Confession

“One moment, Viviane. I’ll get the door.”

Ah... I missed the timing again... Viviane bit her lip, dropping her gaze as Medrauta headed to the door. “Oh... Um, okay...”

Medrauta turned, frowning as she noticed her lady pull back hesitantly. “Is something wrong, Viviane?”

Viviane shook her head. “N-No... Nothing’s wrong, ahaha...”

“Sure doesn’t look like it. Why don’t you tell—”

The knocking repeated itself, this time much louder than before. “Is that you in there, Medrauta?”

“Ahh, shit!” Medrauta sighed, frustrated. She recognized that voice. “Sorry, Viviane. I have to get this.”

“N-No! It’s fine... It’s just fine...”

The knight pursed her lips as she stood fixed in place, torn between answering the door and attending to her lady’s needs. Had she the freedom to choose, she would stay by Viviane’s side. Unfortunately for her, those sharp knocks echoed once more.

As a compromise, Medrauta reached out and squeezed Viviane’s hand gently. “I’ll be quick, okay?”

Viviane could do nothing but nod and smile. She knew that whatever this was, Medrauta could not refuse, and the last thing she wanted to be was an inconvenience to her knight.

Medrauta reached for the door which swung open to reveal a man wearing an instructor’s uniform coupled with half-plate that overlaid it. He was tall and broad with a powerfully sculpted physique, and his neatly cropped brown hair gave him the appearance of an officer.

“My apologies, Knight Instructor Bradley. My lady and I were dealing with some circumstances regarding her garments.”

Bradley made a dismissive gesture. “It’s fine. I trust you know what I’m here for?”

“Probably. How’d you find me, anyway?”

“Bunch of students saw you walking here with your lady. Kind of hard to miss,” Bradley said as he indicated the ruined dress that Viviane was still wearing. “But that’s not important. Duke Rosenhall’s lodged a formal complaint with us about your behavior.”

“Yeah, and he can get bent. The asshole threw a knight-mercenary at me in an unsanctioned duel.”

Bradley raised an eyebrow. “We’ll be investigating that matter separately. I’m here to address your reportedly dishonorable conduct.”

“My what? My conduct was perfectly knightly. Exemplary, even.”

Bradley shook his head with a sigh. “We have multiple eyewitness reports stating otherwise.”

“Oh yeah? And what’d they say?”

“That you referred to his daughter in rather vulgar terms multiple times in front of him. While you are not subject to the confines of noble etiquette, you must still treat them with respect. At least when they’re present, that is.”

“Wrong.”

“...How so?”

“Did the reports say that I called Lady Rosenhall a bitch?”

Bradley nodded, not sure where this was going. Either way, he didn’t like it.

Medrauta smirked. “‘A knight must be honest with their words, for a knight who fights in the name of falsehoods is no better than a brigand.’ Sir Bradley, I’m sure you’re more familiar with the knight’s code than I am. His daughter slighted my lady quite severely, and in all cases, we would’ve been able to push for a match. Instead, I merely described her in accurate terms.”

“...Medrauta, you know as well as I do that such an excuse won’t work. He’s a duke. There is a certain protocol to these things. Something like that might’ve worked on a count’s daughter or even a baron’s but—”

“You’re forgetting that my lady is Duke Castellia’s daughter. If anything, House Rosenhall’s getting off easy, ‘cause I doubt Viviane’s mother would’ve been willing to let them run away had she been there based on the tales I’ve heard.”

Bradley nodded slowly as he digested Medrauta’s words, no doubt recalling the times he’d witnessed Lady Castellia’s incredible feats of martial prowess in both the arena and the battlefield. “...You know what? You’re right. We’ll still need to take your statement, but we can essentially push the resolution onto their house. After all, you did properly swear your oath to your lady, yes?”

“Of course.”

“Then we shall treat it as if you were House Castellia’s vassal, and Duke Rosenhall will have to go through the formal channels there to resolve his dispute. Though... I doubt he will. House Rosenhall’s knights aren’t exactly known for their skill in neither duels nor matches.”

“You can say that again,” Medrauta laughed as Bradley handed her a piece of parchment to write her statement on. “But... How the hell did you and the rest of the knight instructors not realize this beforehand?”

Bradley grimaced. “Well...” His gaze flickered between Viviane and Medrauta in a strangely apologetic fashion. “...Hm. How should I put this...?”

“You’re free to speak plainly, Sir Bradley,” Viviane said, sensing the man’s intent. “I’m more than aware of the Round Table’s opinion of me.”

Bradley nodded. “That is indeed the reason why. We instructors don’t know much about it, but you’re right. The Round Table sees you in a rather negative light, Lady Viviane.”

