Chapter 15: Infernal Affairs

"How strange that we haven't thought of this before," Sothis said. She floated next to Byleth with her arms crossed, watching a rather cheerful Dining Hall employee prepare a simple metal cart for teatime. "We've partaken in such activities with others, but never once questioned how everyone happened to have such a handy cart on hand."

Byleth admitted that he had overlooked the fact entirely, and upon reflection, realized it was strange that he never saw any of these carts hanging about around people's rooms or in other places throughout the Monastery. Regardless, given that the Dining Hall was willing to store personal provisions, he realized them having a rental tea cart service was likely the reason why the other features were free. "And we're all done. Since you're a faculty member, you get this at the discounted rate of five gold," the cheerful employee said.

"Five gold? Hmph," Sothis said. "Even trinkets and baubles go for more than five gold. Surely these people put more value in their service than that."

Byleth thought the price made perfect sense considering how many people he saw having tea daily around the Monastery. He could easily see the low price resulting in a steady flow of additional income for the Dining Hall. "Thank you," Byleth said as he paid. With his cart at the ready, he went off in search of his target.

"… Why do I feel like we are attracting attention?" Sothis asked as they roamed the Monastery. "Surely people drink tea after class, do they not? Ah, or perhaps they are wondering who you could possibly be searching for! This is the first time we are trying our hands at something like this, after all."

He realized that was likely the case but paid little mind to it. Even if someone approached him, he was doing this for a reason and knew exactly who he was going to talk to. After a bit more roaming, he spotted his target and their usual accomplice having some sort of discussion. Once they both heard him approaching, he spoke. "Edelgard," Byleth greeted.

"Professor," Edelgard greeted, her eyes immediately drawn to the cart he was pushing around. A smile crept onto her face as she continued speaking. Behind her, Hubert seemed intent on glaring daggers into Byleth. "Is there something you'd like to ask me?"

"Yes," Byleth said, meeting her expectant gaze with his usual blank expression. Edelgard nodded, awaiting his next words. "May I borrow Hubert for tea?"

"Wha-" Edelgard began before reflexively raising her arm and apparently forcing herself into a short coughing fit directed into the back of her elbow. Behind her, Hubert's expression had shifted completely from the focused glare he held, the boy blinking a few times as if questioning whether he was awake or not. "Apologies, Professor… Could you repeat that?" Edelgard said, her voice a bit less pleasant this time and more akin to the usual commanding tone Byleth had heard many times before.

"May I borrow Hubert for tea?" Byleth asked again, even though Sothis was cackling next to his ear at the Adrestian Princess' reaction.

"I… that's something you should ask Hubert, isn't it?" Edelgard managed to reply.

"Very well," Byleth said. He turned his gaze to Hubert, who appeared as if his thoughts were cascading through every possible reason Byleth could ever have to approach him. "Hubert, would you join me for tea?"

"… Might I ask why, Professor?" Hubert asked, seemingly considering a few options in his head.

"As a Professor at the Officers' Academy, I'm expected to work with all of the students, not just those in my House," Byleth said, his response measured and planned beforehand. "There are some students I feel that I don't have a good understanding of yet. I think you're one of them, so I'd like an opportunity to speak with you more."

As Byleth expected, that seemed to have caught Hubert's attention. "I see… Very well, then," Hubert said. "May I take your leave, Lady Edelgard?" he asked with a slight bow towards her. Byleth noted his face was obscured by her hair based on how he leaned his body, and the slight movement of Edelgard's eyes indicated she had almost certainly been whispered something in that moment.

"Of course, Hubert. I've told you before you're free to leave at any time," Edelgard said as he returned to his usual posture. "I can't help but wonder what you two would discuss… but in any case, I hope you enjoy yourselves."

"That was a quick switch," Sothis noted.

"We'll try," Byleth said.

"I certainly hope so, Professor," Hubert said. "Please, lead the way."

"Have a good afternoon, Edelgard," Byleth said with a nod. She nodded in response, exchanging one quick final glance with Hubert before he and Byleth took their leave.

Leading Hubert to the courtyard once again, Byleth found them an empty table with ease. He had chosen the time between classes and tutoring since the lowest number of people were in the courtyard then, with most students and knights alike allocating any free time to lunch in the Dining Hall or rest before their next assignment. They both took their seats, and Byleth began heating the water.

"Hmm… shady, secluded with few listeners, yet not so isolated as to be considered suspicious. A fine choice, Professor," Hubert said.

"I doubt that's all you noticed," Byleth said. Hubert chuckled.

"That's a rather direct approach… though I suppose your penchant for efficiency makes you less indulgent of the usual preamble in these kinds of situations," Hubert said. "You have no intention of speaking with me regarding your official duties as a teacher to a student. You have business with me, Hubert von Vestra. As for what business… I'll admit, I'm at a loss."

"Good. Then I'll be blunt," Byleth said. "I want information about Lord Arundel."

Hubert paused for a moment, almost as if he were making sure he heard Byleth correctly. He recovered quickly enough, though his focus on Byleth was a bit more intense than it was previously. "You'll have to be more specific about that. I could regale you with facts found in official records, but I doubt that's what you're looking for," Hubert said.

"Correct," Byleth said. "What is Lord Arundel's opinion of the Church?"

"… I've heard he was very devout in his younger years, but it seems experience has made him less pious. Nevertheless, he's like most other nobles who aren't religiously inclined: he tolerates the Church's existence and follows the common law of the land," Hubert said.

"Any reason he would have to oppose the Church?" Byleth asked.

"Oppose the Church? Professor, do you realize you're asking me to incriminate Lady Edelgard's uncle?" Hubert asked.

"That is why I asked you and not her," Byleth said. "You're the next Minister of the Imperial Household, so I think you know more than most regarding nobles around the Empire. I'm also aware that Lord Lonato is likely the only noble to openly oppose the Church. I'm interested in any possible support he may be receiving."

