Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 46 - The Duke's Duties

For that reason, he had earned the epithet of 'Death-Wish Duke' thanks to his many borderline suicidal antics on the battlefield as he fought by Lady Castellia's side and sought to protect her whenever he could despite the disparity in their strength. It was a strange dynamic that was only made possible thanks to Lady Castellia's incredible martial skill.

But even that skill had a limit. Duke Castellia's body was lined with battle scars, most of them earned as a result of attempting to fight with his wife. With the attacks from Kaslavna increasing in frequency and daring this year, he had genuinely worried for his own life.

When the two finally released their embrace, Viviane gave her father another quick hug before stepping back once more. "I hear mama is always worried about you, so... take it easy when you return, okay?"

Duke Castellia merely nodded. "...I can't imagine how busy she must be right now without me, but I won't be returning soon. I sent a letter, but it'll take a while for it to reach her."

"How long are you staying for?"

"Until the festival ends."

Viviane's eyes widened. "That long!? Will it be okay at the border? It's just mama and the soldiers now, right?"

Duke Castellia shook his head. "The princess is already taking care of that. She's sent a few nobles and their knights under my advice. Movement near the border has been increasing by the day. I would've liked to return immediately after seeing you, but... there are bigger problems here."

Viviane didn't like the grave tone that had leaked into her father's voice. "Bigger problems...?"

The duke pressed his lips into a thin line. For a second, it looked as if he were about to avoid the question, but he relented. This was his daughter, after all. "The imperial order for my recall was unauthorized."

"W-What!? Isn't that high treason!? Who'd even dare...?"

"We don't know. The princess has sent a messenger to the palace. They've no doubt reached the emperor by now, so we should see the inquisition mobilized by tonight. The order itself was official. The seal was not forged, and the parchment was genuine, which means that the culprit can only be someone in our midst. I'll be staying to lead the investigation as per the princess' wishes."

"I see..."

Viviane couldn't think of anyone who could possibly sneak into the princess' chambers and use her seal to issue a genuine imperial order. She had visited the place before and it had been guarded both outside and within.

Duke Castellia could see that Viviane was already trying to come up with possible culprits in an effort to ease his investigation. With a smile, he gave his daughter a pat on the head. "No need to worry yourself over it, Vivi. Leave this one to the adults. Besides, the guards posted at her room never saw anything suspicious unless you count a few butterflies. I'm sure the insect kingdom won't be too big of a threat for our empire."

Viviane laughed. "...Alright. But don't overwork yourself, okay?"

"Will do, Vivi."

As the conversation around Kaslavna and a potential conspiracy came to a close, the two reminisced of old days and shared new experiences. While Viviane's father regaled her with his tales from the battlefield, she spoke to him of her time here at the academy.

Viviane's recounting of Medrauta's noble sacrifice for the sake of shielding her from the beam that Galahad fired was moving enough for Duke Castellia to shed tears. Something told Viviane that her father would've done the exact same thing for her mother, a scenario which immediately took the top spot on her list of imaginary worries.

Before long, Viviane spotted Medrauta emerging from one of the side doors that led to one of many outdoor balconies attached to the ballroom. Sakura and Riku trailed close behind the knight, and they bid her farewell before wading into the crowd.

"Medrauta! Over here!" Viviane waved from atop the mezzanine. Strangely enough, she didn't care that her voice carried easily across the venue and drew the stares of other attendees.

Medrauta smiled and waved back, making a beeline for the mezzanine stairs. The sea of people parted to make way for her, and she hastened her steps as she hurried to reunite with her lady.

When she finally reached the top, her smile only widened. Even though they hadn't been apart for very long, Medrauta's heart still ached for Viviane's presence, and her eyes longed to meet with her lady's.

"I'm back, Viviane."

Viviane stepped forward and slipped her hands into Medrauta's. "Welcome back, Medrauta."

As the two gazed at one another warmly, their moment was rudely interrupted by the sound of a man clearing his throat loudly.

"Well, well, well," Duke Castellia began, carefully modulating his voice into a deep and gravelly tone. He liked to believe it sounded threatening, but Medrauta just thought it made him sound parched. "If it isn't the knight who thinks she can take my daughter's hand in marriage."

"...I'm sorry?" Medrauta stared at the duke blankly.

"Heh..." Duke Castellia was leaning against a pillar, his arms crossed. His gaze was fixed to a single point on the floor below him as if he were brooding. After a pause that he thought was dramatic, the duke lifted his head to stare at Medrauta with what he believed to be a cool-looking glare.

"Dame Medrauta, I challenge you to a duel."