Kays Translations

Chapter 42: New Protective Gear

It was the middle of April.

A notice concerning Ren and Licia’s entrance examinations arrived at House Clausel’s residence. Their first examination at the Imperial Military Academy would be held at the end of May.

The date made both of them even more serious about their studies.

“…Ren, I am very sleepy.”

“…So am I.”

They spoke over breakfast with equally exhausted expressions.

Recently, both had been staying up late to prepare. They were not behind. On the contrary, when they worked through previous examination papers, each regularly scored above ninety percent. Failing seemed extremely unlikely.

Even so, neither wanted to leave the smallest possible weakness unaddressed.

“Why not take today off?” Lessard suggested. “If you make yourselves ill by overworking, all that effort will be wasted.”

He respected their diligence, but rest was also part of preparation.

Licia had clearly reached her limit. Immediately after breakfast, she returned to her room, probably intending to sleep again.

Ren was about to do the same when Lessard stopped him.

“Ren, a letter arrived from Werlich-dono.”

Ren accepted it and tilted his head. The message contained only a few hurried words:

It is finished. Come and collect it.

“The equipment you requested may be complete,” Ren said.

“That is excellent news. Rest today and collect it tomorrow.”

“Since the message has already come, I would rather go now. I can rest after I return.”

“Very well, but do not push yourself.”

Ren thanked him and left the dining room. In the corridor, he released a tremendous yawn, slapped both cheeks to drive away the drowsiness, and began preparing for the trip to the Imperial Capital.

The cool air outside helped wake him, though only slightly.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

A gray gauntlet rested in Werlich’s workshop.

It retained the weathered color of Asval’s horn. The left gauntlet reached almost to the elbow and was light enough for an archer. A ringlike ornament circled the thumb, set with a small crimson jewel.

Overall, it resembled the armored gauntlet of a fully equipped knight, redesigned for light combat gear.

Ren drew a quiet breath when he saw it.

Its appearance was impressive, but that was not what struck him most. The strength radiating from the material immediately reminded him of Asval.

“I call it the Flame King’s Gauntlet,” Werlich declared.

He looked even more exhausted than Ren, yet grinned with unmistakable pride.

“That is the left one. This is for your right hand.”

The right-hand piece was closer to a reinforced glove. Ren had asked to preserve the familiar sensation around his Magic Sword Summoning bracelet. Knights routinely wore gauntlets while wielding swords, but he did not want unnecessary changes to the movement he had built through years of practice.

Both pieces used Asval’s horn, processed and combined with special thread. The colors and basic design matched, while thin plates of horn protected the back of the right hand and the fingers.

The bracelet could therefore remain on Ren’s right wrist.

“Thank you. I should be able to use my swords exactly as before.”

There was another reason the left gauntlet was larger. Strengthening the arm itself would make the Shield Magic Sword easier to use.

Ren pointed to the crimson jewel beside the left thumb.

“What is this part?”

“It was inside the horn,” Werlich answered. “The most important organ in the entire thing. I do not know whether ‘organ’ is the correct word, but it was certainly vital.”

Ren stared at it, remembering the winter battle in which he had broken Asval’s horns to weaken the dragon.

“It was much larger at first,” Werlich continued. “About the size of my head.”

“And now it is this small?”

“I slept, woke, scraped, and polished it day after day. I needed it for the gauntlets, but I also wanted to see how many other parts could be used.”

He gestured toward the right-hand piece.

“I dissolved powder shaved from the organ and blended it with Thief Wolfen hair, then processed the mixture into thread. I braided that into the base and added another layer of horn over the backs of the hands and fingers.”

“Thief Wolfen hair?”

“You know the monster? It may only be D-rank, but the hair is extremely useful when handled properly. A skilled craftsman can combine it with other materials to produce excellent results.”

“I see…”

“You can thank that irritating brat later. He supplied the hair. It has barely appeared on the market in recent years, but he happened to possess some.”

The story was extremely familiar. Ren carefully kept that recognition from showing on his face.

At Werlich’s instruction, he equipped both gauntlets.

They fit perfectly.

There was no sense of foreign weight or restriction. When Ren flexed his arms and fingers, the equipment followed as naturally as part of his own body.

“How do they feel?”

“I have tried other equipment before, but nothing has ever fit this comfortably.”

“Of course it fits. I measured you.”

Even so, Ren repeatedly opened and closed his hands, certain that he could wield a sword without changing his technique.

“Do not let the lightness deceive you,” Werlich said. “As I told you before, that horn is harder than rare metal.”

Ren’s gaze returned to the jewel near his left thumb.

Until that moment, he had hidden a small fear. Asval had called the Ashton bloodline weak, and Ren had wondered whether equipment made from the dragon might awaken some hostile impulse.

