The Mutation and the Genius
Kasha Hanahan. Kasha Hanahan.
Her innate talent as a warrior was a blessing. If they could only possess her talent, there were enough people willing to sell their very souls to the devil to fill the entirety of Arien and then some. But to Kasha herself, that talent was no blessing. It was a curse. That was how Kasha viewed her gift for swordsmanship.
The Hanahan family was an ancient, prestigious lineage of mages that had walked the path of magic for generations. Yet, in such a family, Kasha had been born with the qualities of a swordsman instead of a mage. In other words, Kasha was the Hanahan family's mutation.
Of course, no one in the family openly despised or discriminated against her. But in Kasha's own heart, she felt it. Her family, including her father, the head of the Hanahan house, did not acknowledge her.
Kasha desperately wanted her family's recognition. But her talent for magic was utterly mediocre. And in the Hanahan family, mediocre magic talent was practically a sin. It would be absolutely impossible for her to gain her family's approval through magic. She had already tried until she bled, so she knew this for a fact. If there was any lingering hope for her, it lay in this cursed talent for swordsmanship.
It was a talent the Hanahan family did not need. A talent that did not belong. Yet, if she became the absolute best with it... wouldn't her family have to acknowledge her then? Yes. Surely they would. Clinging to that belief and hope, Kasha gripped her sword.
Kasha reached the 2-Star rank. Her growth rate was incomparably faster than anyone else's. If this rate of growth were translated into magic talent, it would have been deemed extraordinary even within the Hanahan family. Yet, to Kasha, her family still did not acknowledge her.
Drin Libringer.
News that Drin, a girl of Kasha's own age, had achieved the 3-Star rank shook the entire continent, reaching even the Hanahan estate, far from the Libringer territory. Kasha's name was completely buried in the shadow cast by the brilliant light of Drin Libringer. If she could escape that shadow and surpass Drin, wouldn't her family finally acknowledge her? Kasha kept pushing forward.
Kasha reached the 3-Star rank. Now, whenever people spoke of Drin, they mentioned Kasha's name in the same breath. They called it an unprecedented miracle—a mutation from a family of mages catching up to the genius of a legendary swordsmanship clan. Kasha Hanahan had finally caught up to Drin Libringer. She had reached the peak she had so desperately desired. Yet, nothing changed. In Kasha's eyes, her family still did not acknowledge her.
Was simply catching up to the best not enough? Then she would surpass the best and become the peak itself. Both she and Drin were about to enter the Academy. The Academy entrance exam—it was the perfect, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She would take first place in the entrance exam. She would prove that she had surpassed Drin, that she was the absolute best. Then, surely, her family would have no choice but to acknowledge her.
And so, the long-awaited day of the Academy entrance exam arrived. Having passed the first exam, Kasha was waiting grimly for the second exam to begin when a rumor reached her ears. A participant had reached the 4-Star rank during the first entrance exam.
Drin Libringer.
"..."
Hearing that name, Kasha's sharply honed spirit instantly dulled.
"How..."
Kasha had only just stepped past the threshold of the 3-Star rank. She had assumed Drin would be at a similar level. But 4-Star?
Breaking through the wall of 2-Star to reach 3-Star, and breaking through the wall of 3-Star to reach 4-Star—they might sound similar on paper, but in reality, they were worlds apart. Kasha knew this all too well because she was currently blocked by that very wall. She estimated that it would take her at least several years to reach the 4-Star rank.
To think she would have to remain hidden in Drin's shadow for several more years. To think she still wouldn't be acknowledged by her family. Just the thought of it was suffocating. But she had told herself it was fine. In the end, she would be the one to reach 4-Star first. That was how she would gain her family's approval. But Kasha's hopes shattered in an instant, taking with them the confidence that had sustained her until now.
Kasha muttered blankly, "No way..."
In Kasha's mind, Drin—who had always felt just a hand's reach away—had suddenly drifted to a distance she could never hope to catch up to. And that meant the only way she knew to gain her family's recognition had vanished.
