Awakening

I don’t want to die!

Everything had happened so quickly.

The sword described a downward arc that threatened to split Medrauta’s tiny body in half. She stared up at the blade, sunlight glinting off its bloodied surface.

Knights rarely died in the stories that Medrauta had heard, but when they did, they never shied away from death.

A knight dies with their eyes open. That had been the sole thought in Medrauta’s mind.

She didn’t want to die, but it was all she could do. She had made her choice, and now she would have to face the consequences. But even so, she had chosen to act like a knight, so she would see it through.

In another heartbeat, her life would be over.

Faced with certain death, something awoke from deep within Medrauta. At this critical juncture, an unknown source of strength welled up from deep within her, spreading through the entirety of her body, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.

The blade slowed down.

Medrauta didn’t know what was happening, but she realized that she could move. That she didn’t have to die here. She stepped to the side, and not a second too late.

The sword crashed into the dirt where she had been standing a mere moment before, and though the pain in her hip was still present, it had dulled.

The bandit leader stared at the empty air he’d slashed through in disbelief. “...Dodged? No... That’s impossible. I must’ve just... missed...”

Medrauta’s heart thumped rapidly. She was just as confused as the bandit leader was. She didn’t know how or when she learned to move so quickly. At that moment, she just felt like she could.

He’s coming. Medrauta’s body tensed up as the bandit leader faced her now. The man’s sword shot out, a rapid thrust that would’ve skewered her had she not stepped out of its path.

Again, the man swung and swung, his sword becoming a glittering wheel of light as Medrauta avoided each of his strikes with consummate ease, almost as if the child was simply playing a game.

...Was he always so slow? Medrauta didn’t understand. She hadn’t even seen the man unsheathe his sword when he used it to decapitate the coachman, but now, it was as if he were moving in slow-motion.

Infuriated, the man leapt forward in an attempt to grab Medrauta and hold her still, but she twisted her body to the side once again. Experimentally, she reached out and grabbed the bandit leader’s sword arm.

She recalled the time the boys had broken her arm. They grabbed her wrist and then pushed hard on her elbow joint just like...

“AAAAAAAUGH!” The bandit leader howled in pain as Medrauta snapped his arm with ease. The bone of his forearm pierced through his skin, and his sword fell to the ground.

Were people always this... weak? Medrauta bent down to pick up the sword, and then stabbed it through the bandit leader’s neck. The man squirmed for a few seconds before he lay still.

She pulled it free and turned her attention to the remaining three bandits. One of them stared at her in horror, but the faces of the other two had contorted into rage.

They charged toward her, brandishing their swords furiously.

From Medrauta’s perspective, they were running in slow-motion, but in reality, they were making a mad dash toward her.

She walked forward, moving closer to one of the bandits. The bandit’s lips twisted into a cruel smile as she entered the reach of his sword, but when he swung, the only thing he could cut was air.

A second later, Medrauta’s blade pierced his chest and he fell to the ground, motionless.

The bandit’s sword was light in Medrauta’s hands. Weightless, even. The newfound strength coursing through her body made her feel as though she could do anything. As though she was truly free.

She wanted to test her limits, and she found herself wondering if she could cut another weapon in half, and when she turned to face the other bandit who had been approaching her, she decided to try it out.

The bandit’s blade swept across the air in a wide horizontal slash. Avoiding it with a sidestep would have been impossible, meaning that Medrauta’s only option was to step backward.

But the slash was merely intended to set up the bandit’s next attack. The moment the girl stepped back, he would—

CLANG!

“...Huh?”

“Oh. It worked,” Medrauta remarked as she regarded her weapon with a measure of curiosity.

She had stepped into the cut and parried with an attack of her own, putting all her newfound strength into it in an attempt to bisect her opponent’s weapon.

It had worked, but not as she’d imagined. Though the blades were not of cheap make, they were not made to withstand the incredible strength at a knight’s disposal. Even one who was only six and malnourished.

Both blades had snapped. Medrauta and the last remaining bandit found themselves holding a hilt and half of a sword.

Even so, half a blade was enough to kill.

Medrauta moved in and swung her broken sword down onto the bandit’s head, splitting it open and killing him instantly. At last, she faced the sole remaining bandit with an almost bored look in her eyes.

After killing the other bandits, she now understood she could kill him with ease. The only problem was that he held the pink-haired girl close, and his sword was placed against her neck.

“Don’t come any closer! I’ll kill her, I will!” He shouted in fear.

Medrauta stopped in place, considering the man’s words.

“T-That’s right... Nice an’ easy. Stay put and lemme get on my horse...” The bandit said as he began backing away with the girl in tow.

Meanwhile, Medrauta tore the pommel off her sword.

“W-What are you doing!?”

Smack!

The man’s muscles relaxed, and his sword fell uselessly to the ground as a crater appeared in his skull. Medrauta had ended him rightly.

She dropped the broken weapon and moved toward the pink-haired girl.

“Are you a—” It was only then that Medrauta stopped herself. She had extended a hand toward the girl, but that hand was not hers.

