Only ten seconds left—panic drums in my chest like a war gong. The Sword Qi Storm will crumble, a paper fan in a wildfire. Ice arts? They’ll melt like frost under the qilin’s flames.

Then it’s down to that one move. I draw a deep breath, bellows in my ribs, and gather Sword Aura—fire aligned. This land lacks everything but flame; the air is a sea of embers. Fire elements surge into me like a tide, slamming into my limit in an instant.

“Netherflow Rage Flame Slash!”

Boom—the Shattered Light Sword blooms a ten-meter energy blade. It roars with searing fire, a comet-tail blaze not inferior to the qilin’s own.

At that moment, the tornado of Sword Aura melts away, a candle in a furnace—but that’s fine.

“Your turn to take one!”

I spin full-force, a human cyclone, and swing the massive blade shrouding the Shattered Light Sword. The slash rips the black, gritty ground, shears the ring of rock, and even cleaves the fire qilin’s slender jet of flame like silk.

“Damn it!”

It hops back several steps to dodge, baring teeth and glaring with eyes like burning coals.

“Uh, did I offend you somehow?”

Its hostility leaves me speechless; I say, “I’m just a passerby—can’t you let me through with some kindness?”

“Angry, angry, angry! You!” For some reason, the fire qilin flares hotter. “If you didn’t spout nonsense, would I be this mad?!”

“Huh? Me, talking nonsense… I don’t think so.”

I rack my brain, fishing through words like pebbles in a stream. No rude line comes up… No, it has to be something I said.

After a moment, it hits me like a dropped hammer. “Was it when I said you’re really small—hey, hey! Don’t suddenly attack!”

“You jerk! You said I’m small three times in a row! That’s forbidden! Forbidden!”

The fire qilin waves tiny paws in angry stabs, round eyes blown wide, temper hissing like a kettle.

“Uh—sorry, sorry!”

So it’s that. I thought it was something serious. Still, do you need to be this furious?

“I’m already eight hundred! That’s adult by qilin standards! So why am I still like this? Ahhh! It drives me mad!”

Fine. I bow my head; I was wrong. Calling a pint-sized fire qilin “really small” is cruel. If it were me—an adult treated like a child for looks and voice—I’d burn up too, stuck under a child’s shadow.

“I’m sorry—thoughtless words. Please forgive me.”

“No way! You said ‘really small’ three times! How could I forgive you that easily!”

The fire qilin huffs and turns away, sulking like a cat with its tail up. Honestly, so much like a kid; an ordinary adult wouldn’t clutch a pebble like this.

“You jerk, are you thinking something annoying?!”

Its round eyes flare, and it snaps at me. The flames coiling around it surge higher with its mood, like a storm feeding on its own wind.

“No, no, no! Absolutely not!”

Seriously, does it have to be this sharp? I sigh, steam in cold air. “Then how can I earn your forgiveness?”

“Give me a few lollipops!”

The answer pops out instantly. The fire qilin extends a tiny paw; its round eyes sparkle with pure expectation like stars caught in syrup.

“...”

No—calm down. What is with this adorable creature? It’s too cute, a plush ember with legs.

I take a deep breath, pushing down the bubbling heat. “Sorry, I don’t have lollipops on me. But if you have ingredients and tools, I can make some.”

“I see. Then what ingredients do you need?”

Phew—its hostility finally clears like fog burning off; what a drain. I list the ingredients and tools for making lollipops.

“Got it! Please wait!”

As the words leave its mouth, the fire qilin vanishes like a spark in wind. Less than a minute later, it pops back, hauling everything I asked for.

“So fast!”

Definitely a child; only kids sprint like lightning for lollipops. Watching the adorable fire qilin, warmth spreads through me like sunlight on stone.

“Hey! You’re not thinking anything rude, right?”

“Absolutely not!”

“Good. Help me make lollipops!”

“Mm, okay.”

I crouch before the fire qilin and check the supplies. Hm, pretty complete. I start making lollipops, stirring a honeyed river; it’s simple, and doing it on-site is no problem.

A few minutes later. “Here—done.”

I pass the fresh lollipop to the fire qilin.

“Oh, oh! So sweet! So good!”

With the lollipop in mouth, the fire qilin squints blissfully, happiness glowing like a brazier. Just watching that heals the heart like warm tea.

“Right.” I remember I haven’t introduced myself. “By the way, I don’t know your name. I’m Yumigawa Sumeragi; you are?”

“Yan Ya Princess. My name is Yan Ya Princess.”

She speaks around the candy, and I keep cooking more. Seeing her that happy, I might as well turn all the ingredients into lollipops.

“Yan Ya Princess—what a lovely name… Wait, you’re a girl?”

I’d guessed it already, but I’m still a little surprised, a leaf caught off guard by wind.

“Yep. Problem?”

Yan Ya Princess gives me a puzzled glance, still biting the lollipop, eyes clear as molten amber.

“No, just a little surprised.”

“Oh, oh.”

After a while, I finish turning all her supplies into lollipops. Whew.

“Yumigawa Sumeragi, thank you so much! With this many, I can eat for two or three days.”

Hugging the packed lollipops, Yan Ya Princess beams, content like a cat after cream.

“Glad you like them. By the way, I want to ask about someone.”

I still don’t know how strong the Emperor of Flames is. Charging in blind would be a sheep wandering into a tiger’s jaws. Yan Ya Princess seems at home in this lava land, so she might have useful news.

“Ask away! If I know it, I’ll answer everything!”

Her tiny paw curls into a fist, and she strikes a go-ahead pose, eyes bright like paper lanterns.

“Mm. Yan Ya Princess, what kind of person is the Emperor of Flames? How strong?”

I voice the weight in my chest and wait for her reply, heart hanging like a lantern on a hook.

“Huh? Yumigawa Sumeragi, the person you’re asking about is my useless big brother?”

Yan Ya Princess looks at me, surprised, as if it’s odd I’m poking into the Emperor of Flames.

…Wait. What did she just say? Big brother?!