30. Sparring
"I wonder when she'll show up..."
Down on the fields below the plateau, I was waiting for Marien. After a week of grueling training that had me coughing up blood, I'd finally awakened my mana. The youngest mana user in beastkin tribe history, no less. It was the birth of a once-in-a-century genius, set in stone.
The problem? No one around here properly appreciated it. Who was I supposed to brag to about this monumental achievement that would go down in history?
The beastkin tribe? Those savages had cackled in real-time while watching me roll around in agony.
My little siblings? They couldn't even grasp it from the start. No matter how I explained how amazing mana was, they'd just say, "What's different? You've always been strong, big sis Ursa."
Talking to blind folks who didn't get mana was like lecturing philosophy to a rock. Sonya was the exception, of course... but making her—the official poster child for "Ursa's Brutal Beatdown"—my witness? Nah, that didn't sit right.
After ruling out every other option, I'd concluded that the only one who could satisfy my need for recognition was Marien! She'd surely understand the value of awakening mana at eleven.
"Ah! Ursa~!"
A gray fluffball burst through the reeds. There you are, my reaction bot. I mean, Marien. Perfect timing.
"Marien, long time no see."
"Yeah! Hehe. A week's way too long, right?"
"...Yeah, it really was."
I'd come back from the brink of death who-knows-how-many times that week. Now, how to drop the bait? 'Hey, do I seem any different today?' Nice and subtle? Or 'I awakened something called mana the other day—is that good?' That could work too. Gotta make it natural. In a way she'd get—
"Oh? Ursa... have you awakened your mana..?"
"...Huh?"
What? She noticed first? How? Wait, no, doesn't matter. What matters is not wasting this chance. Time to brag.
"Ah! Yeah. No big deal or anything. Just happened while I was splashing around~"
"Whoa! That's awesome! You can finally use mana too, Ursa!"
"Mana... too?"
Too? Finally?? Those are not the words I wanted to hear right now...
...This flow is bad. Very bad.
"Too means... you, Marien, you too...?"
"Yep!"
Marien beamed innocently. "I can use mana too!"
"...."
Ah. Got it. Well, sure. If I could do it, no reason she couldn't. Expecting the world to treat me special... that was arrogant, huh. Yeah. But then...?
"When... did you...?"
Ah, shouldn't have asked. Regretted it the second it left my mouth. She'd definitely beaten me to it anyway. I already felt defeated before she even answered. Still, best case, super recent. Like, the day we first met!
"Hmm... around seven, I think? Don't really remember. I was so young... hehe."
"...."
Seven. Four years ago? Before she'd even lost her baby teeth, she awakened mana?
"Still, that's seriously impressive! It was so hard for me to handle mana!"
"...It was hard?"
"Yeah! I meditated all day, every day!"
"...."
Meditated? That's it? What about the cliffs? Near-death experiences? Endurance tests?
"How'd you awaken it just playing around? I'm jealous~."
Ah. Something inside me snapped.
"U-Ursa?! What's wrong? Ursa!"
I blacked out.
......
Are you at peace? It's Ursa. Frog beastkin from Well Village here.
Marien Arzenhardt, the once-in-a-lifetime genius who awakened mana at seven, is sitting in front of me.
"U-Ursa, don't do that!"
"No, Marien. Arrogant bears like me need to reflect."
Once I came to, I spilled everything to Marien honestly. How I'd rolled around like a dog for a scrap of mana. How my ego had shot to the heavens once I got it. Even the parts I'd exaggerated to sound cooler.
And she just laughed it off.
"Hehe. You have such a cute side too, Ursa?"
"Urgh...."
So embarrassing... My face burned hot. One spark and I'd be a human torch, I swear.
Marien patted my curled-up back. "Don't sweat it."
That just made me more embarrassed. Naturally, the topic shifted.
"But hey, Ursa. From what you said, it sounds a bit different from what I know."
"Huh? How so?"
"Well, see..."
Beastkin and humans apparently saw mana a little differently. Starting with the terms. We called it qi, while humans called it mana. And those who could wield it were knights or mages, depending on personality.
"I heard this when I was learning mana, but 'qi' is this super ancient term. Everyone used it before the First Sages appeared."
"So qi and mana are the same?"
"Probably? Oh! Maybe 'knight' is a remnant from back then."
"...So we're still using 'qi'?"
"Hehe. Kinda... old-school?"
"...."
Figures. Something felt off. Why would awakening mana nearly kill you? Our method... is it super inefficient?
...Time to check.
"So how'd you awaken, Marien?"
"Awaken? One day I had a weird dream, told the butler, and he said that was it."
"Haa~."
