“Do you think she’ll be alright...?”

“That’s the sixth time you’ve asked this very same question, Lady Viviane.” Scarlet replied.

The four of them were still ascending the staircase, yet Viviane continued casting quick glances behind them, her eyes fraught with worry as she watched Leticia and Galahad exchange rapid flurries of blows. With the aid of Rosaline’s Crest, Leticia was holding her ground quite well despite Galahad’s Sworn enhancements, though the traitorous prince had yet to unleash the full power of his wyrblade.

“She’ll be fine,” Medrauta said reassuringly. “Look how she parries Galahad’s cuts. She’s letting the heavier blade do the work for her as it slides down her own, conserving her stamina and strength to deliver those ripostes.”

Just as Medrauta finished explaining, Leticia had executed a perfect counterattack after deflecting one of Galahad’s attacks, thrusting her blade forward. Rosaline shouted something that likely activated an ability of her Crest, but the four were too far to hear her delicate voice within the sounds of combat. Whatever she had done, the effects seemed to be instantaneous as Galahad stumbled back and doubled over, screeching in pain.

“See?”

“A-Alright...” Viviane said reluctantly, relaxing only slightly despite Medrauta’s expert opinion and the seemingly effective blow that Leticia had just dealt to the former prince. Squeezing her knight’s hand a little more firmly, Viviane focused her attention on ascending the tall stairway once more, noting that there was still a bit more distance to cover until they reached the next floor.

“We must be nearing the top of the Spire.” Scarlet murmured. “These stairs are tall enough to ensure that there shouldn’t be another floor after this one.”

“Looks like we’re about to find out,” Medrauta said as the four of them stopped before a set of large black doors. Together, she and Eris stepped in front of their ladies and placed their hands upon the door’s cool surface, pushing it open with minimal effort.

Behind the doors was a vast chamber just like Galahad and Volutia’s, yet this one was not grand like the traitorous prince’s nor was it empty like the former noblewoman’s. Instead, it took elements from a little of both. Filled with keepsakes and mementos that evoked feelings of nostalgic regret, the room’s atmosphere was a heavy one. 

In the center of the room stood a man clad in black armor, his ever-present horned helmet now gone. He faced the four with a grave expression, his glowing red eyes lingering on Medrauta for several seconds before sliding away. Despite the remorse he felt in his heart, he could see in the silver-haired knight’s clear blue eyes that she had already prepared herself for this confrontation, resolving to shed tears only when it was all over.

He would not take that from her.

“Captain Padraig. You were the last person I expected to see here.” Scarlet said.

“...Did Medrauta not tell you?”

“She did. But I still harbored some foolish hope in my heart that you would have somehow executed yourself instead of continuing to obey the witch’s orders.”

“I always finish the job, Lady Scarlet. You know that.”

“Perhaps a little too well.” Scarlet sighed. “You should have sought me out despite the emperor’s orders. I would have helped you, just like I did for Captain Verdia and Captain Brennal.”

Padraig took the opportunity to free his greatsword from its sheath while Scarlet spoke, causing both Medrauta and Eris to bristle. While she hadn’t fought Padraig prior to his corruption into the Walpurgisknight, she was more than aware of his reputation and skill. Originally, she had thought the Walpurgisknight nothing more than a powerful foe, but now that she had been made aware of his true identity, she could feel doubt creeping into her right hand. She clenched Carnwennan tighter, drawing courage and confidence from its hilt.

“...I know.” Padraig admitted. “I should have been patient, but she made me an offer I could not refuse, and...”

“Your mind was clouded in the moment? Is that it?”

Padraig nodded. “It was. But that is merely an excuse... I... I am a knight. If I had only used all my power to resist, I could have freed myself from the meager shackles she cast upon me. But I didn’t. In my rage and shame, I wanted to believe that she could truly change this empire and depose the corruption that was rotting away at its core. What a fool I was.”

“What a fool you were.” Scarlet agreed.

“...Are we done then?” Padraig asked, his eyes shifting to Medrauta with a slightly hopeful gaze. He had wished to at least exchange a few words with his former squire before they descended into a frenzy of violence, but it seemed that the silver-haired knight had no intentions of humoring him.

“We are.” Scarlet answered, noting Medrauta’s continued silence. “Eris. Dispose of this traitor for me.”

“At once, Lady Scarlet!” Eris darted forward, her glowing dagger leading the way. She thrust it out even before nearing Padraig, causing it to extend at a prodigious speed and shoot out like an arrow, piercing through the man’s shoulder in an instant.

