Duke Castellia cleared his throat.

The gala attendees stared up at the mezzanine, a wave of hushed conversation rippling through the crowd. It was clear that they hadn’t expected the duke to be there. No one had.

The duke stared down at his audience with some degree of intensity, as if he were surveying his troops before sending them to their last battle. Under what seemed like such intense scrutiny, the knights in the crowd instinctively straightened their posture to stand at attention.

Even Medrauta was among those knights.

While the duke himself was no knight, the air of authority that he possessed was certainly one befitting of the northern territory’s governor. The first line of defense against the hostile nation of Kaslavna, Castellia fief had forced Duke Castellia to become a fine warrior and an even finer commander on the front lines.

The duke nodded as if a gesture of approval before leaning back and turning to his side. He beckoned to a maid who was standing by, prompting her to approach him. She carried a silver platter which held a number of tall glasses that contained champagne.

After a brief moment of inspection, the duke selected one of the glasses and turned back to the crowd. Contrary to his striking appearance and almost oppressive air of authority, the duke spoke with a pleasant and affable tone that seemed to soothe the worries of those who listened.

Clearly, it was an acquired skill borne from the need to assuage the fears of soldiers heading into battle.

“It seems I’ve found myself in a precarious situation tonight, standing before all of you wonderful men and women of the empire. Honestly, it makes me nervous.” Duke Castellia laughed. “However, the princess has asked me for a favor, and I am inclined to oblige. If you will all allow me, I would like to offer a toast to everyone in lieu of the unfortunately absent Dame Amelia.”

The duke raised his glass high up in the air and toward the academy students clustered below. “To all of you rising stars at Avalyne Academy! May you stand tall and proud for the glory of our empire!”

The audience erupted into cheers, many of them raising their own glasses in reply. The duke’s charisma had been overpowering, and many students found themselves in awe of the way he carried himself despite being forced to make a toast on short notice.

This time, however, Medrauta was not amongst those impressed. The reason for that stood beside her, hanging on her arm almost precariously. Viviane stared at her father, the look in her eyes a strange amalgamation of warmth and fear. Her hands trembled, and sweat coated her palms.

Despite the apparently positive reception that the duke received, Medrauta simply couldn’t ignore Viviane’s reaction to his appearance. After all, she had thought that the father-daughter pair were on good terms.

“...Something’s wrong,” Viviane said shakily. She’d spoken before Medrauta even had the chance to ask if she was alright, an act that only caused the knight’s worry to grow. “Father shouldn’t be here.”

Medrauta’s brow furrowed. Viviane had only spoken of how much she wanted to see her father again, and when she reminisced about the moments she’d shared with him, they were always positive. She slipped her hand into Viviane’s, squeezing it gently.

“Why? Is something the matter?” Medrauta asked in the most soothing voice she could manage.

The warmth of Medrauta’s hand in hers gave Viviane strength. She nodded and began leading them through the crowd, hoping to reach the mezzanine stairs before her father slipped away. Already, he was departing to what looked like a side chamber with the princess.

“He still has six months left of his tour...” Viviane said. “We might have a truce with Kaslavna right now, but the situation at the border has always been... dangerous.”

Medrauta didn’t quite have a response for that. She’d never been to the north, nor had she actually seen what the situation was like. Instead, she simply pulled Viviane closer to herself, offering comfort with intimacy.

By the time the two of them managed to negotiate their way through the crowd and up the staircase, Gwenhwyfar and Duke Castellia had already sequestered themselves inside of a separate room guarded by two imperial knights.

The knights eyed Medrauta and Viviane with a measure of caution as they approached, though one of them recognized the duo.

“Good evening, Lady Viviane. Dame Medrauta. Your victory against Princess Gwenhwyfar and Prince Galahad has been circulating amongst the imperial knights already. How may we assist you?”

Viviane wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not, but Medrauta’s grimace told her that it definitely wasn’t.

“I’m here to see my father,” Viviane said. “May we enter?”

The imperial knight shook his head, replying in a tone that was cordial but tense. “My apologies, Lady Viviane. The princess has ordered that no one be allowed into the room without exception. Not even we imperial knights were permitted to attend to the princess. Which...”

“Leaves you pretty nervous?” Medrauta asked.

The knight nodded in response, and Medrauta returned the nod knowingly.