"Support… you believe Lord Lonato isn't acting on his own?" Hubert asked.

"That concern was raised multiple times," Byleth said. "I'd like to consider every possibility. The fact that Lord Arundel has seemingly becomes less devout over the years already makes him suspicious, but I'd appreciate any other possible motives you can think of."

"Very well. Unfortunately, I can think of no other such motives," Hubert said. "While I am acquainted with Lord Arundel, there is a limit to my insight regarding his private life."

"I see. Thank you for telling me," Byleth said. He poured their tea then, prepping a simple and cost-effective tea known as the Tea of the Saints.

"Hmm… I doubt that's all you wanted to know, Professor," Hubert said.

"It isn't," Byleth said. "But before we continue, I'd like to know if you want to discuss anything with me."

"… As a matter of fact, there is something that's been on my mind," Hubert said after taking a drink. "Lady Edelgard has taken something of an interest in you."

"She has," Byleth said. He took a sip of his tea. "You have an issue with that, correct?"

"Yes… you seem to have grasped at least part of the role I play here," Hubert said. "One of my many duties is to determine potential advantages and potential threats to Her Highness. While you may not fall directly into either category at present, you are… something of a distraction to her."

"I see. Unfortunately, I can't force her to lose interest in me without putting my position at risk," Byleth said.

"I recognize that… and I hope you recognize that much more than your position would be at risk if you ever proceeded with any such courses of action," Hubert said. "However, I've prepared a much less drastic solution to our dilemma."

"What do you propose?" Byleth asked.

"As I'm sure you know, Professor, many of the students here find you fascinating in one way or the other," Hubert said. "That fascination is sure to make them very receptive to opportunities to spend more time with you."

"Our free time is rather limited as is," Sothis noted.

"To that end, I believe selective recruitment may be an effective method of distancing yourself from Lady Edelgard," Hubert said.

"You want me to invite people to my class?" Byleth asked.

"One person in particular," Hubert said. "You may not be aware of this, but Petra is rather fond of you. She has taken to mentioning you quite often in conversation, to the point that it irks Lady Edelgard at times. Of course, Her Highness would never admit such discussion troubled her, but her suppressed enmity may be released if you and Petra grew even closer."

"Petra joining my class would cause Edelgard to grow angry with me?" Byleth asked, not exactly sure what the point of Hubert's plan was. He thought that perhaps Edelgard may be angry she herself could not switch classes as a House Leader, or that she may be angry he was weakening her House, but found those reasons lacking.

Hubert smirked, clearly pleased that Byleth seemed to be missing something. "Something like that, Professor. But you needn't worry. Simply recruit Petra, and time will take care of the rest," he said. "As for that endeavor… take this," he continued, reaching into his coat and producing the notebook he always carried around. He quickly flipped it open, skimming past pages until he found a spot near the back. With one swift motion, he tore out a page and offered it to Byleth. "This should make your task easier."

Byleth accepted the page and hurriedly skimmed it. The top was simply entitled PM with some sort of banner design or crest near it, followed by a few measurements and a list of skills, proficiencies, and a small descriptor of general combat ability. Underneath that was a list of likes, dislikes, fears, habits, hobbies, enjoyment, and various blocks of writing denoted by 'quirk', 'normal' 'interesting', 'potential' or 'caution'.

"That is… a surprisingly well-made list," Sothis said as Byleth folded the paper and stored it with his things.

"You'd make an excellent Professor," Byleth said. Hubert chuckled at that.

"If you encounter any difficulties or the information provided isn't enough, seek me out again under the same ruse you've used now. I shall inform Lady Edelgard you had matters to attend to and we never got around to the half-truth you presented," Hubert said.

"Very well," Byleth said. He took a drink of his tea, as did Hubert, before speaking again. "Shall I continue where I left off?"

"Of course," Hubert said.

"Without information on Arundel, I have little choice other than to be prepared for his potential intervention," Byleth said. "With that said, the maps in the Monastery detailing House Gaspard's territories aren't detailed enough. I'd like to know if there are any potential routes from Arundel territory to Gaspard territory that would allow a large force to pass through or allow small groups of soldiers to move between regions undetected."

"Ah… now you're asking questions suited to House Vestra," Hubert said.

As the two finished their tea, Hubert and Byleth finished their exchange. In addition to learning of a few potential smuggling routes that could pass soldiers from Arundel territory to the areas around Gaspard territory, he also learned of a few usable by the Western Church, some of which could transport a large number of troops if used without concern for discretion.

Once they had finished, Hubert took his leave as Byleth returned the cart to the kitchen. As he was leaving, he found Sylvain seemingly waiting for him, though the boy was doing his best to pretend he was checking out a few of the students near the Dining Hall. Stuffing the page from Hubert back into his bag once more, he continued walking forwards. "Gotta say, Professor, I wouldn't have guessed Hubert to be the first person you invite out for tea," Sylvain said as Byleth approached. "So, what'd you talk about?"

"He must have noticed us," Sothis said. Byleth agreed but had already prepared an answer for anyone that may have questioned him.

"I asked for relationship advice," Byleth said.

Sylvain's usual laidback and semi-arrogant smirk instantly dropped, the boy fully whirling around to look at Byleth. "… You're joking, right, Professor?" he asked.

"No. He was quite detailed. I think I'll be fine now," Byleth said.

"Uhh… not to speak poorly of Hubert or anything, but are you sure he's the guy you want for relationship advice?" Sylvain asked. "He didn't mention anything weird, did he? No ropes, tailing, or… cloth and tonic?"

"… No, I don't recall that," Byleth said, thinking over the PM note he briefly read. "Are those the sort of things you need for a good relationship?"

