I get back to Derdriu as quickly as I can, working through in my head what I'll tell everybody about Byleth. I should be the one to divulge the information to ensure that Edelgard can't surprise anyone with it. But I can't tell the Alliance Lords the truth about how powerful Byleth is without sounding like a fearmonger. And I need to stand strong as a bastion against the Imperial forces at our border, so I can't make it sound like I'm terrified of them.

Even though I am.

I fly into the stable on the top of Derdriu's capitol building. Omar is less talkative than normal during our descent, and he doesn't react to my usual affectionate pats. Poor wyvern must be exhausted from how fast I'm having us go. I flip a gold piece to the stable girl and ask her to give him some extra treats for working especially hard today.

Being a bigwig leader has taught me the importance of speed walking. I walk towards the Alliance round table with the pace of someone trying to transition into seeing walking as a sport while maintaining a regal gait. The guards at the door see me and open the way to the room. I walk inside and take my seat at the head of the table, studying the other lords. Margrave Edmund gives me the same dirty glare as always, and I don't blame him one bit. If I had noticed sooner what was happening to Marianne, his daughter might still be alive. Duke Holst Goneril is staring out the window, twiddling his mustache. I'm glad that at least one person here is simple and easy to work with. And on the other hand, we have Mr. simple but hard to work with Count Gloucester, who continues discussing something about taxes while I enter the room. And finally, we have Lady Ordelia, who keeps her face neutral with the same quiet sadness in her eyes that I see so often. I'd pay a thousand gold to know what's going on inside her head.

"I thought you were out on reconnaissance today, Duke Reigan," Lady Ordelia says.

Finally, Count Gloucester shuts up. I take my seat and lean forward, elbows on the table.

"I was," I say, "And I found some bad news."

"The Imperials are attacking us?" Holst sits up in his seat. "We must prepare the armies immediately."

"Be quiet and listen for once," Margrave Edmund says.

"I did not find a war declaration, but there was something almost as damning," I say. "Everyone here is familiar with the Officers Academy professor who sided with Edelgard and went missing five years ago, correct?"

"Ah, yes," Count Gloucester says. "Lorenz spoke highly of their abilities. It was a shame that they taught the Black Eagles instead of our children."

I see nods around the table from the others except for Lady Ordelia, who appears to be surveying the situation. I imagine Holst heard stories from Hilda, Edmund from Marianne, and Ordelia from Lysithea.

"Well, they are alive," I say. "I found them with some of my old Black Eagles classmates at the ruined Garreg Mach monastery."

"And they let you go?" Lady Ordelia says.

"Not much they can do against a wyvern rider who wants to flee."

"That professor has magical power. If you saw them, I imagine they threw a fireball or two that singed your tail. Maybe we can check on the state of your wyvern to see if you were attacked?"

"What exactly are you insinuating, Lady Ordelia?"

"Lysithea tells me that you were rather friendly with the Black Eagles class. May I be blunt, Duke Reigan?"

"Please."

"I am trying to ensure that you are not an Imperial spy."

Well, that's quite the leap. But honestly, I have to admit that I look a little suspicious. I was the one who insisted that we break off our alliance with the Church after Marianne died five years ago, and here I am bringing a tale that is as unlikely as it is terrifying. Perhaps I should have considered this further.

"I trust young Claude," Holst says. "He's proven himself to be a worthy warrior in battle."

"And you went to his side rather quickly about a year ago, Duke Goneril," Lady Ordelia says.

Oh, right. That was when I introduced him to my father's friend Nader, who's a renowned general of Almyra. The two of them hit it off and went out drinking together despite being bitter political enemies. Even though I've presented as male my whole life I still don't understand men sometimes.

"You must tell us the truth," Margrave Edmund says. "I know you care little for the lives of your friends, Duke Riegan, but the entire Alliance is at stake here. Do not play these games with us."

"I believe Duke Riegan," Count Gloucester says. "If only because he continues to rope me into this insufferable anti-Imperial act that we insist on playing. Which of course ignores the fact that my lands will be the ones that suffer first if Edelgard marches across the border with her army. If Duke Riegan wanted the Empire to invade us, he'd be trying to sow division between us."

Lady Ordelia puts a finger on her chin. "Perhaps I was hasty with my accusation. Please tell us what you saw, Claude. In full."

I give them the run-down, which includes being honest about how I worked with Byleth to get more information on them and earn a potential favor.

