Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 19 - Separation

"Stop! Stop, I beg you!"

Viviane's cry for mercy rang through the air, piercing the sound of roaring flames that had once dominated the stadium. Tears flowed down her face uncontrollably as she could do nothing but watch as her knight shielded her from harm.

That gentle smile which brightened her day. Those toned muscles that protected her. That lustrous silver hair she loved. It was all burning away.

She could not bear it.

"Do you surrender?" Princess Gwenhwyfar's voice was unbelievably cold in contrast to the flames she had conjured.

"Y-Yes! I surrender, I surrender! So please stop, princess!"

At once, the beam of flames dissipated into the air, leaving no trace of having ever existed other than the smoke that rose from Medrauta's blackened body.

Upon laying eyes on her knight, Viviane's tears increased tenfold. The pain that Medrauta must have experienced was on a level that was incomprehensible to her. In fact, she had already long fallen unconscious.

Yet still she stood.

But Viviane could not do the same. She collapsed onto her knees, unable to stop the stream of tears that ran endlessly down her cheeks and puddled beneath her as she sobbed upon the dais.

All she could do was stand upon that accursed dais uselessly yet again, watching as Medrauta threw herself into battle and risked her life while she did nothing but stand and look pretty on top of this damned platform.

As she wept, the words that Medrauta had said to her on the day they'd first met now rang again in her head.

'It is the knight who determines the worth of a Crest. We're the ones flinging ourselves at the enemy. All you nobles do is sit back and channel your mana into us after bestowing your Crest.'

And what did I say in reply? 'We do a little more than that'? What a joke. I can't even resonate with her... Just what am I even doing here? All I've done... All I've ever done is make Medrauta look bad.

"That's not true, my lady."

"H-Huh!?"

Medrauta's voice was nothing more than a whisper. The flames had charred her entire body and seared the very air that she breathed. To regain consciousness so quickly despite that and even retain the ability to speak was a feat that defied logic itself.

"The look in your eyes... It's as if you're saying you're useless..." Medrauta forced a wheezing breath with great difficulty. Strands of once-pristine silver hair fell from her burnt scalp.

The flames that Galatine spewed had reduced her beauty to literal ashes. Yet, in Viviane's eyes, there was still no knight more noble or charming than she. There would never be.

"I have never once... thought that of you. Viviane... I will forever be your knight... no matter the distance... Al... ways..."

And at last, with a final shuddering sigh, Medrauta allowed herself to collapse into the tender arms of her lady... and the cold darkness that awaited her.

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"Father will disapprove of this."

"Silence, Galahad. Father will understand."

Prince Galahad very much doubted that the emperor would understand the excessive force that his sister had employed. Gwenhwyfar should have stopped the beam the moment Medrauta cried out in pain, but she had already made her choice. The consequences would have to be dealt with.