Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 29 - Sakura's Secret

"I cheated."

Viviane blinked. "I... I beg your pardon...?"

After concluding her match with Krista, Sakura had returned to the forest clearing with Viviane. The sound of the academy's bell rang across the campus grounds, but the two girls paid it no mind. After all, there were far more important things to do this morning.

"There were a few reasons why I picked this spot. It's far and out of the way, and more importantly, it's surrounded by trees," Sakura explained. "Hidden."

Viviane tilted her head to the side, not quite understanding.

"Lady Viviane. Tell me, have you heard of 'ki'?"

"I haven't."

Sakura nodded. "I thought not. What I am about to tell you is one of Higashi's greatest secrets, so you may not divulge this to anyone. Understood?"

Viviane gulped as the air turned heavy and serious. She nodded.

"A long, long time ago, there was a revolt led by the knights of our country. They had grown tired of the aristocracy and sought change. The aristocracy was unprepared for this, and their attempts to fight back were feeble at best. After all, a noble's greatest strength lies in our Crest, yet we cannot access it without a knight as our conduit.

"After the revolution ended, Higashi's government was reformed into the triumvirate that still remains today. However, the point of this is not the history lesson, Lady Viviane. Rather, it is the ability of our people to hold grudges. Particularly the nobility. Because of this, my ancestor centuries ago delved deep into research and meditation. In the end, he discovered it. Our family's greatest secret. Ki."

Viviane nodded, listening intently. History was always one of the classes that she'd actually managed to get decent grades in, after all reading about the past was always one of her favorite pastimes. Had she not managed to manifest a Crest, she probably would've wanted to become a librarian.

"Since mana is considered the energy of the heavens, ki could be considered the energy of the earth. With it, we can enhance our bodies, granting us strength and speed equivalent to even that of a knight in short bursts. This was the discovery that allowed us to stand on equal grounds with the knights of Higashi, and this is what you must master before you can even stand a chance against the princess."

"E-Eh...?" Viviane stared blankly at Sakura, not entirely understanding the foreign noblewoman's explanation. "Um... So what exactly is ki? Is it in the air like mana?"

Sakura shook her head. "Not exactly. It is refined in the body, but it also exists wherever there is life. Fish, animals, people. Even plants. I could teach you how to use the ki you already have within you, but it is vital for you to refine and grow your capacity first."

"Oh... Okay? So, um... How do I do that?"

Sakura gestured for Viviane to sit. "Seat yourself and relax, then close your eyes and focus on the sound of your heartbeat. Feel each pulse intimately and imagine as if the whole world stopped and started at its rhythm."

Though still confused, Viviane did as Sakura asked, trying her best to conjure the image that Sakura had suggested.

"Good," Sakura said, walking around the now-seated Viviane and kneeling. She placed both palms against Viviane's back. "Relax. Now, remember this feeling."

Viviane didn't know what Sakura was referring to, but she knew that she didn't need the entire world at the behest of her heartbeat. She only had one simple wish.

If only our hearts could beat in tune, Medrauta. An innocent smile danced on Viviane's lips as the thought passed through her mind, and for some reason, she felt an indescribable warmth. The kind that she'd only experienced when she embraced her family at home.