"No, no, nope! Forget all of that stuff," Sylvain said quickly, ushering Byleth further away from the Dining Hall to continue their talk. He chuckled as they made their way back towards the Main Hall, where there was a general air of noise from other conversations that easily drowned theirs out. "Well, now that I know nothing dangerous came of it… I'll be honest, Professor, I don't think Hubert's got the right mind for this kind of thing."

"Are you certain? I think his advice is a great boon," Byleth said. "I'm actually planning to apply it now."

"Really?" Sylvain asked.

"Yes," Byleth continued, turning towards the Officers' Academy main area. "If you'd like to evaluate the results, you are free to observe from a distance. I will be in the Black Eagles' classroom."

"… That sounds really creepy when you put it like that, but I'll stick around the area," Sylvain said. "I apologize in advance if I need to barge in."

"Why would you?" Byleth asked. Sylvain cleared his throat.

"Never mind. Good luck, Professor… you might need it," Sylvain said, turning away to take a seat on one of the empty benches looking towards the classrooms.

Left to his own devices, Byleth made his way over to the Black Eagles classroom and followed the first piece of relevant advice: 'Habit – Remains in the classroom for roughly an hour after classes to study the language of Fodlan'.

Entering the classroom, Byleth found Petra focusing intently on what appeared to be a novel of some sort with her handy dictionary at hand, occasionally glancing back at it and flipping through a few pages before returning her focus on the book. "Is everything alright?" Byleth asked, startling Petra.

"Ah, Professor! No, I am… again having difficulty with the language," Petra admitted. Byleth moved over and took the seat next to hers, looking over what she read briefly as she spoke. "I am not understanding this expression here… When and how is this used… 'I fell for it'."

Byleth recalled another note: 'Quirk – Fails to understand idioms due to uncertainty with the nuances of Fodlan language'.

"Falling for a ruse or deception, isn't it?" Sothis suggested. Byleth agreed but considered his options. He recalled another piece Hubert had written: 'Fear – Exclusion due to language barrier/causing trouble due to language barrier'.

Deciding not to tread that line, Byleth spoke. "I fell in love?" he suggested.

"No, that is what you say when you meet the mate of your soul," Petra said. "The expression is, 'I fell for it!'," she continued, speaking the line as she believed it was written.

"… I don't understand," Byleth said, putting a hand to his chin as if he were now also thinking over the expression.

"Are you a stump? I mean… are you stumped?" Petra asked, looking a bit surprised. Byleth nodded, eliciting a small smile from her. "That makes me surprised!"

"I am knowledgeable, but I did not speak often before becoming a Professor. I sometimes find myself having to think over what I was just told to make sure I understood it," Byleth said. "It is easier to do when I am in a situation where it tells me what is happening more than the one speaking."

"Ah, I understand… when it is said in the moment, it carries more meaning," Petra said, a small epiphany in her eyes before she flipped to the previous page of her novel. "Here, there is… trickery. I fell for… the trickery? So 'it' means the trick, then… so the man is saying the trick worked… no, he is not the trickster, so… he was tricked? Yes, here it means he was tricked!"

"That sounds right," Byleth said. Petra let out a content hum, practically brimming as if she had overcome a great obstacle as she started flipping back through her novel. As Byleth finished evaluating her look, he was seemingly caught performing his evaluation.

"Can I ask you about another word? The one that is written… Hm? Is something on my face?" Petra asked.

Byleth pulled on another note: 'Likes – Strange humor. Jokes that lack substance or are not actually jokes at all are her favorite'. "Your cheeks are on your face," Byleth said.

Petra let out a little giggle. "Yes, I know about that! That is a joke of Fodlan! Right?" she asked. Byleth nodded, getting another content hum from Petra. "Is that really what you are thinking? Or maybe you have curiosity about the mark on my face?"

"Hubert's observations are… scarily good," Sothis said as she and Byleth simultaneously recalled another note: 'Likes – Sharing the culture of Brigid. Will speak extensively about it if given the chance'. Byleth had already somewhat grasped that Petra took great pride in speaking about Brigid, but the confirmations of his writing with what Byleth knew or suspected only served to credit Hubert's other notes.

"The mark?" Byleth asked, shifting his focus to the small purple tattoo underneath Petra's right eye.

"You are already knowing that I am from Brigid," Petra said. "This is a mark from Brigid. It is a prayer to the forest spirits. A prayer to be protected. Hunters ask the forest spirits to have safe and bountiful hunting."

"Forest spirits?" Byleth asked, recalling that Dedue mentioned a singular forest deity in Duscur.

"There are many spirits in Brigid," Petra said. "I have more marks on my arms and back. They are prayers for my family's health and triumph. Are you wanting to see them?"

"I would love to," Byleth said.

"That gives me happiness," Petra said, a genuine smile reaching her face. "If there is ever the chance, you will see them. In truth… I have much gratitude for you, Professor," she continued, seemingly becoming a bit more thoughtful than she was previously. "You always listen with patience. I can read and understand the language of Fodlan, but speak it… gives me difficulty. I hope I will keep having your support. I have things I cannot fail to accomplish."

"If possible, I'd like to support you more," Byleth said.

"Support me more? You already do very much when I am not your student…" Petra began, but then paused when she seemed to pick up on Byleth's train of thought.

"I don't know how much I can help you," Byleth said. "But I will at least take an hour after classes to assist you in learning the language, even if you would like to remain in your own class. Additionally," he continued, reaching down to his belt. He loosened the new hunting dagger he had purchased and placed it on the table. "I have noticed that you only carry a sword, despite training with two weapons. This dagger is not a short axe, but I am certain it can be of use to you."

"This is… a hunter's dagger," Petra said, taking a moment to examine the weapon. She reached for it and paused, but Byleth nodded to her. Unsheathing the blade and examining it, her eyes widened. The blade itself was slightly curved with fine serration made for rending flesh with the smallest of touches. "Craftsmanship like this… it is not Zoltan, but this is no blade of Fodlan."

