“Hiya!” Lacey shouted as she thrusted her spear forward. Swiftly and skillfully she pierced the air with consecutive attacks. Her voice shouted out with each swing and thrust. Sweat trailed down her face and body despite the cool morning air around her.

She launched another attack, however, her moves slowly lost their edge as the thoughts she had been fighting off finally overcame her mind.

Why…?! She questioned herself. Over and over the memory of Dante pulling away from her, the words he was going the say. They all invaded her mind.

“Ha!” she shouted with another swing. She stood in her pose for a moment as she contemplated the events of last night.

He did it with them, the images of the three’s hot and sweaty bodies, their cries of pleasures, all came back to her. Along with a strong pain that gripped her deep within her chest. Yet he rejected me… She placed her hand on her breast, the same as where she brought his hand to last night. The warm, rough sensation of his palm upon her bare flesh, the hot desire that rose within her, they were all fresh in her mind. Even now, her body grew hot just remembering it all.

Her heart and body raced as she imagined coming together with him, the same way as Marilyn and Kayla. However, that moment never came, those lustful desires remained a mere fantasy. Instead, she got the cold and depressing reality of being rejected by him.

Lacey stepped back and leaned against a nearby tree. She could feel the tears welling up as she recalled the events. Though, there was more than just sadness that filled her after last night.

“Them…yet, why not me.” That question repeated itself within her endlessly. Did she smell? Perhaps she came on to strong, or maybe he was put off by her smaller chest. As she shifted through the possible answers for her dilemma, she grew more frustrated. Perhaps if she alone weren’t rejected, Lacey might have been able to accept it, at least a little, however…

Am I really inferior compared to them! Her brows frowned as she thought that, I may not be as busty, but still I’m… she paused, I’m the most renowned knight maiden in the lands, so why?! She kicked the tree’s bark as she vented her frustration.

There was no way she could accept losing him to those two. Surely, they must have done something to Dante or maybe because it was both of them that’s why.

“I refuse… I refuse to let them have him!” she proclaimed to herself, “I know! I’ll show him how much better I am compared to them. Then finally, the two of us-” a sudden noise caught her attention.

“Hel…!” the sound became closer and closer along with the rustling of nearby plants.

Lacey immediately grabbed onto her spear as she peered around in front of her. Her ears primed to catch the voices cry once more.

“He…lp!”

Lacey tightened her grip on the polearm as she heard the voice again and rushed out toward its origin. She dashed through the trees and bushes but soon halted her pursuit as she saw the tall shrubs before her rustle and shake. She immediately switched into a fighting stance, unsure of what would soon be upon her.

“Ah!” a woman cried out as she slipped out of the bush and her eyes came into contact with the armed Lacey, “Please! Don’t hurt me!” she cried out as she fell backward unto the ground.

“Don’t worry, I’m a knight maiden, maybe you’ve heard of me, Lacey of Dulac,” She said as she lowered her weapon. “Lacey… of Dulac, the knight maiden!” the woman immediately became elated as she grabbed the hemline of Lacey’s mini dress, “Oh, thank the Goddesses! Please save me, they’re after me!”

“It’s alright, you’re safe now,” Lacey smiled as she kneeled to face the bruised and teary-eyed woman, “I’ll keep you safe, just calm down and exp-”-a sudden hiss echoed from the surroundings.

“Ah! They’re here, we have to run!” Suddenly a number of familiar foes appeared from the shrubbery.

“These things again huh,” Lacey said as she took on her fighting stance once again.

The scaled women all screeched as they saw the spear pointed at them. All the while the woman trembled in fear.

“Stay behind me, I’ll handle them,” Lacey smirked. While the decision to protect this woman was her upholding her duty as a knight maiden. Deep inside she knew that this was an opportunity not only to save someone but for her to show to Dante just how great she really was.