It was sullied with blood, and even now, that blood dripped from her skin and onto the dirt beneath.

...Did I... Did I really kill four people...? With the adrenaline in her veins now fading away, the horror of realization slowly began to set in for Medrauta. A cold chill ran down her spine.

N-No... It was only right... They were trying to kill me... They were trying to kill her! Medrauta shivered, her body shaking profusely. Though they were bandits, they were still human. Up until today, the most Medrauta had done was punch a few boys her age, but here she was, standing before four corpses with bloodstained hands.

Bile rose up in her throat. She gagged, preparing to vomit.

Suddenly, there was a gentle warmth around her hands. Medrauta looked up to see the star-pupiled eyes of the pink-haired girl, and her own eyes widened in surprise.

Despite the blood that soiled her hands, the girl was gripping them tightly. She smiled as if to forgive Medrauta despite her sins.

“Thank you for saving me!”

Those five simple words were all it took to wipe away the fear and guilt that had taken root in Medrauta’s heart.

That’s right... I saved her. I saved her like a real knight, so it’s okay! Medrauta smiled back. It was so simple. The knights in the stories vanquished all manner of beasts, and sometimes, they were even forced to fight against other knights. As long as you were killing for the sake of justice, it was fine!

“You can call me Gwen! What’s yours?”

“O-Oh! Um, I’m Medrauta...”

“Wow!” Gwen’s eyes sparkled with joy. “What a pretty name!”

“A-Ahaha... You really think so?” Medrauta blushed. It was the first time she’d ever received a compliment.

“Mhm! You’re a knight, right?”

“H-Huh? I’m... not a knight.”

“Really? But you were so fast and so strong! There’s no way you’re not a knight!”

“No, I’m really not...”

As the two of them continued this back and forth, minutes flew by, and before they knew it, the sound of hoofbeats were traveling through the air once more.

“Shh. Be quiet, Gwen,” Medrauta frowned. Her enhanced senses allowed her to hear the galloping horses from far away.

“Huh? Did I say something wrong?”

“No. Go hide in one of the bushes. I can hear someone coming.”

“Hm... Really? I don’t hear anything! Maybe it’s ‘cause you’re a knight?”

“I said I’m not a knight! Now go hide!”

Gwen pouted, but she obeyed. Her bright pink hair and flashy dress stuck out like a sore thumb in the dark green foliage, causing Medrauta to grimace. Even so, Gwen had done her best.

Around a minute later, twelve horses thundered onto the road, their riders all armed and armored. Most of them carried immense greatswords on their back, but some carried lighter longswords that hung by their hips. Their gilded armor was scratched and bloody, and some of them looked to be injured.

Medrauta faced them as she stood in front of the bush that Gwen hid behind. She had recovered one of the undamaged swords and brandished it in front of herself even as the armored men reined in their horses.

One of the riders dismounted and began striding toward Medrauta.

“S-Stay back! I’m warning you! I’m really strong!” Medrauta said, doing her best to appear frightening. Even if she hadn’t been bluffing, there probably wasn’t a soul who’d be intimidated. The sword that she held looked comically large in her hands, and her thin frame certainly wasn’t doing her any favors.

“Is that so?” The armored man removed his helmet, raising an eyebrow. Even though he wasn’t giving orders, his voice had a certain ring of authority that marked him as a man who was used to being in a position of command.

“Y-Yeah!”

“I see. You’re protecting someone, aren’t you?”

Medrauta didn’t answer. She only kept the tip of her sword pointed at the man.

“Commander! There’s four dead men here!” One of the riders in the rear called out.

The armored man raised a hand in response, a signal for silence.

“How admirable,” he said to Medrauta. In a flash, he reached out and grabbed her sword, crushing the blade easily with his grip. “But useless.”

Medrauta stared at her now-destroyed sword in shock. “W-Wha...!?”

“Hm? I thought you were strong.”

“Graaah!”

Medrauta charged at the man, but no matter what she tried, she could never land a hit on him. Even though the man was clad in heavy armor, he moved with such grace and agility that he seemed infinitely out of reach.

“Ugh!” Medrauta struggled as the man caught her by the wrist after she threw her latest punch. He lifted her into the air with minimal effort, holding her high until they stared one another in the eyes.

She tugged hard, hoping that her newfound strength would allow her to break free of the man’s hold, but his grip was like iron. Cold and unyielding.

“Do you now see how useless your actions are? You cannot protect anyone with that meager strength.”

Frustration and anger welled within Medrauta. She’d just saved Gwen, but now these armored men were going to take her away again. It’s not fair, she thought bitterly.

“That’s enough, Commander Padraig!”

“G-Gwen!? Why are you—”

Padraig lowered Medrauta to the ground and knelt before Gwen. Similarly, the other men behind him sank to their knees.

“My deepest apologies, Princess Gwenhwyfar. We have failed you.”

“Hmph!” Gwenhwyfar turned her head away, seemingly upset. “I’m not the one you should be apologizing to!”