Different. Totally different. Methods differ. Talent issue? Then why, heavens!
"Ah, no, everyone does it that way."
"What?!"
"Me doing it early is the weird part. Process is the same for everyone. One day, boom—dream, and you realize it's awakening."
"...Whoa."
Way different from beastkin. They just realize it themselves. We force it through like punching a hole; humans just open naturally.
"So mana channels just... open up?"
Marien's shoulders twitched at that.
"Mana channels... you mean mana circles, right? Uuugh...."
Even channels had different names. Apparently, humans named them circles because mana loops around the body.
"Just thinking about it makes my body curl up... hehe."
Marien shuddered.
"So you must've opened your circle recently too, Ursa? Must've hurt..."
She looked at me with pitying eyes—the kind only shared suffering can produce. Full of empathy.
...But uh oh.
"Er... I didn't have that."
"....Huh?"
I told her my channels were already open, so I skipped the ritual.
"Kyaaaaah!"
"M-Marien?!"
"Traitor! Cheat! How could you?!"
Marien glared daggers, eyes brimming with tears. The gentle Marien, screaming?
"Waaah! Not fairrrr...."
She collapsed and bawled.
"C-Calm down, Marien...."
"How can I?! How, how... huuuh...."
No way. How painful was it? Bear Elder, Marien—totally different reactions.
"...."
Maybe what I should've bragged about wasn't awakening mana... but skipping the ritual.
......
A month later. The fields had become our playground. We were there again today—but the vibe was totally different.
"Ready, Ursa?"
"...That's my line."
We faced off at a distance, weapons in hand.
Marien gripped a massive greatsword as big as her torso. I held a small hand axe for chopping firewood.
Black and gray-white. Like our opposing hair colors, our weapons were polar opposites.
...How'd it come to this?
It started a few days ago. Winter hit hard, and the reeds that hid us in fall had withered. Now it was a barren plain—no cover. Once snow fell, Marien's camouflage(?) would work, but my black hair would stick out a mile.
Regretfully, we talked pausing our secret meets till winter's end. But Marien, hating to part, suggested one thing.
"Let's spar one last time!"
...Leading to now.
"Cute weapon, Ursa?"
"...Not my line."
Mine was the axe that split that goblin's skull. Side-by-side with her greatsword, it looked like a toy. But.
"Any sword looks cute next to your greatsword, right?"
"Hehe. Yeah? That's why I love this baby."
Marien slung the one-handed greatsword over her shoulder. Where'd that strength come from in her tiny frame? Don't underestimate her.
Turned out Marien was a powerhouse. Awakening mana at seven was rare even by empire standards. Nobles averaged fifteen—same as beastkin, which comforted me.
Growing twice as fast, she'd mastered her family's unique magic at ten. Second-best genius in Arzenhardt history. First was her dad, Ludwig the Border March.
Father-daughter geniuses.
Marien took stance. "I'll yield first strike."
"Okay. No regrets?"
"Hehe. We'll see~."
I breathed deep, eyeing her carefully. Yielding first, she was defensive—greatsword tilted like a shield, covering most of her body.
Tch. No openings.
She hid behind the blade, peeking with sharp eyes. Peak battle readiness. Kinda unfamiliar.
"...."
"...."
I circled sideways for a flank. She pivoted to match.
...This won't work.
I had to move big; she just spun in place—speed disadvantage.
...She's a speed type anyway. Can't watch forever. Test her.
"Hoo..."
I crouched low.
"Hah!"
I exploded forward.
"!"
"Hyah!"
Full power axe slam into the blade. Clang—! Earsplitting metal screech. Vibration hummed up my arm through my body.
Marien's face twisted. "Ugh...! Impressive!"
"Not done yet!"
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Kept hammering without pause. Not a proper axe, so I used the poll to avoid chipping—blunt force bonus.
"Nngh...!"
Marien could only block—no counter. Impacts too fierce for movement.
Simple plan: tire her wrists, make her drop it. Auto-win.
"Kuh!"
Finally, her stance wobbled.
Chance!
Gathered all strength for the finisher. But trap.
"Gotcha~?"
"Ah!"
Power buildup slowed me half-beat—gave her counter window.
Whoosh.
Pre-strike, she twisted the blade sideways. Vertical axe-blade angle broke.
Shiiing—.
My full-force strike slid off harmlessly. My stance crumbled; I bared my neck.
Thud.
Dull blade touched throat. Training edge, but chills anyway.
Looked up: Marien smiling down innocently.
"Hehe."
...Total defeat.
Beyond weapon mismatch, my judgment slipped. Got cocky at the end. She stayed cool, seized the moment, won clean.
Acknowledge it.
"...I lose."
My utter loss.