***WARNING*** Major spoilers for Jeritza's dlc support conversations

To say that Byleth was not even the slightest bit surprised when she spotted Hubert lurking around in the shadows inside the arena would have been an enormous understatement. What did surprise her, though, was his knowing little wave in her direction and his complete lack of embarrassment at once again being caught out by her whilst attempting to spy. It was almost as if he enjoyed it.

Byleth was much more disgruntled when she noted a flash of brilliant yellow moving covertly overhead, up in the rafters of the stands. How the hell had Claude managed to get here quicker than she had? It was literally only moments ago that she had been speaking to him in the dining room. His curiosity was, of course, her own fault for teasing him, she realised ruefully.

Jeritza was patiently waiting for her over by the weapon's racks. Byleth bounced up to him with exaggerated enthusiasm and pulled him close in an overly friendly greeting.

'We are being observed.' She advised in a low whisper as he stiffened at her unexpected intimacy. 'If you wish to speak privately, we will have to find a more secure location.'

'Any suggestions?' He mumbled, awkwardly patting at her back as she held onto him.

'Is your room situated with the other faculty members?'

'Yes, but…'

'There is no way anybody would escape notice if they tried to overhear us up there.' Byleth stated.

'True, but…' Jeritza flustered.

'You have a better idea?'

'No.' Jeritza's shoulders slumped. He reached his out hand, and tentatively grabbed hold of her wrist. 'Come then.' He murmured, striding forward at speed and pulling her along behind him as if he were worried he would change his mind if they lingered. Byleth couldn't resist a slight turn as they went through the door, sending her own smug wave of farewell in Hubert's direction. She was quite sure she heard him chuckle in response.

Jeritza continued moving at a fearsome pace, but he had dropped her hand once they were outside of the arena. His mouth was set in a grimly thin line as Byleth jogged to keep up with him, his eyes set firmly ahead as if her accompanying him was happenstance only. Byleth was relieved when they reached his room without running into anyone that would likely take an interest in them being together. She was even more relieved that her father was currently away from the Monastery.

Pushing open the door to his room, Jeritza hesitated a second and then moved aside so she could come in. The first thing that immediately struck Byleth was how much larger the accommodation up here was. She had been to her father's room, which, like his office was cluttered knee-deep in stuff – but here in the austere and immaculate space that housed the weaponsmaster, the size was definitely more apparent. Despite having more than ample capacity, there was next to no furniture, no personal items or books, and no chairs to sit on. There was, however, was a filled weapon rack and an odd and slightly funky smell that appeared to be coming from a covered bucket, not far from the door.

Jeritza had crossed the space to the window and was stood with his back to his guest, his shoulders rigid.

'Is that fish I can smell?' Byleth hazarded a guess.

Jeritza turned slowly and nodded his head towards the bucket. Unable to deny her curiosity, Byleth took a peek under the lid. Dozens of fishheads bobbed in water.

'Dinner?' Byleth queried, realising that she had never actually seen Jeritza in the dining hall.

There was a low snort that may have been some kind of amusement.

'Yes.' He agreed. 'For the cats.'

'Oh? You Like cats?' Byleth sounded surprised.

'A whole lot more than I like most humans.' Jeritza nodded.

Byleth sat down on the rug by the hearth for want of a proper seat. She gazed up at Jeritza, who was still stood rigidly by the window. 'So you wanted to enlist my aid with something?' She prompted gently.

'Yes.' Jeritza came closer, slowly. He took a paper bag from a drawer in his table and then sat on the other side of the fireplace, thrusting out the bag towards Byleth. She took a sweet from the offered pack and popped it into her mouth.

'Can you tell me about the Ashen Demon?' He asked quietly, putting his treats on the floor between them both after taking one for himself.

'What do you want to know exactly?' She inquired. 'It is simply a nickname.'

'I saw, when I fought you… it is more than just a moniker.'