There was a pause before Padraig stood and turned to Medrauta. Again he knelt, but this time it was a show of sincerity, not fealty.

“My deepest apologies, young miss. I saw the bodies when we were riding up and wished to test your mettle.”

“Well? Do you forgive him, or do you want me to punish him? Just say the word, Medrauta!” Princess Gwenhwyfar beamed at Medrauta. She was hoping that the reveal of her status would impress her friend, but the silver-haired girl dropped her gaze instead, almost as if she were now trying to avoid Gwenhwyfar.

“A-Ah... Um... No, it’s okay, Y-Your Majesty... I-It’s fine, really!”

“The correct form of address is ‘Your Imperial Highness’!” One of the knights in the back piped up, though a sharp glare from the princess quickly silenced him.

“S-Sorry, Y-Your Imperial Hi—”

“Gwen. G-w-e-n,” the princess interrupted. “You saved me, so you get to call me whatever you want! I wouldn’t be here without you, you know?”

“Ah... Y-Yeah, of course...”

Medrauta was sweating profusely. She had no idea what to do or how she was even supposed to react. Of course, she was happy that she’d saved the princess, but she’d never even been around nobility, let alone royalty. To make matters worse, she’d been speaking so casually with Gwenhwyfar, telling her what to do, and even dirtied her hands.

Warily, Medrauta looked up at Gwenhwyfar. “U-Um...”

The princess’ eyes gleamed, overjoyed at the fact that her friend and savior was finally willing to meet her gaze again. “Yes? Yes? What is it, Medrauta?”

“I’m... I’m not g-going to be executed, am I...?”

Gwenhwyfar frowned, thoroughly confused. “Executed? What? Why would you be executed? I’d never let anyone hurt you.”

“R-Right! Ahaha... That’s a relief...” Medrauta immediately dropped her gaze. Even though she’d saved the princess’ life, she wasn’t sure why Gwenhwyfar was doting on her so much. The attention worried her, and she felt as though she’d done something wrong to warrant the princess’ notice so greatly.

“Perhaps the young miss became worried after taking the lives of four men,” Padraig suggested. “They were lawless scum. Bandits who dared raise a hand against the imperial family. Worry not, young miss. If anything, you’d be rewarded.”

A reward? Medrauta’s eyes widened. Everything that Padraig had said was true. It was only after hearing her deeds voiced that Medrauta realized the importance of what she’d done. She had been idiotic to worry at all. If it’s a reward...

“But that reward shall have to be discussed with your parents at a later date, along with your circumstances. Come now, Princess Gwenhwyfar. We are quite busy today. I am already late for the Choosing Day appointment, and you must meet with Marquis Blanchet afterwards.”

“W-Wait!” Medrauta exclaimed. “Choosing Day? Are you going to the orphanage that Father Raphael runs?”

Padraig’s eyes widened in surprise. “Indeed. Did the princess tell you?”

Medrauta shook her head vigorously. “I’m an orphan!” She paused, taking a moment to gather her courage before speaking the words that would decide her fate. “I... I want to become a knight!”

Padraig frowned. “It is not a matter of want. You have awakened the strength of a knight, so you must serve the empire with that strength. However, you have neither the discipline nor training to be a squire, and unfortunately, none of us are looking for a page at the moment. Now then, we really must hurry, but we shall inform Father Raphael that you will be picked up when there is an opening for a new page.”

“A-Ah...” Medrauta’s gaze fell. Did I really think that I’d be able to become a knight just because I saved the princess from a few bandits? How foolish...

Padraig and his knights mounted up, one of them taking over the carriage that had transported the princess here.

Elegantly, Gwenhwyfar floated toward the carriage while a knight offered their hand to help her up. She took it gracefully and entered the vehicle, but she did not seat herself. Instead, she turned around to face Medrauta and held her hand out with a smile.

“C’mon, Medrauta!” The princess called.

“H-Huh?” Both Padraig and Medrauta stammered in unison.

“Princess! What are you doing!? You cannot let her ride in the carriage!”

“I’ve decided,” Gwenhwyfar said very matter-of-factly. “I’ve decided on Medrauta’s reward and your punishment.”

“Your Imperial Highness, I must protest, this—”

“As Princess Imperial, I command you to take Medrauta as your squire. I will hear no arguments. Is that understood?”

Padraig was silent for a while before he finally gave in, heaving a massive sigh. “By your will, Princess Gwenhwyfar. The squire will ride with me then.”

“Nope~! As my future champion, she must attend to me in the carriage. Now then, will you please take my hand, Squire Medrauta?”

Medrauta stared up at the grinning princess, her glossy pink-hair illuminated beautifully by the sunlight from above. “This... This is a dream, right?”

“If you take my hand, you’ll make it real.”

For a moment, Medrauta believed herself unworthy. A mere orphan like her could not possibly become someone worthy of standing by the princess’ side.

But those bright pink eyes of hers, and her glowing smile... She was almost like the sun.

If I take her hand... it won’t be just a dream anymore?

Medrauta reached her hand out, and Gwenhwyfar received it.

“...Thank you.”