Refusal

“And here it is! The moment you’ve all been waiting for!” Trista’s voice boomed across the stadium as she introduced the foreign students from Higashi.

The two of them walked into the arena with steady and disciplined gaits, not unlike the stride that nobility often adopted. The foreign pair consisted of a lady and her knight, both of them dressed in exotic, flowing garb that complemented their glossy black hair.

“Coming in from the moon side, we have Lady Sakura! Everyone, please give her a warm Avalyne welcome!” Trista announced, pausing to wait for the fanfare of applause to die down. “A renowned noble back in her homeland, Lady Sakura has traveled far and wide just to reach the gates of Avalyne Academy, and yet, her first match pits her against our very own princess! Let’s wish her the best of luck!”

Again, applause filled the air, much of it accompanied by hearty cheers of welcome.

“Quite the beauty, isn’t she?” Brigitte remarked.

Viviane nodded. She had stood up from her seat, leaning against the stadium railing in an effort to get a better look at the foreign students.

The lady possessed long black hair and straight bangs, giving her an elegant and sophisticated look especially when coupled with her graceful features and slanted eyes. Surprisingly, her clothes were loose and breathable unlike much of the popular fashion in the empire.

Just from a glance, Viviane could tell that they were clothes not only designed for warmer climates, but also designed for maximizing the wearer’s range of movement.

However, the most eye-catching thing about the lady was neither her beautiful visage nor her foreign garb. Rather, it was what she held in her left hand. Like a crescent moon, a beautiful silver bow gleamed there, and attached to her right hip was a sleek quiver festooned with a multitude of arrows.

Though a noble was permitted to carry whatever they wished into the arena, it was largely unheard of for one to bring a weapon. After all, the constitution of a knight was fundamentally different compared to the rest of the populace.

Even a well-trained noble wouldn’t last long against the weakest knight, if at all. Plus, even Viviane could tell that the bow would be woefully ineffective against Medrauta.

As beautiful as it was, it was also small. No matter how accurate Lady Sakura was, it would be irrelevant as her arrows would never reach the speed needed to actually hit Medrauta with such a low draw weight.

“And beside her is her knight, Sir Riku! Everyone, please give him a warm Avalyne welcome as well! Not only is this his first match on foreign soil, but he’s also facing Medrauta, the strongest knight! Will his never-before-seen swordsmanship techniques allow him to overwhelm Medrauta, or will she remain unfazed!? Let’s find out!”

The foreign pair stopped at the center, bowing to Medrauta who stood before them.

“We are honored to face the one known as the ‘strongest knight.’” Sakura said.

Not used to such a formal greeting in the arena, Medrauta awkwardly saluted. “The honor is mine. I look forward to crossing swords with your knight, Lady Sakura.”

“Then I shall be sure not to disappoint,” Riku smiled. “This will be our first impression at your academy, after all.”

“Alright! Knights and nobles, salute and take your places on the battlefield! May Aluvsha’s presence grace this match!” Trista’s voice had cut their greeting short, but it was clear that the audience were already becoming restless and eager to see how the match would turn out.

Medrauta quickly saluted Riku, and the foreign knight mirrored her gesture. They walked away from the center, moving to their designated starting lines.

“Ahem! Knights and nobles, please take your places on the battlefield so the match may begin!” Trista’s voice echoed again.

Medrauta frowned. She glanced back at the princess, wondering if she’d moved off the dais. Sure enough, Princess Gwenhwyfar was still standing there with a look on her face that was arrogant as ever.

It wasn’t until she turned back to Riku and studied the knight more closely that she realized Sakura, the foreign lady, was simply standing behind him in a position that almost perfectly obscured her from Medrauta’s sight.

“Please correct me if I am mistaken, miss announcer, but I do not recall a rule specifying that nobles must stand upon the dais,” Lady Sakura stated.

Trista blinked at the foreign lady, puzzled. “Lady Sakura... You do not wish to start on the dais?”

“Correct.”

A wave of confusion rippled through the spectators. Since receiving even a graze from the enemy knight caused a loss, it was far more advantageous for a noble to stand upon a dais where they would be the furthest from the center of the arena and on an elevated platform.

While Sakura’s starting position was not illegal, it was also akin to forfeiting the match, especially against a speedy knight like Medrauta.

“V-Very well! It seems that Lady Sakura is feeling quite bold, everyone! Please give her a round of applause to celebrate her courage! Now then, may Aluvsha’s presence grace this match!” At Trista’s signal, the high-pitched sound of a trumpet pierced the air.

And the moment it did, the sun rose upon the stadium.

A blinding light enveloped the entirety of the stadium as Princess Gwenhwyfar held her hand aloft and outstretched toward Medrauta. Like a dragon’s breath, a pillar of crimson flames blossomed beautifully from her feet as the glowing symbol of a golden sun manifested itself above her head.

All those present were inexorably drawn to the Crest’s majesty in admiration. All except for Medrauta. When she looked at it, she was horrified. But more than that, she was frustrated. Impossibly frustrated.

W-What!? How the fuck did she...!?

“L-Lady Gwenhwyfar has immediately bestowed her Crest upon Medrauta! What a surprise!”

“A surprise?” The princess intoned with a smirk. “No. Clearly, I am the only one who is competent enough to resonate with Medrauta!”

Medrauta’s eyes narrowed in anger. She wanted to protest, to tear out this power flowing through her body. Yet, she could not. Instead, she focused her attention and rage on her incoming opponent.

This Crest of yours... I will never use it, Princess.