Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 20 - Gathering Courage

Five days had passed since Medrauta was admitted to the academy's infirmary.

While Medrauta's condition had been precarious, the medical staff had managed to stabilize her. Despite being treated with the most powerful of healing Crests though, her recovery would be a slow one that would take multiple days, if not weeks.

During that time, no one would be permitted to visit her. Not even the imperial family. For that reason, Viviane had found herself seeking out Lord Levant's company rather often.

"We must stop this, Lady Viviane."

"Ahaha! Please don't be so stiff, Lord Levant! I promise you, this will be the last time."

"...My apologies, but that is what you said during our last meeting." Levant paused to let his words sink in before continuing. Though he could see that Viviane's smile had dropped from her face, he simply couldn't remain silent on this matter anymore. "Lady Viviane, you know as well as I do that I am engaged. It will not do for others to see me visit the room of an unmarried woman so often."

Viviane was clearly crestfallen as she set her teacup down, but she understood quite well what Levant was trying to say. "Y-Yes... Of course. As I thought, I have been quite the inconvenience these past few days, haven't I? I'm sorry..."

Lord Levant pressed his lips into a thin line as he attempted to think of a proper response and solution that would both allow him to keep his dignity without sacrificing Viviane's need for support during her time of need.

In doing so, he recalled how this situation came to be in the first place.

It had all started a day after the match that saw Medrauta bedridden. True to their word, a nurse had arrived at Viviane's doorstep early in the morning to inform her of the treatment's success, as well as the steps that they would have to take in order to hasten Medrauta's recovery.

By no means had the match been a quiet affair, and neither had Medrauta's condition nor the consequences of the princess' victory. Before the end of the day, the entire academy was already more than aware of what Viviane's loss had meant.

"Oh? If it isn't the eternally useless Viviane! Knightless again, it seems! How long do you think it'll take the Round Table to remove her from the school?"

"Ahaha! Did you see her face at the end of the match!? She was crying her eyes out, all because her knight was a little hurt! I mean, why even bother? It's her knight's fault for being so weak!"

"Right? Right? It's like she doesn't even know that you can just find a new knight if they die! Oh, I'm sorry! I forgot that there's no one who'd ever consider being her knight!"

Without Medrauta around, the usual culprits had cornered Viviane against the wall. Isabella Rosenhall and her two stooges. Levant had seen scenes similar to this one play out many times. Though he would have liked to step in, there were various consequences that he was forced to consider.

For one, Isabella was the heir of House Rosenhall. Thanks to being the only child in her house with a semi-autonomous type Crest and a rather respectable rank in the academy, it was only natural. To make matters worse, House Rosenhall was a ducal house whereas Levant's family, House Ordis, oversaw a mere barony.

Thanks to being blessed with a semi-autonomous type Crest, Levant was due to be wedded to Lady Maria of House Ovefeld whose father was a marquis. While far higher in station compared to his current lineage, it was still lacking in comparison to a ducal house, not to mention the fact that he wasn't even married yet.

Levant grit his teeth in frustration. He'd seen Viviane be pushed around before, but he'd never really paid it any mind until now. He'd always thought that it wasn't his problem and that he only needed to mind his own business.