"You know, it's okay for you to call me 'Vivi' more often now that we're a couple..."
Medrauta shrugged and regarded her lady with a curious gaze. The two of them were sitting on a bench with some ice cream, taking a short break after having just participated in the festival's paired horse racing challenge. Since Viviane wasn't exactly a skilled rider, it had been quite a challenge for the noblewoman.
"That might be true, but it's cuter when used sparingly, isn't it?"
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"Hm... Something like the feeling of battle, I suppose? When you're thrown into your first duel, it's exhilarating, but after your fourth or even your third duel, things start to feel kind of normal. You're not breathing as hard, your heart isn't racing, and your mind's not cluttered anymore. I don't want that to happen with us."
Viviane tilted her head to the side, not entirely understanding Medrauta's analogy.
Seeing this, Medrauta laughed. She hadn't expected her explanation to be of any significant help in the first place. Instead, she changed her approach and scooched closer to Viviane on the bench. They had already been sitting next to each other, but now Medrauta's body pressed up against Viviane's in more ways than one.
"W-W-What are you doing!?" Viviane's eyes spun as Medrauta reached up, cupping the noblewoman's chin with a hand. The knight's other arm wrapped around her lady, holding Viviane tight and erasing any hope of escape that she might've had.
"You've left some ice cream on your cheek, Vivi." Medrauta said in a low, sultry voice as she brushed her thumb against Viviane's cheek, removing the small trace of ice cream that blemished her otherwise flawless face.
Medrauta then brought her ice-cream-laden thumb to her own mouth and licked it off. "Delicious," she said with a smirk.
"Y-You...! W-Why did you d-do it like that!? And in front of so many people too!" Viviane buried her face in her hands as Medrauta looked around.
Sure enough, a ring of amused spectators had gathered around the bench to watch their antics play out. While most had attempted to remain inconspicuous by pretending to be absorbed in their own conversations while casting intermittent glances at the pair, others were simply blatantly staring.
Despite Viviane's embarrassment, Medrauta merely smiled at the onlookers. She stood from the bench and extended a hand toward her lady. "Do you get it now, Viviane? I want your heart to be aflutter every time I say it, and I want the world to know the depths of my love for you."
"...T-That's so mean, Medrauta." Viviane pouted, but she took her knight's hand anyway and stood. "It's not like my heart wouldn't race whenever you were near, though..."
"Good, 'cause I'd be sad if our heartbeats weren't in tune," Medrauta grinned. Despite the easygoing front that she wore, her heart really was pounding.
Something about finally being a couple with Viviane in the official sense just made it more than difficult to focus. In fact, even pulling off the move she'd done a moment ago had been a hurdle that required all the courage she had.
Hearing those words and seeing Medrauta's smile had been too much for Viviane. She hid her face by pressing it against her knight's arm as they walked, looking for their next stop. "So... Where are we headed next?"
Medrauta pursed her lips in thought. Viviane had picked previously, and the paired horse race had been a rather uncharacteristic selection for the noblewoman. Medrauta had brought the fact up with her, but Viviane insisted, leaving Medrauta no choice but to run the event with her.
As it turned out, the race hadn't been a great idea thanks to Viviane's almost complete lack of experience with horseback riding and the fact that all the other pairs had been knights. Struggling to keep up, Viviane ended up with rather sore legs after the ordeal, hence the short break on the bench.
Damn. She must've caught me talking about it with Leticia the other day, Medrauta thought. Well, if that's how it's gonna go, then there's only one thing to do...
"I heard there's a booth running some sort of history and literature quiz as a paired activity. It was made for children and their parents, but there's an advanced section with a rare book as a prize. Perhaps we could go give that a shot?"
"Um... Are you sure, Medrauta? It doesn't sound like something you'd normally be into... And the prize..."
"Is something that you'll love, right? I'm fired up already, Viviane!"
"N-No, that's not what I meant! You don't have to force yourself for me. Besides, I can always try for the prize with Lady Rosaline or—Uwah!" Viviane exclaimed as Medrauta suddenly stopped to pinch her cheeks.
"'You don't have to force yourself for me.' Isn't that exactly what I said before we ended up participating in the race?" Medrauta asked. Viviane was silent, her gaze sliding away from her knight's in a rather guilty expression. "I want to make you happy, Viviane, even if it means doing something I might not like. As long as I'm doing it with you, then it's something that I want to be doing."
"Well... If you put it that way, then of course I'd be glad to do the quiz with you, Medrauta," Viviane murmured, tightening her grip on Medrauta's hand. Her heart fluttered at her lover's gallantry and consideration, but she couldn't help but wonder whether she truly was worthy of Medrauta's company.
