The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie/One Step Forward

One Step Forward (踏み出す一歩) is an episode in. Its events take place prior to the main story.

Background
The episode can be accessed from the Infinity Corridor.

Synopsis
Aurelia Le Guin is in the Thors Branch Campus reflecting on how she has continued on as the principal and the arts curriculum of Thors Military Academy when her thoughts drift to Wallace Bardias who calls at the same moment.

meanwhile, At the Saint-Arkh Mansion of Count Altheim, the count is talking with his daughter Mary Altheim. He had been content to wait for Makarov to propose after proving the results of his research to G. Schmidt but after six months has grown tired. He has arranged a match for Mary and she is to meet the man the following day. Mary is conflicted because she still loves Makarov and speaks to him on the phone later. he trusts her to make the right decision and Mary resolves to decline the proposition.

The next day, Fernand Hyarms is mediating the match, which turns out to be Wallace Bardias. he is at the age when he must seriously consider marriage and reveals that he has feelings for Mary. The two go on a walk around the city and discover they have a shared interest in the arts, getting into a lengthy discussion over drinks. Mary states that she knows Wallace is just playing along to satisfy the demands made on him, but he counters that his feelings are genuine. He takes her to the Albion Boutique and gifts her a Margaret's Corsage, the meaning of which is 'True Love'. They decide to meet again the following day for an answer, with Mary now conflicted.

At this meeting, Mary gives her answer that she cannot marry Wallace, being too much in love with Makarov. She details her time at the main campus and how Makarov was the most supportive of her, and her growing fondness which she realised was love after the October War. Wallace accepts this and her feelings are genuine, but Aurelia arrives and states that it is not that simple. She backs up Wallace as someone who has not let her down, and will not let Mary down, and the topic switches to the idea that it could be one-sided with Makarov not as committed to Mary because of his research.

Makarov arrives at the 11th hour with his graduation project, Tyrfing, complete and his declaration of love for Mary.Mint is accompanying him. After his speech about his feelings, Aurelia has him prove his resolve, to which Makarov does by proposing. Outside, Count Altheim invites Makarov and Mint for dinner. It turns out all to have been an elaborate ruse by Aurelia and Wallace to speed up Makarov and Mary's relationship, but mary surmises it has helped Wallace in a certain relationship of his own.

Aurelia and Wallace recollect thier days at the Academy where Aurelia challenged Wallace as the captain of the Horse-riding Club, ending in a draw. Aurelia gave the condition of her victory that Wallace would serve as her right hand man when she became a famous general. Wallace invites Aurelia to spar which she accepts, should it be on horseback.