Byleth's brow puckered thoughtfully. 'I have been fighting for at least half of my life, yet I find only nothingness in battle. I suppose… if anything, the demon allows me to function. Clears my head, tunes my senses. I have never been capable of being… very emotional, but I am even less so when fighting. The common perception is that I am a cold-blooded killer.'

'Are you?'

'I am if I have to be. I will avoid taking life wherever it is possible.' Byleth shrugged.

Jeritza nodded slowly. 'You have a great deal of control.' He noted.

'I think that is what the lack of feeling allows.' She agreed.

'I do not have that sort of control.' Jeritza was unable to meet her eyes.

Byleth was silent for a moment. 'You are dangerous?' She asked delicately. 'I am aware that your strength and your skill is great, without adequate control…'

'Yes. Dangerous.' Jeritza replied.

'And yet you teach.' Byleth pointed out.

'I can manage myself quite adequately in most scenarios.' Jeritza took another sweet from the pack. 'My appointment here was as a direct referral from the Empire, which meant that not many questions were asked when I joined the faculty.'

'Do you think you are a risk to the students?'

'I don't believe so, not in general.' Jeritza replied honestly. 'I purposely only instruct and never spar. I keep myself separate from others, and I take opportunities to sate my needs outside of the Monastery. My baser character emerges mostly by choice, but it can present if I am placed in an emotional or dangerous situation.'

'So you want me to what? Be aware and protect the students?'

'I genuinely do not believe there will be a problem.' Jeritza replied carefully. 'But I have identified a particular situation which could cause an issue. It is that which I seek aid in managing.'

'Why me?' Byleth couldn't help the question.

Jeritza made his laugh-like snort again. 'You are capable of killing me, Byleth. If required.'

'I'm sure that there are others capable too.' She murmured.

'Potentially, yes.' Jeritza agreed. 'But there is something more with you.'

'Oh?'

'I asked you to spar when we first met. It was an unusual thing for me to do, and I would have taken it back if the Archbishop hadn't been so keen on our match going ahead.' A tiny smile quirked at Jeritza's lips. 'You immediately intrigued me. The Ashen Demon - so young and tiny, with a kitten on her shoulder and looking completely harmless.'

'Well, I proved that assumption wrong.'

'Yes.'

'You didn't appear to have any difficulties with your manner when we fought.' Byleth mused.

'When you bested me, I thought I was going to turn. I nearly did.' Jeritza admitted. 'Then you simply saw me coming and punched me out.' He shook his head. 'I was in awe at your calmness. I immediately settled back into myself. That had never happened before.'

'Last night… when you stopped me from falling into the lake, and I attacked you… you didn't react then either.'

'I'm amazed I didn't punt you halfway out into the lake.' Jeritza agreed. 'I didn't even come close to violence. Although, I was a little distracted at the time.'

Byleth blushed furiously. 'Yes, sorry about that.' She mumbled.

'I can't remember the last time I was touched by someone I wasn't killing.' Jeritza added.

'So very sorry…'

'It wasn't entirely horrible.'

'Please stop!' Byleth begged. 'It's not like I'm used to contact either, you know. Dad pats me in encouragement sometimes, and I guess I've picked up that habit with my students, but…' She peeked up to see Jeritza staring at her curiously. 'No.' She said with a sigh. 'It wasn't horrible.'

They stared at each other in silence for a moment.

'I still don't know what exactly it is you want from me.' Byleth finally stated.

'There is someone I want to approach.' Jeritza said quietly. 'She was very special to me a long time ago. Although we haven't seen each other in twelve years, I believe she may be starting to suspect who I really am despite the fact I have a different name, and I wear this mask.'

'You want me to speak to her?' Byleth asked, intrigued.

'I need you to chaperone our meeting.' Jeritza corrected.

'Why?'

Jeritza sighed deeply. 'The situation around us being parted was not an easy one. I would have preferred not to speak with her at all, but I am worried that she will corner me unexpectedly and confront me, and I am not sure that I will handle it well. There is too much of a risk that I will fail to control myself.'

