Preparation

The sound of the final bell echoed throughout Avalyne Academy.

Some students rushed to their dorms excitedly while others made their way to the school’s massive iron gates with the same fervor.

Normally, the students weren’t this excited to be dismissed, but it couldn’t be helped on this day. That final bell had signaled the start of the weekend, after all.

Most students took this time to visit their families if they lived nearby or simply enjoy the luxuries and experiences that the vast capital offered.

This was a brief and precious time of rest, relaxation and fun for all of Avalyne Academy’s student body. Well, all but two.

In the otherwise empty training hall, Medrauta stood in the center. Across was Viviane, who listened to her intently.

“Before we begin, I’ll need to know what type of Crest you have. I might not have been able to resonate with any nobles so far, but it won’t hurt to try.”

Viviane nodded in agreement. “I-I’ll do my best too! But, um... I’ve told you before, but my Crest isn’t very useful... And to top it off, it’s an edict type.”

All Crests fell into one of three categories. The autonomous type which required zero input from the knight or noble and provided passive effects, the edict type which could only be activated through the noble’s command, and the semi-autonomous type which was a mixture of both and generally could be triggered by both the knight and the noble.

While autonomous type Crests were simple to use, their effects were usually less powerful than edict-type Crests due to their continuous nature.

Edict type Crests generally produced strong effects that could turn the tide of the battle, but they were difficult to use as they relied on the noble’s combat awareness and ability to time the ability’s usage properly. Not only that, but the noble had to be intimately aware of their knight’s combat habits, an instinctive sort of knowledge that was gained only through braving countless matches together.

The most desirable type of Crest was the semi-autonomous type. While this type possessed qualities from both autonomous and edict types, the most significant aspect of this type was its unique capacity in allowing knights to manifest certain abilities of the Crest on their own accord. This alone allowed for semi-autonomous Crests to stand above all others, for if the pair synchronized perfectly, they could activate multiple abilities at once which was something no other Crest type could reproduce.

“That’s not a problem,” Medrauta said reassuringly. “What’s its ability?”

“Um... Enhancement—”

“That’s not useless at all.”

“—But it only enhances one attack, and I can only use the Crest’s ability once every hour.”

Medrauta blinked. “Come again?”

“...” Viviane’s gaze fell to the ground. “...My parents and instructors have told me that m-maybe my Crest just hasn’t finished manifesting...”

...Huh. That must’ve been what those girls meant back then.

“...I’m sorry. I’ve disappointed you, haven’t I?”

“Not at all, honestly. I’ve never been able to fight with the power of a Crest anyway, so it doesn’t make a difference whether or not the ability’s only good for one attack. In any case, let’s give resonating a shot.”

“Oh, okay. Let me—” Viviane stopped mid-sentence as Medrauta suddenly began walking toward her, causing her to begin backing off. “W-Wait! What are you d-doing, Dame Medrauta!?”

“Huh? Stop moving around. We can’t try resonating if you don’t stay put.”

“N-No! I know that, but a-at least let me—”

Thump!

Viviane found herself against a wall. She pressed her back against it, as if trying to flatten herself against it and create more space between herself from the rapidly approaching Medrauta.

BANG!

Medrauta’s calloused, yet still-slender hand slammed roughly next to Viviane, pinning her to the wall. The silver-haired knight stared down at the delicate noble girl, her normally brilliant blue eyes taking on a much more sinister hue.

“Oi. Didn’t I tell you to stop moving around so much? You’re starting to annoy me.”

Viviane’s face was fully flushed now, from the tips of her ears to her now-rosier-than-normal cheeks. A deep shade of red pervaded her delicate features as she embodied embarrassment incarnate.

ASLKFHJJKHSDFGHAJKLGFJHFGASJHFGAJK OHMYGOSH WHAT DO I DO I AM SO NOT READY FOR THIS PLEASE DAME MEDRAUTA AAAAAAAAAA—

Viviane’s jumbled mockery of a train of thought was abruptly shattered as Medrauta slipped her free hand into Viviane’s.