"I'm not sure where it's from," Byleth admitted. "But I believe it is best in the hands of someone who understands hunting and can wield it alongside another weapon. You were the first person who came to mind."

"… Thank you, Professor," Petra said, sheathing the dagger. "I will make it the most… make the most of it."

"I'm glad," Byleth said.

"And… I think you may be right," Petra continued. "I had thought about it before… joining your class. I enjoy Professor Manuela's learnings, but I also feel… it can be lacking. But when I work with you, I feel I am doing my best. I am thinking I would like to join your class, so I can go even further."

"I will do all I can for you," Byleth said.

"Then, we shall…" Petra began, but then paused again. "… Professor, how does one switch classes?"

Byleth stopped for a moment as well, equally a little confused on the subject. He recalled having to deal with Seteth and the student but was certain there were other things he was missing. "Starting with the angry henchman himself is our best bet. If there's anything else we need to address, he should know," Sothis suggested.

"We need to speak with Seteth. Are you familiar with him?" Byleth asked.

"The Archbishop's assistant, yes?" Petra asked. Byleth nodded. "I have not had many meetings with him, but I know of him. Is he the Academy Minister?"

"… I'm not sure," Byleth said, realizing he didn't know Seteth's official title within the Church of Seiros and the Officer's Academy. "But I believe he has a role with similar duties. Come, let's find him."

Doing his best to sneak in a little reading on better control of magic in public, Sylvain found himself reading and lounging across a bench with his shirt hanging open, the boy making sure to peer over his book at whatever girl or woman happened to cross his line of sight and give a little wink or view to any of them that happened to be looking at him. When he noticed someone leaving the Black Eagle classroom, he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief for not having to get involved. While he was fairly certain Hubert wouldn't advise something outright dangerous or untoward to the Professor, he had been worried that Hubert may have suggested something to get Byleth into trouble with whoever he was talking to or the Monastery guards. At best, which he assumed was the case, Hubert gave some basic advice about what somebody liked or perhaps things they enjoyed talking about, neither of which he could see the Professor getting far with.

Thus, when Sylvain sat up and saw Byleth and Petra having a little discussion as they made their way towards the stairs together, he had to blink a few times and rub his eyes to ensure he wasn't imagining things. "Huh… I know Petra and the Professor were friendly before, but maybe Hubert's better at this than I thought… Does he have someone?" he muttered aloud.

Thinking on the matter for a few moments, he could only imagine that perhaps Hubert and Edelgard had some sort of relationship, though that seemed too obvious to be true. They did have rooms right next to each other, but he had made his way back to the dorms late rather often and saw no signs of either room ever being vacant. The Black Eagles were full of women Sylvain thought were attractive enough, but he'd never seen Hubert interact much with them outside of classroom and exercise requirements. With no other solid leads, Sylvain decided against spending the rest of his time theorizing how Hubert could have given good love advice, instead returning to his room where he could focus for a bit before a night out.

By the time Sylvain had returned to his room, Byleth and Petra managed to find Seteth with relative ease, the man working away in his office as diligently as ever amidst the deep purple interior that Hanneman seemed to have imitated with his own office. "Good afternoon, Seteth," Byleth said with a little knock on the open entrance to the office.

"Good afternoon," Petra also greeted.

"Professor Byleth, Ms. Macneary. How may I help you?" Seteth greeted without even looking up from his work. Petra glanced to Byleth, who nodded for her to proceed.

"I would like to transfer to the Professor's class," Petra said.

Seteth paused at that, his quill freezing over an area he was seemingly about to sign as he glanced up at the duo. "… That is rather unexpected, Ms. Macneary. You seemed to be doing very well in your own class," he said, now giving them his full attention.

"I am… but I feel that I could be doing even more working with the Professor," Petra said. "I do not dislike the Black Eagles or Professor Manuela. I only believe I can more learnings working with Professor Byleth. He has accepted much of who I am, respecting the traditions I value from Brigid and being patient with my misunderstandings."

"… With a proper grasp on the language, she might make a fine orator," Sothis suggested.

"I see," Seteth said with a nod. "Those are fair and honest reasons to wish for such a transfer, Ms. Macneary. As for you, Byleth… you are relatively new here. Are you certain you can handle the responsibility of caring for another student, especially one with such high expectations of you?"

"Her expectations make my tasks clear," Byleth said. "I will not fail her."

"Hmm… it seems you are both serious about this," Seteth said as he stood up. He grabbed a form from one of the drawers in his desk and handed it to Petra. "Please fill this out. I'll return momentarily," he said, indicating a quill on the opposite side of his desk for visitor use.

Petra went to work on the form with Byleth overlooking her, though there didn't appear to be anything difficult to understand on it and most of the prompts were very simply worded. They worked for a few minutes before Seteth re-entered along with another individual, Professor Manuela.

Upon seeing Petra busy filling out the transfer form, Manuela paused. "… I see," she said, her voice steady but somewhat cold.

"Professor Manuela, I do not mean to disrespect you," Petra said. "Nor do I mean to dislike… nor do I mean that I dislike you."

"I know, Petra," Manuela said. She sighed. "Many of the Black Eagles are… either too childish or too expectant."

Petra paused at that, stopping her writing to glance back at Manuela. "… You understand my reason?" she asked.

"It's difficult enough trying to fit into Fodlan coming from Brigid. Dealing with the eccentricities of… frankly, spoiled Adrestian nobility, on top of those problems is asking too much of you," Manuela said. "I had begun speaking with some of the more troublesome ones like Caspar and Linhardt, but they wouldn't have changed in time to stop this. I had a feeling you'd request a transfer, but I didn't think it would be this soon."

"… I see," Petra said, a tinge of regret making its way across her face.

"Perhaps I misjudged her… she does seem quite the teacher in her own right," Sothis said.

