316. Something Beyond a Genius
316. Something Beyond a Genius
***
They were truly a tiny minority, but such cases existed.
People who acted on instinct or achieved things even while doing them.
Without even the person doing it understanding why they could do it, or how it was possible.
Special people who could reach the "result" directly, without any "process."
In modern society, they were called "talented." Geniuses. Or, jokingly, talent hogs.
But the feeling Serin felt while watching Seoyun, as time went on.
It was on a different dimension from that.
...
Something deemed impossible had been changed by someone saying it was possible.
No, if you personally experienced someone creating something from nothing, would it feel like this?
'...This is insane.'
It had only been about thirty minutes. How many times had she had that thought in that span?
The trajectory of the Crescent-Moon Weight, tinged with crimson light, embroidering the empty air was clearly not that smooth or impressive.
Thunk!
But even as the target dummy's position changed, the bizarre trajectory unerringly reached its mark, and watching it, she couldn't help but wonder how it could do that.
If someone told you to do it, it wasn't impossible, but deliberately launching it like that was far beyond the realm of the ordinary.
Whirr!
As Seoyun retrieved the Crescent-Moon Weight, her silver hair rippled softly, and her ruby-red eyes held only the weapon even in that moment, making her look somehow different from the Seoyun I knew.
'So Seoyun has this side to her too.'
The more time they spent in the training hall, the more Seoyun's posture, rather than finding stability, hurtled toward instability.
That in itself was alien.
At first, she had seemed to follow the stances and movements I showed her well, which made the question all the greater.
Because the further they went, the more Seoyun's posture was subtly off.
But watching it, I didn't feel the need to correct that posture.
No, perhaps.
Perhaps... Seoyun's posture like that was fine too.
Once she thought that it was the posture Seoyun instinctively found comfortable, that thought arose.
The stances for swinging the Crescent-Moon Weight that I'd shown so far—I could say with certainty that I'd never once doubted them.
"Ah. I swung differently from you again, didn't I, sis?"
Faced with Seoyun asking with such an innocent expression, she couldn't help but think again.
Talent, looked at simply, could be seen as a matter of reaction speed and comprehension, but Serin, who had met countless people in Black Ark, thought a little differently.
Truly outstanding genius could not be understood by ordinary logic.
People talented with the sword. People talented with the spear. Knights called once-in-a-generation geniuses. Wizards with talent in mana that appeared maybe one in ten thousand.
From my position, having encountered countless so-called “geniuses” of every stripe and even defeated them with my own hands,
The talent of the Seoyun she now faced was not something she could understand no matter how much she looked.
It was clear that Seoyun was still incomplete in terms of posture and understanding.
But her control over the Crescent-Moon Weight, of all weapons, had reached a miraculous level, and her potential itself was beyond even my estimation.
"Sis~ why aren't you saying anything?"
As Seoyun pouted, sticking out her lips and seeking attention, Serin shook off her thoughts and shook her head.
"Even if your posture is different from mine, I don't think it matters much."
"...Why? Shouldn't I do it exactly like you?"
As Seoyun spoke as if that were obvious, Serin let out a small breath with a complicated expression.
Letting out a sigh that wasn't quite a sigh, she wondered how to explain. After pondering for a moment, she smiled faintly.
"However you swing it, as long as you can match the result in the end. If you're comfortable, I don't think it matters."
The curved variations and straight, sharp attacks I produced themselves contained changes that ordinary people could hardly comprehend.
As if lacking accuracy. Seoyun's Crescent-Moon Weight, launched as if aiming at a completely different target, traced an erratic trajectory, and reaching the target was itself entirely a matter of variables.
So rather than teaching Seoyun the combat style I used,
'Seoyun's own unique combat style.'
She believed that was possible.
Honestly, even as I thought it, I found the idea absurd.
That I, of all people, would entertain such a ridiculous thought about someone who had picked up a Crescent-Moon Weight for the first time today.
"The more I do it, the less I understand. I want to move like you... but it doesn't go the way I want."
It was absurd to hear her say she wanted to move like me after swinging the Crescent-Moon Weight for only about thirty minutes, but the way Seoyun looked at me as if whining was just too cute.
"Ah. Seriously...!"
Grab.
She pulled Seoyun into her arms and rubbed her cheek against her without realizing it.
"Wha, what? Wh-why are you suddenly doing this?"
In her arms, Seoyun showed a flustered look as if she had no idea what was going on, but Serin simply held her as if she were adorable.
"Seriously, Seoyun, why do you talk so cutely?"
Why did masters exist, and disciples? She felt like she finally understood it now.
When she could hardly say she had taught Seoyun even one thing.
Watching my little sister demonstrate fifteen, then twenty, all on her own filled me with pride, and even Seoyun's smallest gestures pleased me one by one.
Seoyun, held in her arms, stared blankly at her as she rubbed against her cheek, looking at her as if fascinated.