The warmth of their hands melded together as Medrauta slipped her fingers between Viviane’s one by one, slowly and almost tantalizingly until they were inevitably interlocked.

The slightly sticky sweat that coated Viviane’s palm pressed against Medrauta’s like a slippery adhesive, driving the knight to tighten her grip until their intertwined hands became a bond unbreakable.

There was no escape for Viviane. No retreat. Her eyes spun. Her head grew dizzy.

“I-I... I-It’s my first time...”

Medrauta leaned in close, her breath hot against Viviane’s cheek. “My lady.”

Viviane wrenched her eyes shut, but even so, she couldn’t help but quiver at the mere thought of Medrauta’s flawless lips brushing against her ear.

“You needn’t worry so much. I’m rather experienced, you know? Just leave it to me. I’ll make sure that this won’t hurt a bit.”

“P-Please be gentle...”

The moment those words left Viviane’s lips, a sudden warmth spread through her body, eliciting a gasp from her.

“Hn...! ...Ah...!”

“...”

“..Nnn... Hng...!”

“...”

“Fuu... Hah~!”

“...Lady Viviane?”

“Mm... Mnf...”

“...Lady Viviane. What, pray-tell, the fuck are you making all those weird noises for?”

“H-Huh!?” Viviane’s eyes snapped open, only just realizing that Medrauta had actually released her hand quite a while ago. “W-What weird noises!? I wasn’t making any noises at all!”

“No, you definitely were.”

“I-I wasn’t! T-That aside, did it work!? Did we resonate properly!?”

Medrauta bit her lip. Though she didn’t speak a word, it was clear from her downcast face what the result was.

“Ah... I see. My apologies, Dame Medrauta. It was due to my inadequacies that—”

“Don’t go blaming yourself now. I was already expecting this, anyway,” Medrauta shrugged. “More importantly, it’s time we started actually practicing. We’ve wasted enough time as it is already.”

“R-Right, of course!” Viviane replied, pinching both of her cheeks in an effort to dispel the last vestiges of embarrassment that lingered in her still slightly hazy mind.

Medrauta turned away from Viviane and shouted toward one of the training hall’s doors. “Hey, Brig! Get in here! We’re ready!”

In response, the door swung open to reveal a tall and muscular girl with dark red hair reminiscent of an ancient star. Brigitte Aodhart was by no means an exemplary knight on her own, but she possessed incredible endurance, willpower, and most importantly, an innate ability to coordinate with her allies.

Following close behind her was a boy that stood around a head taller. Levant Ordis possessed a well-built body that was unusual for nobles, but his strong figure coupled with his immaculate blonde hair—though not as beautiful as Viviane’s—made him a popular choice amongst the girls of the academy.

However, his talents did not lie in his looks, but rather his ability to analyze a situation in the heat of battle and adapt quickly. Coupled with the gift of a semi-autonomous type Crest, he and Brigitte occupied a slot within the academy’s top ten.

Upon entering the room and spotting the two, Brigitte let out a low whistle. “Whoa, you weren’t kidding, Med. You really up and paired yourself with a lady.”

“Yeah. She kicked up a real fuss just now when I tried to resonate with her, too.”

“What do you mean?”

“She wouldn’t let me grab her goddamn hand until I chased her against a wall.”

“So, did you invite us here to spar or to make small talk? I might as well have brought some tea and biscuits,” Levant cut in.

Medrauta raised an eyebrow in surprise. Usually, Levant was the most patient out of the three of them. “You in a hurry or somethin’?”

“Nah. Just pissed off after losing to that bitch Amelia again. I was hoping to blow off some steam by kicking your ass,” he grinned.

Medrauta laughed and drew her sword. Brigitte did the same.

“Alright then, asshole. Try it. If you can.”