Leticia's Challenge

“Medrauta, I challenge you to a duel.”

The silver-haired knight turned to Leticia in surprise as she stepped out of the room. Medrauta had been standing outside with Viviane for just a few minutes, and though Viviane clearly looked like she had something important to talk about with her knight, she had only made small talk with Medrauta.

Sensing that the time wasn’t exactly right, Medrauta had decided to refrain from bringing it up before the whole situation with Leticia was fully resolved, but this particular request certainly threw a wrench in those plans.

“Why?” Medrauta asked, narrowing her eyes. Honestly, she could barely believe what she’d heard. Just minutes ago, Leticia was trapped in a semi-catatonic state of her own devising, but now she was trying to pick a fight? It didn’t make any sense.

“...Before Amelia left, she showed me how to hold my sword and how to swing it. She showed me how to move and how to parry.” Leticia began. “She showed me how to win, Medrauta. She was the sole reason why I even managed to emerge victorious in that gauntlet, and because of that, I thought I’d become strong.”

“You’re festival champion, Leticia.” Medrauta frowned. “You even beat Rosette. Are you calling her weak?”

Leticia shook her head. “No. I... The strength that I possessed compared to the strength I have now is different. I was never strong, Medrauta. That whole time, the strength that I thought was mine was nothing more than borrowed. I relied on Amelia like a crutch, running to her and asking for advice every time I suffered a setback, and she would always give me the right answer.”

“...I see.”

“She showed me, but she never taught me, Medrauta. This body of mine has never learned a thing...” Leticia’s fists clenched with such strength that her arms shook.

Medrauta pursed her lips as Leticia fell silent after speaking those bitter words. To the average person or even to a soldier, there might not have been a great difference between being shown and being taught, but for a knight, that difference decided whether you lived or died on the battlefield.

When a knight was shown something, they were given the ability to emulate it. However, when a knight was taught something, they learned not only how it was performed, but its history, details, mechanics, and inner workings.

A knight who could only copy what they were shown wielded a hollow blade devoid of true strength, and though their techniques might appear impressive, that fragile blade would shatter instantly upon meeting an opponent who displayed true understanding of their craft.

“You’re the strongest person I know, Medrauta.” Leticia continued. “That’s why I need to cross blades with you. I need to know whether the strength I have now is enough to be worthy of Lady Rosaline, but more than that... I need to know if this strength is mine and mine alone.”

Medrauta nodded, fully understanding Leticia’s intent. It wasn’t victory that the other knight sought, but the chance to test her resolve and her skills all for the sake of ascertaining whether she truly possessed the mettle to remain a proud knight or whether she was simply a fraud that possessed a sword with no substance.

“Then shall we settle it now?”

“We shall.”

After taking a moment to change into her uniform and half-plate, Leticia and Medrauta headed out of the dormitory and to the outdoor training grounds. Viviane and Rosaline exchanged looks of concern along the way as they trailed behind the knights. The pressure in the air was heavy, and though the two noblewomen worried for the safety of their knights, they both knew that this duel was vital for Leticia’s development as a knight.

When they arrived, the area was mostly clear. After Medrauta’s impromptu departure, Brigitte had dismissed the knights, and only a few of them stayed behind to continue training. Those who did watched as the group of four made their way to a large and empty area in the training grounds, their interest growing rapidly as Medrauta and Leticia took up positions opposite to one another.

“...Is that seriously going to be enough?” Medrauta asked, gesturing to the energy bar that Leticia was munching on.

Energy bars were standard-issue rations for both soldiers and knights, containing a generous helping of various nutritious dried foods that were all compressed into the portable shape of a bar. Generally, they were enough to substitute for a meal, but as far as Medrauta knew, Leticia hadn’t eaten for more than a day or two.

“Yeah,” Leticia nodded. “Maybe it’s the adrenaline, but I’m not feeling hungry at all.”

“...Right.” Medrauta raised an eyebrow skeptically, but kept her protests silent. Leticia’s claims didn’t inspire confidence in her, but she couldn’t exactly force the other knight to eat before the duel. “Well then, as the challenger, it’s your right to decide what we’ll use, Leticia. Shall we cross blades with blunts or shall we do it earnestly?”

“Earnestly,” Leticia responded immediately. “This may just be one of many duels to you, Medrauta, but it is more than that to me. If our fight is not done with sharpened swords, then we may as well not fight at all.”

Medrauta clicked her tongue in annoyance. She knew that was what Leticia would say, but she’d hoped that the other knight would consider the academy’s current situation and say otherwise. It wasn’t as if Medrauta was a stranger to fighting with sharpened swords. Far from it. Instead, she was worried about troubling the already busy staff in the infirmary.