She had spotted a saber hanging by the duke’s hip during his speech, and apart from the imperial knights, he was the only person who was armed in the entire venue. Seeing as none of the knights were holding on to the saber, it was safe to assume that the duke was still carrying it.

As knights sworn to protect the imperial family, allowing the unarmed princess to be alone with an armed man—even a duke—was tantamount to dereliction of duty. Medrauta could more than understand how the man was feeling. After all, she’d never leave Viviane alone with an armed individual if she could help it, and she doubted that their presence was doing the knights any favors.

If anything, the two of them were just more factors that the already anxious knights would have to deal with. Even though Viviane was the duke’s daughter and hardly a suspicious individual, the knights would still have to be alert regardless. Medrauta knew this well and pulled Viviane to the side.

“Perhaps we should come back later? Besides, it looks like the first song is about to begin,” Medrauta gestured to the far side of the room where a piano and its pianist sat.

“Ah!” Viviane’s eyes lit up for a second, only to fade after a moment. Of course, she wanted to enjoy the moment with her knight, but she simply couldn’t stop her thoughts from being dominated by the possibility of something having happened to her father. Or worse, to Castellia fief. “But... I’m worried, Medrauta. What if father—”

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“Shh.” Medrauta silenced Viviane, pressing a finger against the noblewoman’s dainty lips. “I imagine the princess and your father are having an important discussion, but it shouldn’t last longer than the first dance. So until that ends...”

Medrauta paused, removing her finger from Viviane’s lips and then bringing it to her own. Viviane’s lipstick had stained her finger, but she didn’t mind. In fact, she kissed the scarlet smear lovingly as if it were Viviane’s own lips.

“...I want you to think only of me.”

“O-Okay...” Viviane replied meekly. It was all she could manage without collapsing into an incoherent mess as she lowered her gaze to the floor in an ill-fated attempt to hide her rapidly blushing face.

The two girls made their way to the center of the ballroom where many pairs had already gathered in preparation for the first dance. The pairs assumed an elegant starting position, their hands joined together and their backs straight and poised. Medrauta and Viviane quickly followed suit.

As they stood facing each other in trembling anticipation of the first note, both Medrauta and Viviane experienced a flutter of emotions like never before.

Clad in the captivating battle regalia of a noblewoman, Viviane’s appearance was like that of a veritable goddess to Medrauta. The way her immaculately styled golden hair shimmered as she moved, the almost-imperceptible shift of fabric around her hips every time Viviane took a step, and even the rose-scented perfume that subtly wafted off her body. Medrauta loved it all.

Viviane’s eyes gazed longingly at her knight, and not for the first time that night. While Medrauta’s usual attire consisting of half-plate atop the academy uniform held its own knightly charm, her deep crimson dress and plain but elegant jewelry afforded the knight an alluring and mature aura that made Viviane fall in love all over again.

An irresistible urge swept over her, and Viviane stood up on her toes, leaning forward even as her eyelashes fluttered. She had presented her lips to Medrauta on her own volition, and though the silver-haired knight was surprised by the sudden gesture, she had already resolved to go on the attack.

Medrauta closed in on her lady, prepared to finally make Viviane understand the depths of her love...

...only to be interrupted as the first note fell.

It was a powerful sound that signaled the beginning of the first dance, and it pierced through the ballroom, drawing the attention of all the attendees. Viviane snapped out of her love-drunk trance and quickly retreated like a mouse scurrying back into its hole. The shade of her already-blushing cheeks deepened significantly.

“A-Ahem! S-Shall we dance?”

“I’m in your care, my lady.” Medrauta said with a smile that expertly hid her disappointment. Despite that, she knew that she could not push too hard. Viviane was already trying her hardest, albeit in her own way.

The pair glided across the ballroom with easy steps. It was surprising to Viviane at first given Medrauta’s difficulty during their practice session mere hours ago, but a glance at her face told her that the knight was putting every ounce of focus she had to ensure that their first official dance would be successful.

Seeing this, Viviane couldn’t help but feel a newfound surge of love and appreciation toward Medrauta. She tightened her grip on Medrauta’s hands, focusing on her own steps as she resolved to make this dance an experience her knight would remember forever.

Viviane led Medrauta expertly, drawing upon the countless hours of instruction that she’d been made to endure over the years. Where the knight faltered, she adapted, and where the knight excelled, she enhanced.