"Now, now, don't feel sorry for me! I approve wholeheartedly of this transfer," Manuela said with a smile. "Joining the Blue Lions should work out rather well for you, actually. Most of the students there judge each other more by martial prowess and spirit. You'll excel if you keep applying yourself as you always have. Besides, just because I don't teach you directly doesn't mean I can't teach you anything Byleth can't."

Petra smiled back at Manuela, her words reassuring the girl's decision. "Thank you, Professor," she said.

After the form had been filled out and both Byleth and Manuela gave their signatures, the deed was done. Manuela formally gave Byleth Petra's file and the two of them allowed Petra a chance to say goodbye to her fellow Black Eagles on her own terms. Once she had left, Byleth and Manuela left Seteth's office together. Not a moment after they rounded the corner, Manuela spoke in a hushed voice. "I had the feeling some students would transfer to your class given the mystique around you, but I didn't think you'd actively poach students," Manuela said. "You don't get paid extra for having more, you know? And Seteth already told you there's no monetary reward for winning the Battle of the Eagle and Lion."

"I don't know what you mean by poaching," Byleth said as they made their way downstairs. "If you wished for Petra to remain in your class longer, you could have tried to persuade her to stay."

"She's a special case. I was being honest when I said she was going to transfer sooner or later for her own good," Manuela said. "And speaking of Petra, you'd better treat her well. If I hear so much as a complaint from her about your class, she'll be returning to the Black Eagles."

"Understood," Byleth said. "I was serious about wanting to support her as much as I could."

"Good. I'm holding you to those words," Manuela said. She sighed. "Still, I'm going to miss her… and I'm not going to pretend that the Black Eagles can easily adjust to life without her. If you don't mind, Professor, I may ask to borrow her for our missions now and again. Her skillset is one my house mostly lacks."

"You should speak to Petra about that," Byleth said. "If she ever asks my permission to join you, she has it."

"Of course, of course," Manuela said. "But things like that are far in the future. As for today… I think you owe me for agreeing to the transfer so readily."

"What happened to doing this out of the goodness of your heart?" Sothis asked.

"What do you want?" Byleth asked.

"Meet me at night on the day of rest. We're going out together," Manuela said.

"Is that all?" Byleth asked.

"My, you almost make it sound like you were expecting I ask for more," Manuela teased.

"The price does seem rather low, all things considered," Sothis said. Byleth agreed but decided against pushing the subject. Instead, he thought about another topic that, while being lowered in importance, remained on his mind.

"Do you think we could begin our lessons this moon?" Byleth asked. "If you'd like, I can host the first session."

"Eager to steal my knowledge as well as my students, I see. Truly, you are a demon," Manuela said with an exaggerated wave of her hand. "But, if we're being serious, I think the upcoming day of rest is the perfect time to begin since we're already going to be together. Would that be alright with you?"

"It would," Byleth said.

"Great! In that case, we'll continue then… as for me, I have tutoring to prepare. You're luckily free today, so…" Manuela began, but then paused. "Byleth, what do you do when you're free from tutoring?"

"That depends on what I have to do for the week," Byleth said. "Today, I have business in the market."

Manuela snorted and let out a little laugh. "Business in the market! You sound like you've been speaking with Hubert!" she said.

"I think it best not to admit she's right," Sothis said. "After all, if our favor for that shady fellow is to be treated like a contract… well, you know the rest."

"It is business to buy things, isn't it?" Byleth asked.

"Well, you're not wrong… it's just an odd way of saying you're going to buy a few things," Manuela said. "Hmm… now that I think about it, your speech is oddly similar to Petra's at times… have you been practicing?"

"My speaking? I have to if I am to teach," Byleth said.

"That's a fair point. Just make sure to keep some element of your stoicism… wouldn't want to ruin your charm now," Manuela said. With that, she gave him a little wink and broke away from him, heading towards her quarters as Byleth continued through the Entrance Hall.

Reaching the grand entryway that led to the Market on the outskirts of the Monastery, Byleth stopped near the gatekeeper with a nod in greeting. The man perked up at this, responding enthusiastically. "Greetings, Professor! Nothing to report!" the gatekeeper said. "Have you had a chance to speak with Thunder Catherine yet?"

"I have," Byleth said. The gatekeeper's eyes lit-up.

"Oh, then is she actually as strong as they say she is?!" he asked. "People say that if the Knights of Seiros are the cream of the crop, then she's the cream of the cream! Oh, and that Relic of hers is nothing short of amazing, too!"

"Both of those claims are true," Byleth said. "She's incredibly strong and skilled, and I've never faced a weapon as powerful as Thunderbrand."

"Oh, man… I hope I get to talk to her properly someday. She's so cool!" the gatekeeper said. "Ah, that is to say, you're pretty cool too, being the Ashen Demon and all that, ahaha!"

"This one's cheerfulness is infectious," Sothis said with a smile. "It makes him perfect for our means."

"It's alright. I'm almost unknown compared to Thunder Catherine," Byleth said.

"Well, that's not entirely true," the gatekeeper said. "Some people have been talking about your exploits on the first mission you got assigned. The knights accompanying you said your handiwork compared to the student's was like night and day. Scary enough to live up to that Demon title, they said."

"I was just doing my job. I'm sure you'd do the same in the right circumstances," Byleth said.

"I'm not sure about all of that, but I'm glad to hear you think so highly of me!" the gatekeeper said with a grin.

"If Shamir trusts you, then you must do your job well," Byleth said. "Speaking of jobs, however… I have one for you, if you're interested."

"A job like what Ms. Nevrand asks… alright, I can do that," the gatekeeper said.

"It's simple. Tell me whenever Lord Arundel or anyone you know to be associated with him has comes and goes from the Monastery," Byleth said.

"Lord Arundel… I can do that," the gatekeeper said. "Would you like me to come find you when he arrives, or send someone for you?"