Padraig twisted, attempting to pull himself free from the elongated blade, but it retracted even as he moved, causing a spray of blood to burst forth from his wound.

He clicked his tongue in annoyance, bringing the weight of his greatsword to bear against Eris as he swung it at the smaller knight, pushing powerfully against the dagger that she used to parry. Black-red flames erupted along the length of Padraig’s blade and cloaked his body, wasting no time in calling upon the boons that Amelia had bestowed upon him.

In response, Scarlet bestowed her Crest upon Eris, enhancing her physical capabilities tremendously. Fresh and unexhausted, the immensity of Scarlet’s mana reserves coupled with her expert proficiency in the art of Crest bestowal, Eris found her power magnified like never before.

Of course, she had experienced the strength of Scarlet’s Crest many times, but this was the very first time she had been granted such power through its mere bestowal. In fact, the pillar of light that had erupted from Scarlet when she had activated the Crest was far larger than usual, erupting forth in a powerful burst of violet light that dominated the entirety of the vast room.

It was a light so great that it eclipsed even the sun outside the windows, consuming all traces of darkness with its presence and destroying them utterly.

“There’s nowhere left to run this time.” Eris said as Padraig staggered backward from the blinding flash of violet light. “I wish we had met back when you were still in the Imperial Order. I looked up to you. Many knights did, despite your demotion.”

“...I’m sorry to disappoint.”

Eris merely shook her head. “Don’t worry. You haven’t disappointed me. The only person I look up to now is Lady Scarlet.”

Padraig laughed, swinging his greatsword at Eris. The blonde-haired knight parried the strike easily, sending the sound of echoing steel careening through the air. “Is that so? It seems that we’re the same, then!”

“We’re nothing alike.” Eris retorted, issuing a strike of her own. The dagger appeared to be woefully puny when wielded against Padraig’s armored form and pitted against his colossal greatsword, but its ability to extend and retract rapidly allowed her to use her superior agility to deal significant wounds against Padraig.

Though his regeneration was still rapid, the power of Carnwennan coupled with the full strength of Scarlet’s Foundational Crest was enough to stymie Padraig’s healing factor for long enough that a quick decapitation would release him from his accursed fate once and for all.

“...Medrauta. You haven’t moved at all.” Viviane said, looking at her knight worriedly. “Are you sure everything is okay?”

“...I’m fine, Vivi.” Medrauta said through gritted teeth. “I thought... I thought I’d moved on already, but I...”

Viviane placed a hand on Medrauta’s arm, a gesture that she hoped would comfort her beloved knight. “It’s alright, Medrauta. I know it can’t be easy...”

Medrauta shook her head, choosing to remain silent. She started forward, clenching the hilt of her sword tightly. Despite the emotional turmoil within her, she knew she had to do something. As a knight, she had to assist Eris and end the fight properly.

“You don’t have to.”

Medrauta whirled around. Instead of Viviane, those words had come from Scarlet. The raven-haired noblewoman’s attention was focused entirely on her knight, issuing edicts to activate her Crest’s abilities and augment her knight’s skills intermittently. Yet, she had managed to notice Medrauta’s discomfort with ease.

“You don’t have to fight him,” Scarlet repeated. “Eris and I will defeat him here. You and Viviane go on ahead to the top.”

“L-Lady Scarlet...!? N-Not you too!” Viviane exclaimed.

“Eris and I cannot lose. Not while my mana reserves are still full and her stamina persists. Padraig is a powerful foe. There is no doubt about that... But he is not invincible, and neither is he a particularly strong match against my knight. We will emerge victorious and join you at the top of the Spire. That I swear.”

“...Lady Scarlet.” Viviane murmured. She searched Scarlet’s violet eyes for any signs of brave deception, but there were none. The black-haired noblewoman well and truly thought that she would be able to defeat Padraig handily with her knight. “V-Very well... Please join us as quickly as possible.”

“...Thank you, Lady Scarlet. I won’t forget this.” Medrauta bowed her head.

“Ascend to the top, Medrauta and Viviane. For us. All of us.”

With that, Viviane and Medrauta made a dash for the final set of stairs that would take them to where Amelia sat. Though the final confrontation was nigh, the silver-haired knight ascended without looking back even once, her hand grasping Viviane’s firmly.

She wished she could have said farewell to her mentor one last time, but there was no one to hear her final goodbye. The Padraig she knew and loved no longer existed, after all.