Crest of the Strongest Knight - Final Seven

Epilogue - Medrauta and Viviane

The Avalyne Empire remained in a difficult position even after Amelia was finally vanquished. With their internal conflicts resolved, the only thing left to focus on was the war against Kaslavna. But even that ended rather quickly once news of Amelia's defeat reached the ears of Kaslavnan scouts.

Without the need for any knights to protect the Empire's interior, all available personnel immediately headed to the northern front, bringing an end to the war even as the Kaslavnan forces retreated desperately. Though they had their own knights, the northern nation was no match for legendary figures like Artoria or Eirlys.

Unfortunately, the empire's woes did not end with the resolution of the Kaslavnan War or Amelia's death. The people had lost trust in the Emperor and his questionable policies, especially after he was exposed as no more than the Sworn Duke Avimorne's puppet. The Imperial Order was forced to be dissolved and reformed while duchy borders needed to be redrawn with the death of the Revelo ducal family and the Rosenhall family's condemnation.

Worse yet, the church had attempted to swoop in and fill the power vacuum left by the now-deposed emperor, something that Scarlet and her allies had worked tirelessly to counteract. As for Medrauta and Viviane, they were lauded as the heroes of the Avalynian Civil War, yet they still hadn't received a reward for their service. That is, until today.

"I look ridiculous, Vivi."

"You look amazing," Viviane countered with a smile. She ran a hand through Medrauta's silver hair, admiring the way it reflected the sunlight streaming through the carriage windows.

Medrauta grimaced, inspecting the overly ornate dress adorning her body for the fifth time that day. Although her musculature was more elegant than large, she felt that her round and broad shoulders didn't exactly fit the whole puffed-out look of the dress. Coupled with her sizable thighs and buttocks, it certainly looked a little overdone compared to the simple yet elegant dress she wore several months ago during the academy's gala.

...But I guess it doesn't matter since Vivi doesn't think so. Medrauta bit her lip, attempting to distract herself from obsessively fussing over her appearance.

"...Say, you haven't seen Eris for a while, have you?" Viviane asked suddenly, trying her best to help Medrauta out.

Medrauta shook her head. "No, not with how busy she and Lady Scarlet are. I think the last time I saw Eris was during the spring festival, and Lady Scarlet wasn't even there with her."

"I was hoping to catch her during the festival, yeah... But that just means we'll have more to catch up on today! Oh! Speaking of Lady Scarlet and Dame Eris, I wonder if Lady Gwenhwyfar has found a knight yet."

"I suppose we're about to find out." Medrauta nodded toward the window as the carriage stopped before the massive gates of the Imperial Palace. Parts of the structure had been damaged due to the rise of the Spire, but most of the important areas had been quickly repaired.

The knight disembarked from the carriage first, walking around the rear to arrive at the other side. Medrauta opened the door, offering a hand to Viviane. The noblewoman promptly took it, allowing her knight to escort her down the carriage and toward the palace.

Once they entered, Medrauta was greeted with a vastly different interior of the palace compared to what she remembered. As a squire of the Imperial Order, she had been knighted within the halls of the palace despite her lowly upbringing. Her memories of the building's interior were much more lavish than what it appeared to be now. The gilded pillars had been stripped of their decor, standing plainly but powerfully. Medrauta found that she actually preferred this appearance.

"Where're we supposed to go again? The throne room, right?" Medrauta asked.

Viviane nodded. "It should be just down the hallway from here."