"Ha, haha..."
A hollow laugh escaped Kasha's lips. She felt as if she had lost everything. Even the path she was supposed to walk. What was she supposed to do now?
"I heard Drin Libringer is over there."
A passing voice snapped Kasha out of her daze. Over there. She stared in the direction where Drin was said to be.
"The Drin Libringer is over there..."
Come to think of it, she had never actually met Drin in person. What kind of person was this girl she had chased for so long?
Having chased Drin for years only to end up in despair, Kasha's mind conjured the image of the most perfect rival imaginable. Looking at that mental image, Kasha thought: If she is a person like that, it's only natural that I couldn't surpass her. A person like that deserves my respect.
"..."
How wonderful would it feel to be acknowledged by someone like that?
The light returned to Kasha's dull eyes. The years she had spent chasing Drin were long. It was more than enough time for rivalry to morph into admiration and yearning. Kasha's lost desire for recognition had found a new target. Now, she had someone other than her family whose approval she craved. Drin Libringer. What did Drin think of her?
"Perhaps..."
Perhaps Drin also viewed her as a rival. Perhaps Drin acknowledged her. Would she say something like, "I have always wanted to meet you"?
By the time Kasha snapped out of her thoughts, she was already walking toward Drin. And finally, Kasha stood face-to-face with her.
"Ah."
The moment Kasha saw Drin standing elegantly and aloof among the nobles, a shiver ran down her spine. She was exactly as magnificent as Kasha had imagined. No, she was even more spectacular. As if Drin had been her idol from the very beginning, Kasha felt an overwhelming joy just by standing in her presence. But that feeling did not last long.
"Is that so?"
"Yes, Kasha Hanahan. I have heard much of your reputation."
"Those are merely the words of people who know nothing of either of us. I do not believe they are worth listening to."
Through their brief conversation, Kasha realized exactly what Drin thought of her.
"To be honest, I have little interest in rumors or gossip. I doubt I can give you the answer you are looking for."
Far from viewing Kasha as a rival, Drin didn't have the slightest interest in her. It felt as though Drin had sensed the vast gulf between them from the very beginning—a gulf Kasha was only realizing now. That was why Drin had never spared her a single glance. Because Kasha simply wasn't worth her time.
Kasha felt a burning shame for ever believing Drin might have acknowledged her. That shame quickly curdled into a dark, sticky resentment, and the target of that negativity shifted from herself to Drin. Feeling the dark, viscous emotion churning inside her, Kasha made a vow.
"If I take first place in this entrance exam, duel me."
"Even without such conditions, I would be happy to spar with you if you wish."
"Hmph. Say whatever you want. Either way, the fact that I will take first place and defeat you in our duel won't change."
She would surpass Drin no matter what. She would force her to acknowledge her. Even if she had to sell her soul to the devil to do it.
A heavy tension hung in the air of the second testing ground, where the ten selected participants stood. For Kasha, whose sole focus had shifted from merely passing the exam to surpassing Drin, a different kind of tension gripped her as she listened to the examiner.
"Hello, participants! I am Sinia, the examiner in charge of your second test."
She was a young woman with a gentle, warm impression. The participants who met her eyes couldn't help but let out silly grins as their tension melted away.
"I will now explain the second exam. You are currently standing on magic circles. The moment they are activated, you will be trapped inside a specific barrier. The condition to escape is simple and clear! Just defeat the combat target inside the barrier. The time limit is five minutes. Any questions?"
Someone raised their hand. It was a man with squinty eyes and an incredibly light, flimsy aura, looking as if a gentle breeze might blow him away.
"Participant 348. Go ahead."
"Um... you said there's a combat target inside the barrier, right?"
"That is correct."
"By any chance, could you tell us what that target is...?"
"Since that is directly related to the test content, I cannot disclose it. Participant 348, may I ask the intention behind your question?"
"Ah, well, it's just... I'm not really used to fighting, so I'm kind of scared..."