'I see.' Byleth frowned.

'I considered just leaving the Monastery.' Jeritza continued. 'A part of me longs to reconnect though. I have observed you Byleth, and I have concluded that you could ensure her safety.'

'And if I say no?' Byleth asked intently.

'Then, I will have to leave. I will not risk hurting her.'

'This is a worrying request Jeritza.' Byleth replied. 'It's a lot of responsibility - especially coming from a man who has admitted to being dangerously violent, and who has changed his name and hides his identity.'

Jeritza reached up behind his head and unlaced the bindings holding his mask in place. He looked up shyly at Byleth as the porcelain came away from his face. 'My name was Emile.' He said quietly.

Byleth gawped. His features were instantly familiar and delicately beautiful. 'Mercedes!' She exclaimed. 'You are related to Mercedes.'

'You are exceptionally astute.' He nodded. 'She is my half-sister. We share the same mother.'

'You are way younger than I imagined.' Byleth added in amazement.

'Twenty-one.' He supplied.

'Me too, in a month.'

'Then you are also a good deal younger than I thought.' Jeritza blinked.

'Mercedes is one who could handle this situation, you know.' Byleth's mind was racing. 'She is an exceptional woman.'

'She was always kind. It was the hardest thing when we were parted.'

'I'm sure she feels the same.' Byleth consoled.

'My father was not a nice man.' Jeritza looked away sharply. 'My mother had to leave, needed to escape from him.' His shoulder's started to tremble.

'Jeritza?' Byleth shuffled closer.

'I will need to explain to Mercedes. I need to do this.' Jeritza grunted.

Byleth picked up the mask from where he had placed it by his side. She leaned in and fixed it back in place.

His shaking stopped at her touch. His fingers went up to his mask. 'Why did you put it back on?' He asked.

'You were calmer when you were wearing it.' Byleth sat back. 'Your memories of being Emile are not easy?'

'No.'

'When you wear the mask, it is an amour. It is part of your identity as Jeritza rather than Emile.' She shrugged.

Jeritza stared at her for a few moments as he thought. He eventually nodded his agreement.

'Continue when you are ready.' Byleth passed him the sweet packet.

'My father wanted to replace my mother with Mercedes to provide him with a stable of crested children. To further his ambitions.'

'That's why they left?'

'That and his general cruelty, yes.' Jeritza agreed. 'I chose to stay with him. If they had taken me too, nothing would have stopped my father from hunting them down. I was his crested son and heir.' He explained.

'Crest's truly are nothing but trouble.' Byleth noted sourly.

'It took a few years but eventually, my father did discover where they had run too.' Jeritza was talking slowly now. Careful. 'He planned to grab them back and start making good on his diabolical plan to use Mercedes… I couldn't allow that to happen.'

'You killed him.' Byleth stated baldly. 'I would have done the same.' Her eyes flashed anger.

'I did. Only I didn't stop there.' Jeritza slumped forward. 'In my rage, I killed everyone, and I didn't stop killing. I was another being entirely.'

'But you stopped eventually.' Byleth pointed out.

'I was taken in by a noble house which required an heir, where I was hidden and helped to manage my affliction. I became Jeritza.' He agreed.

'I'll help you.' Byleth decided suddenly. 'I'm not sure of the wisdom of it, and if it had been someone other than Mercedes, I might have chosen differently, but I do believe she can handle the situation positively. I don't want to have to kill you, though, Jeritza. Please don't make me have to.'

'But it is a comfort - to know the heart of the one you will fight to the death. I have no doubt it will be you. You have the courage, and I… anticipate that moment fondly.'

'Okay, because that's not weird at all.' Byleth grouched. 'And you had the audacity to call me strange.'

That elicited a genuine laugh. 'You did just agree to help me.' He pointed out.

'I said you were audacious… not wrong.' Byleth conceded.