"...You're really unfamiliar, sis. Because someone who doesn't normally do this is doing it. Do you like me playing Another World that much?"
As Seoyun spoke awkwardly, as if she had no intention of leaving her arms, Serin nodded and burst into laughter.
"Yeah. I just think you're really talented, Seoyun."
Honestly, seeing Seoyun handle the Crescent-Moon Weight this well after picking it up for the first time, she had even felt a sense of deflation at some point without realizing it, but that soon changed into the thought of why she should feel deflated about it.
I was currently handling not just the Crescent-Moon Weight but also one-handed swords and greatswords, and had even faced pros with them.
To feel jealous of her little sister's talent.
'She's so cute.'
Seoyun had been the one insisting from the start that she would follow me, become a dancer, and use the Crescent-Moon Weight.
That seemed both admirable and even cuter.
Perhaps because of that, the desire to help Seoyun grow further here welled up.
"Well, still, it's not bad when you hug me like this. Show some affection normally too, seriously... I just didn't say it, but I've been a little hurt by you all this time."
As Seoyun, hugging her back, leaned into her and whined softly, Serin, who had been rubbing her cheek against the snow-white bob, pulled her away from her embrace and answered in a puzzled tone.
"Haven't I been affectionate enough lately? I've been replying to your BaTalk messages really quickly recently."
In fact, Serin was making an effort to pay more attention to Seoyun. But contrary to her thoughts, Seoyun, with an incredulous expression, slowly tidied her silver hair that Serin had mussed and glared.
"So, sis. What time did you wake up today? When did you reply to my BaTalk today?"
At her calm, interrogating manner, Serin looked away with a guilty expression.
"...I was streaming too hard yesterday and... I was a little late."
"No, answer properly, sis. What. Time. Did. You. Reply. Today?"
As Seoyun demanded a proper answer, Serin smiled a little awkwardly and answered.
"Sorry."
At Serin's response, which sounded like surrender, Seoyun let out a soft breath and continued.
"I remember it really clearly. Was it 1:42, sis? That's when you read my BaTalk. Even though I told you the capsule installation technician was coming at 2, you were sleeping in and seriously... Are you sure nothing happened today? You didn't get complaints from the installer or cause trouble or anything?"
As she continued, ticking off each point, Serin was flustered by the sudden change in topic.
She had just been admiring Seoyun's talent and hugged her because she was so cute.
But before I knew it, the conversation had shifted to my oversleeping.
At the sight of her about to continue nagging, Serin shook her head vigorously and answered quickly.
"Really, Seoyun, it's not like that. The technician was really kind, no problems at all. I was a little late, but... he was a really nice person. He was smiling the whole time during the installation."
"Huu. Of course the installer would smile on the outside since you're the customer. He was probably cursing you on the inside, right? So how late were you today?"
At her sharp, interrogating tone, Serin shrank back involuntarily and answered hesitantly.
"...About twenty minutes?"
Thinking about it, it did seem a little bad, so she answered in a fading voice, and Seoyun was startled by the answer.
"Sis! You were twenty minutes late?"
"No, the installer came earlier than the appointment. Because of the security registration or something... for some reason. I wasn't that late. I replied around 2:10."
As she continued with an excuse that wasn't quite an excuse, Seoyun's eyes widened and she grabbed Serin's arm.
"Sis, how have you been living alone all this time? Being so scatterbrained. Haa. Seriously..."
At her words accompanied by a deep sigh, Serin's mind went blank for a moment.
"Me, scatterbrained..."
It was the first time she had heard that word in years. She tried to say something, but the words caught in her throat.
'It was really just a one-time thing, waking up late...'
Thinking about it, she remembered that she had also overslept by chance when meeting Eunha last time, and had nothing to say.
"Really, sis. I hate it so much when you cause trouble for someone or make a mistake."
As Seoyun spoke in a firm tone, Serin thought her nagging was starting again.
'Ah.'
Despite her outwardly adorable appearance, Seoyun was someone who cared about every little thing as if it were her own.
"If those people said something to you because of that, or even thought badly of you on the inside, I'd hate it so much. Don't overdo it with streaming either. Instead, set a schedule and..."
As Seoyun continued speaking with a worried look, Serin, thinking it had come, pulled Seoyun into her arms again.
"No, sis. I'm talking right now. Why are you suddenly again..."
As Seoyun in her arms shook her head and tried to pull away, Serin held her even tighter.
"Okay. Seoyun, I get it, I really do. Stop now."
As she rubbed her cheek against her to gloss over the situation, Seoyun, pouting, burst into laughter as if she had no choice.
"Really, sis. Where did you learn all these weird things..."
"Pfft... so, do you hate it?"
"Well. Not exactly, but..."
As Seoyun spoke, shaking her head slightly, Serin thought absently that this wasn't bad.
It felt like she had unexpectedly gained a means of handling Seoyun.