Now, however, that fear was gone.

He touched the jewel with his right hand and felt a mild, steady warmth.

“Good. The first job is finished.”

Werlich collapsed onto the floor with a heavy thud.

His eyes were already closing.

“I am going to sleep. When I wake up, I will drink until I am satisfied and take the rest of the week off.”

“Thank you very much. I will leave you to rest.”

“See you later.”

Ren wanted to offer a more elaborate expression of gratitude, but Werlich looked ready to fall asleep mid-sentence. He placed the Flame King’s Gauntlet inside its wooden box, carried it out of the workshop, and bowed deeply toward the closed door.

◇ ◇ ◇ ◇

On the way home, Ren decided to test the gauntlets with his magic swords.

He wanted to learn whether they altered his usual movement and whether they affected Nature Magic. That meant returning to Elendil and going beyond the city limits before his sleepiness returned.

As he headed toward the station, a familiar voice called from nearby.

“Ren-kun?”

He turned and saw Fiona walking with Edgar.

They were near the blacksmith district, so their presence was not especially strange. The moment Fiona recognized him, she hurried over with light steps.

“Were you visiting the blacksmith district?”

“Yes. I had an errand there.”

Edgar approached as well, bowed to Ren, and then walked a few steps behind them.

His gaze settled on the wooden box.

“Could that be…?”

He had immediately guessed what it contained. Ren realized that Edgar already understood where he intended to go next.

“I also need to thank Ulysses-sama,” Ren said. “I heard that he supplied the monster hair.”

“My lord anticipated that response,” Edgar replied. “He instructed me to tell you that no thanks are necessary.”

That was entirely like Ulysses. He had predicted Ren’s words and prepared Edgar’s reply in advance.

Ren smiled wryly and turned back to Fiona.

She asked how he had been, and as they walked, Ren explained that he had been occupied with examination preparation and had come to the Imperial Capital despite being extremely sleepy.

Fiona listened with obvious happiness, responding warmly to every part of his story.

“So you are leaving already…?”

“Yes. I was going to take the magic train back to Elendil.”

Fiona fell silent for a moment, then looked up at him. Her jewel-like eyes held a sudden determination.

She remembered the resolution she had made before: to become a little more proactive.

“I am traveling from one piece of work to the next. Would you mind if I accompanied you part of the way?”

“Is it work for House Ignat?”

“Yes. I regularly help Father with his responsibilities. That is why Edgar is with me.”

Ren looked toward the butler. Edgar nodded in confirmation.

“I assumed you would travel by carriage.”

“Fiona-sama prefers walking,” Edgar said.

“Now that I am healthy enough, I am happy simply being able to walk on my own,” Fiona added.

Her illness had been under control for some time, but she had never forgotten the years when even ordinary movement had been difficult. That was why the daughter of a marquis often chose to walk instead of using a carriage.

Ren agreed, provided Edgar had no objection.

Fiona quietly whispered, “I did it,” and smiled.

They boarded the magic train together.

The carriage was crowded, leaving no seats for any of them. Fortunately, they found standing space beside a wall near the door.

The warmth and gentle rocking made Ren’s eyelids heavy again.

“Your first examination is approaching, is it not?” Fiona asked.

“I hope to pass without difficulty.”

“I am certain you will. I have heard how hard you have been working.”

“From Ulysses-sama?”

“Yes. He said he could not imagine you failing.”

That was reassuring, but Ren still refused to relax his preparation.

“Chronois-sensei is expected to return before the end of the year,” Fiona continued. “Perhaps you will meet her at next year’s entrance ceremony.”

“…That may happen.”

Edgar listened silently.

In truth, Ren had already met Chronois twice: once shortly before defeating the Steel-Eating Gargoyle, and again while clearing the fallen tree that blocked the river near a village Ren and Licia had visited. Ren still did not know the woman’s identity, much less that she regarded him so favorably.

The train swayed again.

Ren’s heavy eyelids rose and fell several times. Fiona noticed and offered him a gentle smile.

“Would you like to close your eyes and rest for a moment?”

“No, I am fine. Please do not worry.”

Despite his answer, the heat and motion continued lulling him toward sleep. Edgar’s presence may also have allowed him to lower his guard.

Ren’s head dipped.

At the next station, passengers pressed toward the doors. The movement pushed Ren forward just as he was drifting off.

He nearly fell into Fiona.

The moment he realized it, he raised his free hand and braced it against the wall beside her, stopping himself before his weight could pin her there.

For one breath, neither moved.

“I-I am sorry. I was not fully awake.”

“It is all right. Truly…”

Within a few minutes, the train reached Ren’s stop. Fiona managed to say goodbye normally, but long after he left, her heart continued pounding.

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