The morning rays of the sun illuminated the academy grounds as the sound of chirping birds filled the air, their orchestra joined intermittently by the crowing of roosters.
Medrauta shot up out of bed, her mind clear and her eyes focused despite only just having woken up. Thanks to her training, she was no stranger to early mornings.
A quick glance out the window told her that she would have around an hour to get ready for the parade which she initially thought would've been more than enough.
After washing her face, she took to dressing herself. Normally, this wasn't even a process worth mentioning, but today was a very different day. Today, Medrauta was forced to wear her dress uniform.
Accustomed to the weight of her elegant half-plate and the feeling of protection that it gave, the tight-fitting and fancy garment felt incredibly uncomfortable to her. Without her armor, she felt naked, but she would have to bear with it at least for the parade.
After affixing her sword to her waist and double-checking the state of her uniform before deciding that she couldn't do any better, Medrauta sallied out of her room to fight a battle of a different kind...
THUD!
...only to encounter her first obstacle of the morning immediately.
"What the—"
"Eep!"
While Medrauta hadn't moved an inch from the collision, her attention was quickly drawn to the beautiful blonde mess who was now on their backside and in front of her room.
"What are you doing here so early, Viviane? Classes don't start for you until two hours later."
"Ah, geez... Look at you, Medrauta," Viviane chided as Medrauta hefted her off the ground after she'd taken the knight's outstretched hand. Almost immediately, she'd started fixing the position of Medrauta's medals and straightening out her crumpled epaulets. "I knew this would happen."
"G-Gah! W-What the hell are you doing, Viviane!?"
"You're going to perform for royalty today, aren't you, Medrauta? You can't go out looking like that!"
"What are you? My mom?"
Viviane flicked Medrauta against the forehead. Though the knight had barely felt it, she was left stunned. After all, no one had dared flick her forehead before.
"I am your lady, and I won't have my knight embarrassing herself in front of the imperial family by looking like a mess. It's an important moment for you!"
"...Tch. Fine, do as you please." Though I think trying to resonate with you is much more important than a silly parade... They probably won't even look at me.
For the next ten minutes or so, Medrauta stood obediently in the doorway of her room as Viviane adjusted her dress uniform in so many places that the knight had quickly lost count of the things she'd missed or attached erroneously.
Had it been anyone else but Viviane fussing over her, it would've been incredibly embarrassing.
"Ehehe! There!" Viviane's smile was positively glowing as she finished straightening out Medrauta's uniform. "I must say, though... You, um..."
"Hm?" Medrauta glanced at Viviane, confused as to why the smaller girl was blushing. Then, she felt a strange sensation against her upper arm. "O-Oi! Where do you think you're touching!?"
"Uwah! She found out!"
"What do you mean I 'found out'!? It was obvious from the very start!"
"Sorry, sorry! I just couldn't resist! I think the results of your training and hard work are very... wonderful."
Despite her best efforts, Medrauta couldn't stop her face from going completely red. She hadn't exactly been complimented for her muscles before, so hearing something like that was a novel sensation.
"W-What the hell are you saying, Viviane? Since when did you start becoming so bold!?"
"Well... I figured since you're officially my knight, can't I be more... forward with you?"
Medrauta clicked her tongue in annoyance despite her flushed face. "...I miss the meek and shy side of you, but... It's not like I mind."
"Hehe, then it's settled~!" Viviane clapped her hands together in delight before slipping them into Medrauta's and pulling her out of the doorway. "Off you go, my wonderful knight! I'll be watching!"
She'll be watching? For reasons unknown to her, something in Medrauta's heart wavered. Her stomach felt hollow, and she shivered at the thought of performing in front of Viviane.
Her hand fell naturally to the hilt of her sword. She gripped it tightly, finding security and confidence in its familiarity.
"I'll be going, then."
"See you after class!"
Even as Medrauta made her way down the hall, she still couldn't comprehend what that feeling had been and why it had suddenly ambushed her so. As she distanced herself from Viviane, her stomach no longer felt hollow, but her heart rate still refused to fully settle down.
What the hell was that? Medrauta bit her lip, inhaling and exhaling slowly in an attempt to calm her rapid-fire heartbeats. Am I... nervous?
She pushed the thought aside as she stepped out of the dorm building. There would be no benefit in dwelling upon something she didn't understand. The morning air was crisp and refreshing, and it helped cool her head as she made her way to where the parade would be held.
When she arrived, she joined a long line of knights positioned next to the paved path leading toward the academy's main entrance. She spotted Amelia across from her in an identical line. The black-haired knight's uniform was annoyingly immaculate. Other than herself, the rest of the knights were second-year students or above.
All of them stood erect at attention, bathed by the light of the rising sun as they awaited the arrival of the imperial carriage. Luckily for them, it didn't take too long.
Within minutes, the sound of hooves against flagstone joined the chorus of chirping birds. The imperial carriage was constructed with lacquered wood, and it was clear that there had been no expense spared when it came to the gilded filigree that adorned its edges and almost every inch of the carriage body.
The carriage stopped precisely at the center of the opened gates, and a man seated next to the coachman stepped down, opening one of the excessively opulent doors. Medrauta recognized the occupants immediately as Prince Galahad stepped down from the carriage, offering his hand to the princess.
Taking his proffered hand, Princess Gwenhwyfar practically glided down to the ground. Her long pink hair was styled immaculately, and her extravagant white dress framed her elegant figure perfectly, giving off a sense of imperial elegance and dignity without compromising the cute charm that she naturally possessed.
Despite her distinctive hair and dazzling dress, the princess' most striking feature were her bright pink eyes coupled with her pupils that were shaped in the form of four-pointed stars, serving as the undeniable mark of her imperial lineage.
At once, the knights all saluted, bringing their fists to their left breast. Short staccato notes pierced through the air to serve as fanfare as the imperial siblings made their way down the path toward the academy, a noble's smile adorning their faces.
Had the parade proceeded properly, the imperial siblings would have made their way to the entrance where the academy's headmaster would announce their official arrival.
However, the princess had a different idea.
Princess Gwenhwyfar's gaze had been locked onto Medrauta ever since she had descended from the carriage. There was a certain light in her eyes that could only be described as cold fury, yet she carefully masked this until she drew parallel with the silver-haired knight.
Tugging her arm free from her brother's, Gwenhwyfar deviated from the parade's planned route, causing the guard knights who had been trailing behind her to panic. Yet, none of them would be able to act fast enough to stop her.
In seconds, she had reached Medrauta's position. Now unbridled, the anger that burned in her eyes was more than evident to anyone who looked upon her otherwise flawless face. With one smooth motion, she brought her hand against Medrauta's cheek in a slap that rang through the air.
Yet, the next words that her trembling lips spoke carried no echo. When she spoke, her words were meant for Medrauta's ears alone.
"Medrauta. You conniving bitch."