Ah, geez... Even after confessing, I'm still dwelling on that, huh... Viviane thought ruefully. However, Medrauta's next words washed away those worries completely.
"Oh, and one more thing."
"Hm?"
Medrauta wrapped her arms around Viviane's waist, pulling her lady against her chest and forcing her to look up. "I don't want you walking around with Lady Rosaline alone, even if she's to be married. You're my woman, got that?"
"O-Okay..." Viviane murmured meekly as she stared up at Medrauta. It was all she could manage without crumpling into a blushing mess.
"Good," Medrauta replied simply before releasing Viviane. Unbeknownst to her lady, Medrauta's heart was thumping so intensely that she thought it might burst out of her chest and even her breastplate at any moment.
Her rational mind told her that there was no way anything would come of Viviane and Rosaline, but she just couldn't help worrying. Rosaline was a beautiful woman. There was no doubt about that. However, what truly worried Medrauta was the lady's experience as well as her ability to attract anyone with a mere flutter of her eyelashes.
Of course, Medrauta's worries were nothing more than jealousy. There was no way that Rosaline would ever make a move on Viviane when she was already so taken with Leticia. Though she loathed to admit it, Medrauta was simply upset about the fact that Viviane had suggested she'd go with Rosaline to obtain the prize.
Medrauta wanted to be the one by Viviane's side when that happened. She wanted to see Viviane's shining smile and share in the joy of her lady receiving the prize that she desired. Medrauta didn't want Rosaline to be the one who Viviane smiled for at that moment. She wanted that smile to be hers, and hers alone.
...I think... I want to monopolize her, Medrauta thought with a grimace. But is such conduct truly befitting of a knight...?
"What's wrong, Medrauta?" Viviane asked, turning to face her knight.
"Oh... Uh..." Medrauta blinked, trying to figure out a proper excuse. She hadn't even realized she'd stopped in her tracks until Viviane called out to her. "No, I was just... thinking."
"About what?"
"About..." Medrauta trailed off evasively, avoiding her lady's eyes. She cleared her throat rather loudly and then pointed to a nearby sign that displayed a map of the festival's booths. "N-Nothing important. How about we go double-check that booth's location? I could've sworn we'd be there by now!"
Viviane frowned. It wasn't like the blunt and brash Medrauta to keep secrets. "I'd rather you tell me what made you look so glum first. I mean, didn't you just say I was your woman? I-In that case, shouldn't you trust me... d-darling?" Despite herself, twin spots of pink dotted Viviane's cheeks as she spoke.
Gah! Now you're just making it worse! Medrauta's heart nearly exploded. She loved everything about Viviane, from the bashful expression that the noblewoman wore to the way she'd called her "darling", almost as if they were newlyweds.
"I... I was just thinking that I wanted to... monopolize you. I'm sorry for being so selfish. As your knight, I have no right to—"
"So what?" Viviane asked as she grasped both of Medrauta's hands. "You're more than just my knight now, Medrauta. You're my g-girlfriend, and someone who I want to spend the rest of my life with. Just now, you said that I was your woman, but now you're backing down so quickly? Are you having second thoughts? Am I not worth it after all?"
"N-No! Of course not!" Medrauta exclaimed almost immediately. "I... I want to be with you every second of every day! Every morning, I want to wake up next to you, and I want to spend every night by your side! I-It's just... As a knight, I'm supposed to serve my lady, but yet I gave you an order. Worse yet, it sounded like I was treating you as a mere possession of mine..."
"Didn't you hear what I just said, Medrauta? You're not just my knight. I don't know when, but one day, I hope we'll get m-married, and when that day comes, I'll be yours and yours alone. But even before then, if you want to monopolize me, I don't mind one bit." Viviane said. After all, I've already resolved to give you my everything.
"I-Is that really alright...?"
"Of course. Haven't you seen how Dame Leticia treats Lady Rosaline? I'm sure you can't be any worse. However, there is one thing you'll have to do for me if you want to keep me for yourself."
"Anything, my lady."
Viviane grinned. "You'll have to let me do the same to you."
It seemed that the couple was fated to resolve their disputes in the public eye, for a group of spectators had gathered around them yet again during the course of their conversation. Naturally, Medrauta didn't mind, and this time, neither did Viviane.
Medrauta sunk to a knee, looking up at Viviane as she continued to hold onto her lady's hands. As she gazed upon her lover, Medrauta knew that there could never be a sight more beautiful than this.
"Of course. From the moment I gave you my oath, I also gave you everything that belonged to me, Vivi."