Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 54 - An Unfortunate Encounter

"Should be just around this corne—"

"Oh my! If it isn't the esteemed Lady Viviane and her knight on a date! How uncouth!" The sound of shrill laughter and the nasally voice that followed immediately after had interrupted Medrauta mid-sentence. "Do they know that the church disapproves of such relationships? I wonder!"

"W-We're not on a—"

"So what if we're on a date?" Medrauta said before Viviane could finish her sentence. She slipped her hand into Viviane's and held it tight, weaving her fingers in between her lady's so that they became interlocked.

"Oh? You really are?" Isabella looked genuinely surprised. She held a glass of wine in her left hand, swirling it around as if she were deep in contemplation. "Well, my apologies for interrupting."

"Great. Can you get out of our way then?"

"Oh, of course!" Isabella said. "But before that, I must give Lady Viviane some recompense! It would be improper of me to do otherwise!"

Medrauta's guard was instantly raised as Isabella approached, but when she saw that the noblewoman was well and truly unarmed, she relaxed. That was a mistake.

"Here, Lady Viviane. I shall give you my finest glass of wine. I haven't drank from it yet, so you needn't worry."

"O-Oh... Um... Thank you?" Viviane replied, suitably perplexed. She was sure that Isabella had just come to ruin her day.

"No need," Isabella said with a sweet smile. She extended her hand...

...and thrust the glass forward forcefully, splashing the contents all over Viviane before anyone could react.

"Oh, no! I'm so sorry, Lady Viviane! My hand slipped! I'll make it up to you, promise!"

"You bitch!" Medrauta exclaimed, stepping between Isabella and Viviane. Her blue eyes bore an almost animal-like ferocity, as if she were willing to draw her sword and beat Isabella to death with its blunted edge here and now.

"Why I never!" Isabella gasped, her eyes widening in faux shock. Her two ever-present stooges gasped as well, echoing her expression. "Is that how your knight receives a proper apology, Lady Viviane!?"

At that moment, a very large, heavyset man dressed in clearly expensive clothes stepped away from the crowd to stand in front of Isabella and her friends in a rather defensive manner. His thick brows drew together like thunderclouds, and he stared straight at Medrauta with unbridled fury in his eyes.

"What did you just call my daughter?"

Medrauta merely raised an eyebrow as she took a deep breath, controlling her anger. "Duke Rosenhall, I presume?"

"Indeed," the duke rumbled.

"I find it impressive that a man of your station is here instead of at the palace or the northern border during these times, but I am a simple knight who knows nothing of the great empire's workings. However, I can count on my limited vocabulary, at the very least."

"What are you trying to say, fool? Do not bandy words with me, girl."

"Ah. My apologies. It seems I wasn't clear the first time. I called her a bitch, Your Grace."

"How dare you!" Duke Rosenhall thundered.

"Oh no, I wasn't dared. She's a bitch, Your Grace."

Duke Rosenhall raised a hand to slap Medrauta across the face, but something dangerous in the knight's eyes made him freeze in place. "Y-You...! The Round Table will hear of this! What is your name, knight!?"