"No. But if you notice him speaking with anyone of interest or anyone repeatedly, let me know," Byleth said. With that, he offered to shake the gatekeeper's hand. The gatekeeper nodded and shook, though he seemed a little surprised at the gold coins Byleth was slipping him. "There'll be more if anything comes of this."

"I… appreciate it," the gatekeeper said, surprised at receiving payment for his work. Byleth simply nodded and made his way down to the Market, leaving the slightly bewildered man to return to his duties.

"As we suspected, this place isn't terribly busy at this hour," Sothis said, floating alongside Byleth as he began making his way over to the Battalion Guild. "With all the young ones away diligently in tutoring, it was a wise choice to come now… well, most of the young ones."

Byleth glanced over to a stall selling what appeared to be trinkets and accessories to see Hilda casually browsing the selection on the outside. As he recalled, Hanneman had mentioned that she was supposed to be attending the Heavy Armor Mobility training today along with Dedue, Raphael, and Edelgard, but was excused because of a slight injury to her ankle. Taking a quick look at her, she seemed to be moving without any issue. "Lazing about like that won't do her any good… you're a Professor now, so go talk some sense into her," Sothis said. Byleth wasn't sure about that since she wasn't in his class. "She may not be, but we must appear to care for all of the students if we want better pay."

With that, Byleth approached Hilda. She seemed to have noticed his approach and went to say something, but he spoke first. "How are you holding up?" he asked.

"I'm doing alright, Professor," Hilda said with a closed-eyes smile, giving her head the slightest tilt and leaning towards Byleth. She was about to say what Byleth assumed was the 'reciprocation' of his greeting, but he once again spoke first.

"Then why aren't you at tutoring?" Byleth asked. Hilda's eyes popped open, but she maintained her composure.

"Oh, y'see, when I said alright, I meant I can like, walk and stuff," Hilda said. "But my… ankle hurts when I run or anything, so I don't think it would be safe for me to attend today."

"Sounds like something that could easily be healed magically," Byleth said. "Shall I get some of the monks?"

"No, there's no need for that," Hilda said. "It's… good to let minor things like this heal naturally. Keeps the body working right! I mean, you don't want to depend on magic for every little bump you get, right?"

"No. But it can be used for this one," Byleth said.

"Yeah, maybe, but its already so late and all that by the time I was all healed and ready to go to tutoring, it'd probably be over," Hilda said.

"The sessions last-" Byleth began.

"For two hours, I know, but with the Heavy Armor training we lose, like, half an hour putting the armor on and then taking it off, plus Sir Alois' substitute is kind of lazy and always ends the session early," Hilda continued.

"… She's certainly set on not attending," Sothis said, trying to think of a way to convince her that didn't involve Byleth physically dragging her there. She had a feeling he was technically allowed to but was also certain the angry henchman would go from angry to furious with them, especially if Hilda complained as well as she defended herself.

"… I see," Byleth said, deciding that dealing with her was more trouble than it was worth. "Don't stay out too long. Your ankle needs time to heal."

Hilda smirked. "Thanks for your concern, Professor… oh, but can I say something?" she asked. Byleth nodded. "It's been bothering me for a while, and… well, Professor, your clothes are a bit dirty."

"Is she… insulting us?" Sothis asked, snapped out of her thoughts by Hilda's line.

"I'd have expected you to be more careful, seeing as how you're a Professor and all," Hilda continued. "I hate when my clothes get dirty. That's one of the many reasons I find it best to train as little as possible… It must be tough for a workaholic like you to stay even kinda presentable, but you really should try."

"… Choke her, Byleth. And then drag her limp body along the ground to the Knight's Hall for extra tutoring," Sothis said, sneering down at Hilda from a slightly higher position than Byleth's head. She had lifted herself up as if they were preparing for battle, eyes glaring down at their enemy. Byleth reminded her of the consequences they'd face for such a course of action, but Sothis merely growled more. "I don't like the consequences of our talk in general… At this point, I just want to see her pretty face in the mud."

"Petty," Byleth said.

"What was-" Hilda began, but was silenced as Byleth's hand shot forwards and grasped her throat. Instinctively, she tried to grab his arm and scream, but that only left her open for a powerful gut punch that took the air out of her. As Hilda doubled over, Byleth whirled around and threw her down into the shaded area behind the stall, the owner apparently doing something inside that kept their attention from the duo.

Leaping atop her so his knees pinned her forearms, Byleth once again clutched her throat. This time, however, he placed his other hand over her mouth as she tried to scream, terror wracking her features as she kicked at the air behind him. Her heels struck down on the ground behind him, leaving small cracks as a dim golden glow began to envelop her. Byleth recognized that Hilda's Crest was activating and squeezed on her throat even harder. His own Crest flared up in response, his grip tightening to the point that he could feel himself deforming her throat and neck as her attempted screams came out as muffled hoarse gasps and choked cries of pain. Byleth felt his form lift as Hilda tried to use her arms, but what strength she could muster quickly faded as her now teary eyes began to lose their focus. After a few more moments, Hilda fell completely still, prompting Byleth to release her.

Her eyes were glazed over as shallow, almost whistle-like breaths slowly returned to her. Seeing that he had left her almost as intact as he intended, Byleth got off Hilda and grabbed her by the ankle, prepared to complete the second part of Sothis' task. Dragging her out to the main Market area, he was met with shocked gasps as merchants, soldiers, and vendors alike all backed away from him. He paid them no mind, taking her upstairs to the Monastery's first floor and approaching a petrified Gatekeeper. "Take the path through the stable area," Sothis said, seemingly sitting atop Hilda's unconscious form.

"P-Pro-Prof-" the gatekeeper babbled, seemingly trying to ready his spear.

"This doesn't concern you," Byleth said as he passed him, making way towards the stable area. Bumping Hilda's head along a few more stairs, he began dragging her through the dirt area in the stables. Cyril dropped his bucket of feed as Byleth approached, the boy stunned by what he was seeing.