They circled the dance floor like the sun and moon interwoven, drawing the eyes of onlookers and even other pairs. Some applauded the couple, especially those who had once thought Viviane an inept dancer thanks to her lackluster performance in class.

However, most shot them looks of confusion and sometimes even derision due to Viviane having taken the lead. If they noticed, they didn’t seem to care.

In this sea of dancers, Viviane and Medrauta had been enveloped by a world that only they knew.

...Viviane. Medrauta gazed into Viviane’s eyes as she felt the noblewoman’s back muscles tense against her palm. She knew the final step was coming. I don’t want this to end.

...Nor I, Viviane’s heart beat in tune with Medrauta’s, a sea of shared emotions swirling between the two. The noblewoman pivoted into the twirl. The knight relaxed and allowed herself to be pulled into it.

The final note hung in the air, and though most pairs had already separated, Medrauta and Viviane held their embrace until the sound faded completely, the dream they’d shared finally coming to a close.

Even so, their return to reality was not an unwelcome one. Viviane was pressed against Medrauta’s bosom, and she found a strange sense of security there. Medrauta held her close, feeling the urge to keep her there forever.

Alas, even the sweetest of fairy tales have an ending.

Heavy footsteps fell against the ballroom floor, reminiscent of armored greaves. The kind that Duke Castelia had been wearing.

Medrauta and Viviane separated at last, though their hands were still intertwined as they turned to the man who slowly picked his way through the crowd toward them.

“Seems like we won’t have to go look for him after all,” Medrauta remarked.

Viviane nodded, though a worried tone crept into her voice. “Um... Do you think he saw us?”

“So what if he did? Are you ashamed of me, Viviane?”

“N-No! Of course not! It’s just...”

Medrauta pat Viviane’s head as the noblewoman trailed off, running her fingers through her lady’s hair gently. “I’m sure it’ll be okay. Besides, we can’t avoid this forever. I’ll have to introduce myself at some point.”

“Right...”

But it was not to be. Not yet, at least. As Duke Castellia finally freed himself from the crowd and a small throng of admirers who had gathered around him, Medrauta and Viviane had been approached by another pair first.

“Sir Riku! Lady Sakura!” Viviane exclaimed. “I didn’t know the two of you were going to be here! You should’ve told me!”

Sakura smiled. “And then what? You would have bought me an overly expensive gift as thanks?” She shook her head. “Lady Viviane, perish the thought.”

Viviane puffed her cheeks out cutely in an expression of mock anger. “Ugh! Am I really that predictable!?”

Riku cleared his throat as he interjected. Based on his tone and expression, he seemed rather rushed. “Speaking of predictions, we’d like to borrow Dame Medrauta if it’s not too much trouble, Lady Viviane.”

Viviane frowned. Her gaze flickered between her approaching father and the tense look in Riku’s eyes. “...Of course not,” she said reluctantly. “Just be sure to bring her back.”

Riku bowed. “We thank you for your magnanimity, Lady Viviane. We shall endeavor to be quick.”

“W-Whoa, ho! Hold on now! Don’t I get a say in this?” Medrauta protested. “At least let me introduce myself to her dad!”

Riku urged Medrauta toward a door that led to a balcony that overlooked the academy gardens. “There will be plenty of time for that, Dame Medrauta. This is of the utmost importance.”

Medrauta didn’t look convinced. She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow.

“Please.” Riku bowed deeply, surprising even Sakura. There was no time for pride, it seemed.

“It’ll be fine, Medrauta... Father will be beside me, and we’ll wait for you, okay? Besides, Sir Riku said it won’t take too long,” Viviane said. During the time she’d spent with Sakura, she’d picked up a few Higashi customs. It was clear that whatever this was, it was something that needed to be discussed as soon as possible.

Medrauta heaved a lengthy sigh. “Fine.”

As the three departed to the balcony, Viviane couldn’t help but stare at their backs as she was struck by newfound worries.

Just what could be so important that they needed to speak to Medrauta so quickly? And why only her...? Is everything going to be alright...? Viviane’s gaze lowered to the floor as various scenarios swirled in her head. Lady Sakura was her friend, and the sudden urgency scared her.

What if this has something to do with...

“Viviane,” Duke Castellia’s strong yet gentle voice came from behind his daughter. He wrapped his arms around her in a warm embrace. “I missed you.”

...Father.

“I missed you too, father.”