Crest of the Strongest Knight

Chapter 145 - Wake Up Soon

Viviane had become well-acquainted with the term "shield tower" after going through various history books. Constructed even before Soleil ascended the throne, the shield towers were originally designed for the sole purpose of projecting some kind of magical energy over a large area, allowing it to amplify spells or enchantments for the sake of protecting the villages that were built around them.

"Found it!" Viviane reached upward, sliding a book off the shelf with a satisfied smile on her face. The era that preceded Soleil's founding of the Avalyne Empire was primarily dominated by witches who were hunted by witch hunters. That much was common knowledge. However, the shield towers were apparently constructed by neither witches nor witch hunters much to Viviane's surprise, a fact that caused her to seek out the book she now held in her hands.

"Let's see..." Viviane said as she flipped through the pages. "Ah! Here it is! ...The shield towers were created and maintained by the Order of Paladins during the Witch Queen's rule. Spread throughout what is known now as the Avalyne Empire, they served to amplify the effects of a Paladin's Oath..."

Viviane's voice trailed off, her brow creasing as she came across the unfamiliar word while reading aloud. A previous book on history had already familiarized her with the Paladin Order albeit briefly.

Although the tome hadn't been detailed, it had mentioned the Order of Paladins, a faction separate from both the witches and the witch hunters during the tumultuous era of the Witch Queen's rule. While the witch hunters focused on hunting down and slaying witches as per their name, the Paladins served as defenders of the people instead, erecting defenses and patrolling the villages that people managed to establish despite the Witch Queen's oppression.

At first, the information had left Viviane quite perplexed. Despite being an avid reader, she had never actually heard of Paladins despite the pivotal role they apparently played in Soleil's final push against the Witch Queen. Their existence hadn't been mentioned in class nor any of the books found in the academy's library, leading Viviane to think they were nothing more than a mere fabrication upon first encountering the term.

However, continued reading revealed detailed records that were simply too complex to be falsified. This, coupled with the book she was currently holding, gave Viviane a chilling revelation. A faction with such a storied past should have been remembered throughout the ages just like the witch hunters had been, but their complete disappearance from history could only mean one thing.

They were systematically erased from history... But why? Viviane attempted to come up with a few hypotheses based on what she'd read so far, but to no avail. The Paladins hadn't betrayed anyone, nor had they caused harm. She couldn't claim to be an expert in Paladin history, but her rudimentary knowledge of their role in society provided no hints as to why anyone would omit their presence from the history books.

The only individuals who would want such a thing would be the witches, but seeing as the book she was holding dated back to the era of Soleil's rule, it was safe to assume that the Witch Queen had already been slain and all surviving witches had gone into hiding by the time of its publication.

Viviane sighed, shaking her head. It was a question she'd have to leave for another time, and while she was certainly interested in solving mysteries, she knew that there were more pressing issues right now. She soldiered on, looking for a solution.

"...Paladins often used code words only known to those operating within a specific tower." Viviane's once-languid voice picked up in speed and excitement as she read the final sentence of the paragraph she'd stopped at, quickly moving on to the next. "These code words could open secret doors or reveal hidden rooms when spoken in the right place!"

Viviane nearly jumped for joy as she finished the sentence. Alright! We're finally getting somewhere!

"Medrauta, look at this! I found—" Viviane had whirled around ecstatically, hoping to show Medrauta her discovery as her excitement overrode her memory. It was only after turning around did she remember that her beloved knight had fallen unconscious as a result of a seizure. The noblewoman lowered her gaze, pursing her lips in silence as her enthusiasm quickly faded away.

Ah... Right... Viviane sighed, closing the book and walking over to her still-sleeping knight. Carefully, she moved aside the book-pillow that she'd created for Medrauta earlier and rested the knight's head on her lap once more. She had no idea how long she'd spent inside this tower, but it was only after she sat down that she noticed how mentally drained she'd become.

The noblewoman leaned against the bookshelf that stood behind her, closing her eyes as she held one of Medrauta's hands tightly. For now, Viviane would permit herself a brief moment of rest, hoping that she would be greeted by her knight's shining smile the next time she opened her eyes.

Please wake up soon, Medrauta... And when you do, please wake me too...