Her pride, the weight of her title, and the expectations of her peers pressed upon her shoulders. She was the Princess of Ice and Fire. To falter now would be to betray that name. Yuna clenched her resolve. She would finish this fight.

At the same time, Stacie had understood her opponent’s intent. She tightened her control over both summons, commanding the Wind Whisperer to shift its movements into agile, weaving arcs, while the Forest Guardian began channeling earth magic. A glowing sigil spread beneath its hooves, complex and ancient.

The Wind Whisperer let out a cry, plunging from the skies, its body dissolving into a lance of emerald wind. It arrowed toward Yuna at breakneck speed.

Yuna’s hand shot to her neck. She tore free a crystal pendant, an artifact of rare power. With a rush of mana, the ice within the jewel surged outward. Frost erupted into a massive coffin of solid ice, rising from the ground and encasing her entirely.

The Wind Whisperer’s impact struck with terrifying force. Wind blades screeched across the surface, carving deep scars into the ice, but the coffin held firm. The fourth-tier defensive spell—Frostbound Coffin—was unyielding.

Within its frigid embrace, Yuna’s eyes glowed with fierce light. She did not limit herself to one element. Ice and fire twined together in her hands, opposites merging into something greater. In her left palm, a flame burned hot and wild; in her right, a sphere of compressed ice pulsed with biting chill. Her cloak glistened with frost while her feet ignited with licking tongues of fire.

On the sidelines, the supervising teacher stiffened, eyes widening. He half-raised his hand to end the match at once. But before he could intervene, a calm voice stopped him.

“Let them continue,” said Rachel, eyes sharp and unwavering. “So long as I am here, nothing will go wrong.”

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