The man scratched his head with an embarrassed grin.
Pfft. The other participants burst into chuckles. Drin hung her head as if second-hand embarrassment was killing her, while Kasha stared at the man with utter disdain. The examiner merely gave a wry smile, finding the participant rather cute.
"Of course, the barrier is equipped with basic safety measures. Any injuries sustained inside will vanish the moment you step out, so you don't need to worry."
"Whoa, that's a relief. Ah! By any chance, can we die inside the barrier?"
"If a participant suffers a fatal wound, the barrier will break, and as I said, even that fatal wound will disappear the moment you exit. Does that answer your question, Participant 348?"
"Ah, could I ask just one last thing?"
"Of course!"
"Um, do we still feel the pain inside the barrier...?"
Pfft. At the man's terrified question, the participants completely lost it and burst into roaring laughter.
What kind of idiot applies to the swordsmanship department with that attitude...? Kasha stared at him, dumbfounded. Did he accidentally apply to the swordsmanship department instead of magic or special studies? It was a ridiculously stupid mistake, but looking at him, she felt he was entirely capable of making it.
"Pfft, ah. I'm sorry. Regrettably for Participant 348, you will still feel pain inside the barrier. However, it has been adjusted so it won't severely affect your mental state, so please don't be too afraid."
"Ugh... I really hate getting hurt, though."
"I sincerely hope you complete the exam without any pain. Do any other participants have questions? Great. Then we will activate the barriers in thirty seconds. Everyone, prepare for battle!"
Kasha prepared herself for combat, casting a side glance at the participants standing to her right. Locking her eyes on Drin, she renewed her resolve. No matter what, she would take first place in this entrance exam and surpass that woman.
"Starting the countdown! 5, 4, 3, 2, 1—good luck!"
The space surrounding Kasha warped instantly. A combat target materialized before her.
"..."
It was a blunt, blocky construct that looked as if five stone pillars had been bound together—a Mana Golem.
For swordsmen raised in traditional martial families like Drin, this was an opponent they rarely encountered, making it highly tricky to deal with. But what about Kasha, who had been raised in a traditional mage family?
"I've won."
The moment she identified her target, a triumphant smile spread across her lips. At this very moment, Kasha was absolutely certain: of all the applicants in the swordsmanship department, not a single one knew this opponent better than she did.
Kasha had frequently used Mana Golems for live combat training back at the Hanahan estate. Thanks to that, she was thoroughly familiar with a Mana Golem's behavioral patterns and movements when facing a swordsman. While other participants would still be struggling to figure out how to attack it—
Crack!
Kasha wrenched her sword out of the golem's mana core. The golem crumbled. The barrier shattered, and the surrounding space collapsed.
Returning to reality, Kasha immediately looked over at Drin's spot.
"Ha."
No one was there. She had beaten Drin. That Drin Libringer. At this rate, she could surpass her. She could take first place and become the absolute best. Just as Kasha was about to let out a deep sigh of triumph—
"Huh?"
Perhaps because she had eyes only for Drin, she only now noticed the figure standing right next to Drin's spot. It was that man from earlier. The squinty-eyed guy with the flimsy aura who had asked those stupid questions to the examiner.
"...?"
The moment she saw him, Kasha fell into a state of cognitive dissonance. Why is this guy here? No, wait—why on earth is he standing here right now—?
Then, the examiner's voice rang in her ears.
"We have so many talented individuals in this exam! Participant 344. With a time of 1 minute and 15 seconds, you've achieved an incredible second place among the current participants! Congratulations!"
"...What?"
Second place? Not first?
At Kasha's dumbfounded exclamation, the man turned his head toward her. "Huh?" He flashed a goofy smile and spoke.
"Did you hear that? Apparently, we're currently first and second in the second exam! Wow, my heart is practically racing."
"..."
Kasha blinked blankly. Her expression was far more foolish than the face of the man she had deemed an idiot just moments ago.