"I-I don't know what you're doing, but that's definitely not allowed at the Monastery!" Cyril said.

"Ugh, I'm trying to see something. Get that child out of our way!" Sothis said as Cyril ran to block Byleth, the boy grabbing a loose broom to use as an improvised weapon. The moment Cyril leveled the broom for an attack, Byleth flicked his dagger at the boy with his free hand. Cyril had no time to react, the dagger piercing his nose and eliciting a scream of pain as he fell backwards with the weapon embedded in his head. The scream died with the boy, Byleth stomping past the body with Hilda's hair drifting through the pool of blood emanating from him.

Students and monks alike fled from Byleth as he approached, though a few of the Church's soldiers stood along the small pathway leading to the Knight's Hall from the Stables to block his path. "That student, and… Goddess, is that a child laying there?!" the leader of the soldiers cried out upon taking in Byleth's approach. Byleth said nothing, simply drawing his sword in his free hand while increasing his pace towards them. The motion alone sent a wave of unease through them, and Byleth's instincts took over.

He dropped Hilda's leg and rushed forwards, slicing through the guard that questioned him with ease. The other guards recoiled at the sight, leaving Byleth free to break off to one of their flanks and take the arm off another as he sliced upwards through a gap in the soldier's lighter armor. The second scream seemed to allow a few of the guards to regain their senses, but it was already too late. Their slight retreat had put them between four pillars holding up the passageway to the Knights' Hall, leaving them unable to maneuver out of the hall they were fighting in and limiting their ability to strike with their spears. With a series of swift slashes, Byleth felled another two before the remainder fled into the Knights Hall itself.

With a sigh, Byleth turned back to Sothis. "This is not getting out of hand! It's only out of hand if this takes too long, so hurry up!" she said. Deciding she was right, Byleth grabbed Hilda's leg and practically ran into the Knight's Hall, her now bumpy run quickly waking her just in time to pass through the guards' corpses.

Hilda shrieked as Byleth kicked open the entrance to the Knights' Hall, his Crest flaring as he set his foot down and used his full body weight to hurl Hilda towards the dirty pit in the center that was used for training. Her shriek continued until she skid across the ground face first, a loud biting sound followed by incoherent screaming erupting form her as her jaw was forced close. Taking another look at her, Byleth saw she had bitten off her tongue upon hitting the ground, the girl's face, clothing, and jewelry all bloodied and muddied.

"What the hell is this?!" the substitute instructor yelled as he readied his axe. Those words alerted Byleth to his surroundings, and he quickly took in the people staring him down. Dedue and Raphael were both too stunned by what they saw to react, while Edelgard seemed to have composed herself enough to take on a defensive stance while in a Knight's bulky armor. Despite her movement, her entire body shook as evidenced by the shaking of metal and her uneasy glare at Byleth. To his flanks were the two soldiers who fled, both backing away with their spears at the ready.

"That's enough," Byleth said, turning his attention to Sothis. The girl floated at his height and glared at Hilda, seemingly trying to take in some kind of victory for what they had done. After a few moments, color faded from the world, leaving only him and Sothis floating in darkness. "So it wasn't everything you wanted."

"… Don't get me wrong. I felt a little better seeing her in a terrible state," Sothis said. "But then I also felt very shallow, and I don't like that. So, we're going to go back, talk to her again, and be very friendly. In fact, why not shop with her?"

"Am I acting as your conscience?" Byleth asked.

"No, but I stand by the fact that it would be best if we had a positive relationship with as many students as we could," Sothis said as she prepared the golden ring with Byleth's Crest in it. "And since you cannot convince her to attend tutoring, you may as well humor her."

"You couldn't come up with anything either," Byleth said.

"And we're going back!" Sothis said as events began to play in reverse.

Byleth approached Hilda in the Market as she browsed the outer display of various trinkets and accessories from a vendor's stall. She noticed his approach and turned to greet him with a smile. "Heya, Professor! Rare to see you here," she said.

"I have some business to take care of," Byleth said, stopping near her and glancing over the items on display. From his experience with jewelry, he was somewhat surprised that pieces worth actual money lay outside of the owner's immediate view, but he suspected the business being in the Monastery's courtyard likely had something to do with that decision.

"Business to take care of, ooh, that so sounds like you're on a contract or something," Hilda said. "I mean, I couldn't tell since you go around in armor all the time."

"Now's a good time to enlist her!" Sothis suggested.

"Speaking of my armor," Byleth began, "I'm sure you've noticed how dirty it is."

"Well… I didn't wanna say anything, but it is pretty noticeable," Hilda said. "Girls won't like you if you don't take care of your appearance, Professor. Maybe you should try to get some new clothing."

"I agree," Byleth said, turning to Hilda. "Your clothing always looks good and I've heard you're quite fashionable."

"Oh, jeez, Professor, when you say it like that…" Hilda began, pretending to hide a non-existent blush. She was going to do something else, but then paused as she fully processed what he said. "What do you mean heard I'm quite fashionable?"

"I don't know about fashion, so I don't think I can judge how fashionable someone is," Byleth said.

Hilda chuckled at that. "Well, then you listened to some fashionable people, because they were right," she said. "So, are you looking for fashion advice?"

"I think so," Byleth said. "I'd like your opinion on the clothing I want to purchase…"

"And help with some accessories," Sothis added, her gaze drawn to a pink and white ribbon on the stall.

"… and what accessories I should wear," Byleth said, noting that the ribbon Sothis eyed looked very similar to the one she wore.

"I get it. You're going for a whole new look," Hilda said. Byleth nodded, despite not knowing what that fully entailed. "Lemme guess… Is it because people think you look super intimidating in your armor all the time? Like you're looking for a fight?"