The academy’s infirmary was already short-staffed with the emperor requisitioning most of the knight-hospitaliers and their nobles to the front lines where the war against Kaslavna waged furiously, meaning that if either she or Leticia became seriously injured as a result of this duel, it could take days or even weeks for them to recover.

“...Stop shallow.”

“What?” Leticia frowned.

“If you wish for us to cross blades earnestly, then the duel must abide by the terms of stopping shallow.” Medrauta said.

“No. As you said, I am the challenger, Medrauta. If we are to hold back and stop our strikes after only a shallow cut, then what use is this duel? I cannot prove my strength or resolve in a half-baked duel like that.”

“I understand, Leticia, but the infirmary does not have the necessary resources to treat either of us should we sustain serious injuries. Do you really wish to be bedridden for weeks now that you’ve finally freed yourself from the shackles of your depression?”

Leticia shook her head. “We won’t need the infirmary. We have Lady Rosaline.”

Medrauta frowned, not understanding. “I fail to see the significance.”

Leticia turned to Rosaline with questioning eyes. Her lady pursed her lips. Rosaline wanted to shake her head, but she couldn’t bring herself to deny her knight when such fierce determination burned in Leticia’s eyes.

Instead, she found a compromise.

“Dame Medrauta.”

“What is it, Lady Rosaline?”

Rosaline touched her unblemished neck wordlessly, Medrauta’s eyes following her movements. At once, the silver-haired knight understood and nodded once.

“Your secret is safe with me, Lady Rosaline. Given your performance in matches, can I assume that your Crest’s ability does not solely heal?”

There was a brief pause before Rosaline answered. “...You can.”

“I see. Then I will trust you with our future wounds,” Medrauta said with a bow.

Viviane watched the exchange with a frown. It was clear that her knight, Rosaline, and Leticia all knew exactly what was being discussed while she was the only one who was practically drowning in confusion. She couldn’t help but feel a little left out, but she’d ask Medrauta about it later, along with everything else that she needed to say.

With that concluded, Medrauta looked around, her blue eyes scanning the remaining knights until she found the one that she was looking for.

“Brig!” Medrauta called. “Do you mind coming over here for a sec?”

Brigitte waved, signaling that she’d heard Medrauta. Though she had been in the middle of giving a knight some pointers, she quickly finished up and headed over to where Medrauta stood.

“What’s up?”

“...Leticia wants to duel, but she wants to do it with sharps. Can you lend her your longsword?”

Brigitte shrugged, though she eyed Leticia with a look of confusion. “Sure, it’s not like I’ll be using it anyway.”

As one of the knights recognized by Eirlys and appointed as a temporary guard knight of the academy, Brigitte was given permission to wield sharpened weapons even outside of the arena. Though she primarily used a greatsword, she was supplied with a longsword as well out of consideration for the possibility of indoor combat.

“But I gotta ask... Why the hell are you guys dueling now? It’s not like there’ll be any matches anytime soon, and it certainly doesn’t look like you’re dueling for stakes,” Brigitte said as she passed her longsword to Leticia. “Plus, the infirmary’s not doing the hottest right now, but I’m sure you already know that. You’ll be stopping short, right?”

“No, we won’t.” Leticia answered after thanking Brigitte for the weapon. She swung it a few times to test its heft and balance, sheathing it with a satisfied nod. “This duel is not one for stakes, but one where I wish to reaffirm my resolve as a knight, Brigitte.”

“Reaffirm your resolve as a knight...?” Brigitte asked, her brow furrowing.

“...I find myself in a situation where I do not know if the strength I possess is enough. Amelia showed me many things before she revealed herself to be a traitor, and those things that she showed me made me think I was strong, but now I see it was nothing more than borrowed strength. That’s why I need to know whether or not I’m still worthy to call myself a knight.”

“...I see. You really can’t stop short then, can you?”

Leticia shook her head in answer. “I’m glad you understand.”

As Brigitte moved to leave, Medrauta called out to her once more. “Sorry about this, Brig, but do you mind staying for a bit longer? I’d like you to be this duel’s referee.”

“I don’t mind at all, Medrauta.” Brigitte replied as she took her place between the two knights. She raised a hand in the air, both Leticia and Medrauta stiffening instinctively as their bodies recognized the gesture. “I, Brigitte Aodhart, will serve as witness and judge for the duel between Dame Leticia Alcor and Dame Medrauta! May Aluvsha guide your blades and shield your hearts!”

Medrauta raised her sword to her chest in salute, the blade pointed skyward. Leticia mirrored the same action. Though their movements appeared elegant and gallant, there was no mistaking the almost suffocating pressure that poured from the two knights as they allowed their fighting spirit to run rampant.

Brigitte brought her hand down in a slicing motion, stepping backward immediately as her next word rang in the air.

“Begin!”