Viviane merely shrugged in response. She’d gotten used to it. From the start, she’d never been treated properly as a duke’s daughter at the academy. Her dorm room was pitifully small, equivalent in size to a room that was only fit for the child of a mere baron. She was given no personal servants, nor was she allotted the special meals that ducal children partook of. Despite that, she didn’t really mind anymore.

It was tough during the start, and she had desperately wanted to return home to her father and her personal maids Amber and May, but now that she had Medrauta by her side, she thought the room was actually rather cozy. Perfect for two, even.

Viviane blushed at the thought, but luckily for her, no one was paying her much attention at the moment.

“I’m done,” Medrauta said as she thrust the filled out parchment toward Bradley. “Now, are we going to get any more surprise visitors while my lady attempts to change? The inquisition, maybe?”

Bradley chuckled. “Hate to disappoint you, but no, Medrauta.” He then turned to Viviane and bowed. “My apologies for interrupting, Lady Viviane. There’ll be no more visits from academy staff.”

“It’s quite alright, Sir Bradley. Please have a wonderful afternoon,” Viviane curtsied.

Bradley nodded in response and departed, closing the door behind him.

With the two of them finally alone again, Medrauta turned back to Viviane apologetically. “Sorry ‘bout that, Viviane. Looks like I caused a bit too much trouble for us again.”

Viviane shook her head, smiling. “No, not at all.”

“You had something important to say just now, didn’t you? What was it?”

“Ah...” The abrupt question had left Viviane suddenly speechless. She knew she had to say it. She’d kept Medrauta waiting for long enough. She’d kept herself waiting for long enough. Yet... for some reason, she just couldn’t get those three simple words out of her mouth.

Two days ago, Sakura and Rosaline had poured all their knowledge of romance into her mind, yet at this crucial moment where all she needed to do was utter those words, she couldn’t find the courage to do it. It’d taken all she had earlier before she was interrupted, and now that resolve was gone.

Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, but her trembling lips produced no sound. Her chest tightened every time she tried to push through the anxiety sealing her throat, but it was all for naught. It was as if an icy claw had taken hold of her body, slowly crushing and constricting her until she shattered.

Medrauta held Viviane’s gaze with concerned eyes. Her question seemed to have upset her lady, and now she needed to fix that. “...I’m sorry, Viviane. Perhaps another time.”

Viviane remained silent, her shoulders quivering slightly as she fought against the urge to simply curl up into a ball as she was overtaken by her all-consuming anxiety. She wanted to say it, but she couldn’t.

“Shall we head back?” Medrauta asked gently, extending her hand toward Viviane.

Why!? What’s stopping me!? Am I afraid that she’ll reject me? Of course not... She’s told me she loves me, but... I just can’t help but think that I’m... Viviane’s thoughts trailed off as she stared at Medrauta.

Viviane focused not on a single aspect of her knight, but Medrauta in her entirety. From the gleaming strands of her silver hair to her cool blue eyes, her perfectly smooth chestpiece that she always wore on top of her uniform, and even her slender yet muscular legs. Viviane took in all of it.

As her eyes settled on Medrauta’s outstretched hand, she at last came to a realization. All her life, she’d felt useless and unwanted by everyone other than her parents and her two personal maids. She’d grown up thinking that she was just an eyesore.

That she didn’t deserve to be happy. That she was unworthy of the very emotion.

Yet, standing before Viviane was a woman who loved her and stayed by her side not because she was forced to, but because she had truly fallen in love with her.

...Ah. I was such an idiot all this time. Who cares if I’m worthy of her or not? She’s reaching her hand out to me right now.

“No.” Viviane answered. Her eyes were now alight with determination. She’d already decided to say it, so she wouldn’t let a stupid interruption stop her now. She wouldn’t back down even if the Witch Queen herself showed up. Not anymore.

She reached out, grabbing Medrauta’s arm and tugging the knight toward herself.

“W-Whuh!? What’s wro—”

Without another word, Viviane thrust her lips against Medrauta’s.

Though the knight stiffened from shock, she soon relaxed and embraced her lady. Medrauta held Viviane close as their feelings united at last, the two of them drowning in passion as they explored the depths of their love for a solid minute before finally separating.

They gasped for breath, their faces dyed in the same shade of crimson. Though their eyes were of different colors, they reflected the same emotion as their hearts beat in tune.

“Medrauta...” Viviane gazed longingly into Medrauta’s eyes. She wanted to lock lips with her knight once more, to meld with that hot, intense fount of desire again. But she needed to say it. She needed to give voice to the feelings she’d repressed for so long.

“...I love you.”

Medrauta smiled. For a moment, it looked as if she would descend upon Viviane in a frenzy of passion, but she restrained that urge. Instead, she uttered one simple sentence.

“I love you too, Vivi.”