"I don't know," Byleth said. "But I have been told I can be difficult to approach."

"That settles it then. I bet it's the really dark color scheme all around coupled with the dirt and stuff," Hilda said, putting a hand to her chin as she began leaning around to view Byleth from different angles. "I mean, whoever made your armor definitely tried to make you more approachable with the pink touches, but they just aren't enough. A new outfit is definitely in order."

"I told you pink on the armor was a good idea," Sothis said. "It's so much easier on the eyes than that dreary gray and brown patchwork you used to wear."

"I trust your judgment," Byleth said with a nod to Hilda. "Will you help me?"

"Of course, Professor! I thought you'd never ask," Hilda said. "First off, you must like pink a little, since you've been eyeing that cute ribbon over there," she continued, picking up the ribbon Sothis had pointed out. "I think you could make this work. Y'know how Claude has that one-sided braid? He uses black and gold to blend into his hair, but you could totally pull this off with your hair color."

While Byleth and Sothis hadn't used Claude as the model for how they'd use the ribbon, a quick consideration of Byleth's hair length made them realize Byleth would likely never get the same kind of hanging braids Sothis had. "I like that," Byleth said.

"Great! But that's just a tiny part," Hilda said. "Now, let's go see what else works for you. I have a few ideas in mind that might make you look great, but feel free to tell me what you like. You're the one that has to wear it, after all."

What followed was an hour-long tour of the Market area Byleth almost never visited. He was surprised that there was such an extensive clothing section branching off from the front area of the Monastery, but Hilda was sure to guide him to the relevant shops to save time. Despite only having one outfit in mind, Hilda ended up indirectly convincing Sothis that Byleth could use at least four different outfits. As such, Byleth found himself needing to return to his room to deposit his new apparel before once again returning to the Market, this time making his way directly to the Battalion Guild.

"Rare for someone to show up this late," the Guild owner said. "I didn't hear about any kind of night mission."

"I'd like to check on the former mercenaries," Byleth said.

"Ah, that lot. Sure. They've got a little encampment area near the back," the Guild owner said. Byleth nodded and made his way into the large open area lined by barracks and tents that made-up the troops' living spaces. The sun had only just finished setting, leaving a dim glow to the area as he silently made his way past the few troops who weren't in their respective buildings or currently away for the battle against Lord Lonato.

After a short walk, he managed to find the area either belonging to or claimed by the former members of Jeralt's Mercenaries. He approached quietly, passing by a few tents and making his way to a used metal pot suspended over a recently snuffed fire in the center of the tent arrangement. "Mitch, Chelle," he greeted, passing by the two bandana wearing siblings as they finished eating some kind of stew while sitting on crates used as makeshift stools.

"Heya, Demon. If we'd known you was coming, I'd have told Mitch here to make extra," Chelle greeted.

"Want the rest o' mine? Or maybe something else? I got some fish I could fry up," Mitch said, offering his bowl.

"I have other eating plans," Byleth said, taking the ladle inside the metal pot and banging it along the insides.

"The hell's that rack-" Geiere began as she popped out of the closest tent with her spear at the ready. She froze when she saw Byleth, and quickly tossed her spear back into her tent while turning her attention to Mitch and Chelle. The two of them shrugged, both going back to eating as the other members began to approach.

"They still answer to the usual summons. Glad to see most of them haven't forgotten," Sothis said as Byleth stopped, Jeralt's Mercenaries all standing around the campfire as night fell.

"Good. Everyone is here," Byleth began, taking a quick glance around. "As you know, the next official mission my class has been assigned to involves a visit to the aftermath of the battle between the Church and Lord Lonato's forces. That doesn't sound special, but there are too many signs that something is off about the battle itself."

"Yeah, it's one idiot against the biggest army in Fodlan," Chordia said.

"He doesn't stand a chance alone…" Zanabrah said, seeming to get an idea of what Byleth was suggesting.

"I've begun looking into the situation, and I've realized Lord Lonato likely isn't acting alone," Byleth said. "There are a few factions I'm investigating, and I believe at least one of them, the Western Church, is aiding Lord Lonato. Since it likely won't be directly involving itself, I suspect they'll employ mercenaries to bolster Lonato's forces. I want all of you to look into the recent movements of any notable companies and see if they may be allying themselves with Lonato and his supporters."

There was silence for a few moments as the people around him took in the information. A few of them seemed to be thinking about his plan already while others were more confused by his order. That confusion seemed to fester, as Sharp stepped up and scratched his head. "So… why are you looking into stuff for the Church?" he asked.

"Payment here seems to be merit-based," Byleth said.

"So, if you find something out… you get paid more," Sharp said.

"Yes," Byleth said.

"And if we find it out for you and you mention that…" Sharp continued.

"You get paid more," Byleth said. A wave of understanding washed over the few doubtful members of the group, all of them quickly coming on board with the idea.

"How are we supposed to find this stuff out? There's not a huge mercenary presence in town," Harvey said.

"Yeah, it's not like the Alliance, where they have entire guilds all about sharing out work," Harry said.

"You'll need to make a trip," Byleth said. "There won't be any battles until we depart for our mission, so you have enough time to leave and return."

"Ah, so we get to be free for a few weeks… that's what I like to hear," Galdr said.

"Yes… and one more thing," Byleth said. "Listen for activity in Arundel territory. They're another potential ally to Lord Lonato."

"So, we're mainly looking into the Western Church and Arundel… easy enough," Geiere said.

"Good. Don't get yourselves killed and return in time for the official mission. You have three weeks," Byleth said. With that, he left his troops to return to the Monastery. They watched him slink away, passing by torches as they were lit to accommodate the darkness.

"I do love how simple our men are," Sothis said. Byleth agreed, deciding he would take the rest of the day to rest and continue his own personal investigation in the library. He had managed to denote one area as useless and had about nineteen more to check over the next few weeks.