“Bullseye! Bullseye! That’s ten in a row, Lady Sakura! How’s that!?”

“Not bad. Not bad at all. How about we go for twenty now?”

Sakura and Viviane had spent the last two weeks training without pause. Though Viviane was bound to face some sort of disciplinary action for not showing her face in class even once, she didn’t seem to mind.

For the first time since Medrauta was taken from her, Viviane felt free and in control of her emotions. If a little punishment was all she’d suffer in exchange for the strength to bring Medrauta back to her side, she’d be willing to pay that price ten times over without a second thought.

Another arrow thudded into one of the targets that Sakura had set up in the clearing, missing the center by a mere inch.

Sakura nodded approvingly as she watched. Viviane had certainly improved by leaps and bounds throughout the past two weeks at a speed that was nothing less than prodigious. It was impressive to say the least, but Sakura still couldn’t help but be worried.

“You know, I’m rather surprised, Lady Viviane.”

“Hm? What about?” Viviane replied without even taking her eyes off her target, not even sparing a second to look beside her as she continued putting arrow after arrow into the five different targets in the clearing.

“I thought you’d be too afraid to use ki after what happened two weeks ago.”

It was only after hearing those words that Viviane finally paused. She eased off the bowstring before replacing the just-nocked arrow into her hip quiver.

“...Of course I was afraid,” Viviane began. “Who wouldn’t be? I mean... Have you ever felt something like that before? Not being in control of your own body...? Hearing a... cacophony of voices not your own come out of your mouth?”

Sakura could only shake her head wordlessly. She’d learned a great deal about Jade Beauties back home, but she’d never actually seen one before. Ki was a very tightly guarded secret in Higashi, and those who taught those secrets did so very methodically and in conditions where it was practically impossible for a Jade Beauty to manifest.

“But I thought to myself... ‘So what?’ So what if I was afraid? I... I’ve been afraid for so long. I’ve been useless for so long.” At last, Viviane turned to face Sakura, her brilliant golden eyes shining with unshakeable resolve. “But I didn’t want to be useless anymore.”

Sakura blinked. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen such determination in a person before. No. It wasn’t just determination that laid in Viviane’s gaze.

“You should come to Higashi.” The words had slipped out of Sakura’s mouth before she even realized it.

“H-Huh!? L-Lady Sakura, are you asking me to abandon my own country? That’s a very serious crime!”

“N-No!” Sakura exclaimed hastily, waving her hands in exaggerated gestures. “Not at all! I was merely suggesting you come visit! It’s just that, well, I’ve read about marriage laws in the empire and they’re not exactly favorable to you, are they?”

Viviane stared at Sakura dumbfounded. “Marriage laws...? W-What does that have to do with wanting to be useful!?”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“Well,” Sakura cleared her throat rather noisily, “I’ve heard that same-sex marriage isn’t recognized here in the empire. That is to say, your relationship with Dame Medrauta...”

Viviane’s mouth fell open. The bow she was clutching dropped from her hand and onto the grass beneath her. The tips of her ears went red, and she felt an unexplainable urge to hide her face. “W-Whuh!? Wha—!? Y-You! It’s not l-like that at ALL!”

“Though I may be overstepping my bounds here, it is my opinion that your feelings for Dame Medrauta extend beyond friendship, Lady Viviane.”

“They! Do! Not!” Viviane exclaimed with quite some heat. “I merely enjoy spending time with her and basking in her company. When we speak, it is not of sweet nothings, but casual conversation that always brings a smile to my face. What else is that but friendship!?”

...You are beyond help. Sakura shook her head and sighed. “Lady Viviane, forgive me for continuing to be presumptuous, but you have a life-sized portrait of her in your room.”

That was a particularly embarrassing moment of weakness that Viviane had suffered during the first week after her match with the princess. With Medrauta stuck in the infirmary and Viviane unable to visit, she had missed the silver-haired knight so sorely that she sought to commission a full-body portrait of Medrauta.

By the time it arrived, Viviane had already started training in archery with Sakura and had resolved most of her internal issues, but she simply couldn’t bring herself to throw it away.

It’s such a beautiful painting, after all... Viviane had thought when it arrived. It won’t hurt to keep it around for a little longer, ehehe...

Unfortunately for her, it was now being brought to bear as a weapon by Sakura. And quite a potent weapon it was, for Viviane had no way to respond other than shamefully curling up into a ball.

Sakura smiled at Viviane’s reaction. The blonde noblewoman was really quite amusing, especially when topics such as romance were brought up. She would’ve liked to tease Viviane a bit more, but a glance upward told her that the sun had begun to set.

“Tomorrow’s the big day. We should begin cleaning up.”

“...Hmph.”

Sakura threw Viviane a quizzical look. The Avalynian was still curled up in a ball. “Is something the matter?”

“I am not in love with her,” Viviane pouted defiantly as she rocked back and forth like a frustrated armadillo.

“Yes, yes. You’re just friends,” Sakura laughed. “Now come on. You’ll need enough rest before you issue your challenge tomorrow.”

“...I’ll shoot one more set.”

“Alright.”

Sakura sat on a fallen log as she watched Viviane loose each shot with expert accuracy. Even though her invitation to Higashi had been issued on reflex, watching Viviane shoot made Sakura truly consider the prospect.

Her talent was unparalleled in both archery and ki cultivation. While Viviane still hadn’t managed to reach the godlike shooting speeds that Sakura possessed, the Avalynian was still more than a respectable shooter. Her ability to sense and manipulate ki was uncanny, instinctively using it to enhance her vision and her muscular strength when Sakura first began teaching her the bow.

With only a few pointers from Sakura, Viviane had been good to go. Ever since then, her skill at ki manipulation only went upward to the point where her vision magnification could almost match Sakura’s.

Though not as naturally gifted, her shooting was still impressive. In terms of accuracy, there were few in the academy who could match her, and though she couldn’t shoot multiple arrows within the span of a second, she could already fire rapidly while still hitting her mark.

Sakura drummed the fingers of her left hand against her thigh, watching as Viviane fired off her last three arrows. Still, no matter how perfect you are in practice, the only thing that matters is your performance in the arena...

“Lady Viviane.”

Viviane turned, her brow creasing at the gravity of Sakura’s tone. “Yes? Did I do something wrong?”

Sakura shook her head. Her face bore an expression of severe concern. “Are you ready? Are you well and truly ready for the arena tomorrow?”

With a smile, Viviane responded simply.

“I’ll have to be.”