That night, after the contestants departed, Damian reviewed the sword designs in his room. Some were nice but one among them stood out—an imitation of a masterpiece that could barely be made with traditional methods.. It bore a girl's name, and Damian had a suspicion about its creator.
The next day, he asked the staff to summon the girl, and his hunch was confirmed—it was the same skinny girl with the meager mana pool.
What a pair of followers he had gained: a penniless noble and a barely-qualified pathfinder. Yet, Damian admitted they had earned their place. The girl's design, after all, was by far the most impressive he had seen.
****