"A declaration of war is imminent," I say. "We all need to stand strong together. If we can keep the Empire from crossing the Great Bridge of Myrddin, none of us have to suffer. And remember, the longer we keep the Empire at bay, the more desperate they become."

"You keep insisting that," Count Gloucester says, "But the Empire hasn't tired as of yet."

And they weren't likely to now that Byleth has returned.

"I know my professor," I say. "They'll want to fight on the front lines. And where they go, Edelgard follows."

"Could one mercenary truly hold so much sway over the Adrestian Emperor?" Lady Ordelia says.

"This is excellent news," Holst says. His voice booms around the room. "I get to test my strength against the greatest mercenary in the business. Their tactics are no match for our sharpened Leicester arrows."

"I will not allow you to march into my territory and garrison the Great Bridge of Myrddin," Count Gloucester says. "That is final."

"Stop blathering on, you old goat," Margrave Edmund says. "We must make the Empire pay for the pain they have inflicted upon us. I say we should call on the Kingdom to assist us."

Lady Ordelia stiffens. "Absolutely not. If you join forces with Cornelia's regime and those dark mages of hers that cast hexes in the shadows, I will side with the Empire."

More grumbles from around the table. Out of everyone, I'm the only one other than her who knows about the children she has lost to Those Who Slither in the Dark. In a few years, Lysithea will be taken from her as well.

"The point is that we all need to band together," I say. "I agree with Count Gloucester that Duke Goneril should remain in Derdriu with us to ensure proper government during this turbulent time. What if Goneril soldiers are sent to support a force led by a different house?"

Holst scoffs. "You don't have anyone else who's the warrior I am."

"Ah, I see," Lady Ordelia says. "I'm sure she'd be happy to take a shot at the Empire."

Count Gloucester frowns. "Who are we talking about, now?"

"Judith of house Daphnel," I say. "I believe I can convince her to garrison our side of the Great Bridge of Myrddin."

And I have other reasons for choosing her over Holst. Mainly, that her spy network is extensive enough to be able to predict the Empire's every move. I suspect that Hubert will try and sabotage us to avoid outright conflict, and Judith is the only one who stands a chance at negating him.

"The Hero of Daphnel, huh?" Margrave Edmund says. "Fine by me. I can provide finances for weapons and provisions."

I offer a nod of thanks. Ensuring that our soldiers have proper nutrition and medical supplies will give us an edge over the Empire, and we'll need every advantage we can get.

"I suppose that is acceptable, considering that her house would not dare try to encroach onto my territory," Count Gloucester says.

"Lord Holst," I say. "Are you willing to provide military support?"

"I suppose I can." He crosses his arms. "But who is going to govern Daphnel territory with Judith gone? I was planning on leaving my affairs to Hilda when I went off."

"I'm sure she has a retainer she feels comfortable trusting her land with. It's something I can discuss when I talk with her, which I needed to do anyway. Are we all in agreement with this plan?"

A series of nods from around the table. I let out a sigh.

"Excellent," I say. "Judith is in Derdriu right now, so I'll meet her right away. Tell me later if you need me to vote on changing tax laws or whatever."

I rise from my seat and exit the round table room. I'm always afraid that someone will stop me when I try that, but I don't have time to deal with the rest of their squabbling today. After turning the corner and walking down the hallway where they can no longer see me, I feel my shoulders relax.

Now let's see if I can find Judith. That seems to be half the battle of getting her to help.

#

I remember that Judith likes Derdriu's ports as much as I do, so I check the docks first. The smell of salt in the air mixed with fish reminds me of Seattle, and when I see fishermen unloading crates off boats I picture the Seattle market where workers toss fish over dozens of heads to the other side of the open room. Always a bitter sensation, reminiscing about childhood.

And sure enough, I find her sharpening a blade on one of the docks, her feet dangling off the edge. I sit down next to her and look at the sea stars and barnacles on the rocks beneath us. The cool air rises from the water and blows my hair back.

"I'm assuming you didn't come here to stare at my work, boy," Judith says.

"I'll cut to the chase. I'm here to ask you to defend the Great Bridge of Myrddin."

"Ah, you finally got around to it. I thought you'd come to that conclusion years ago."

"Circumstances have changed," I say. "That professor I told you about is back on the loose."

"After five years of disappearing." She continues sharpening her blade. "Where did you hear this from?"

"I saw them with my own eyes and flew back as quickly as possible. I'm guessing it will trickle in through your intelligence systems in a couple of days."

"I'll keep an ear open. How long do I have?"

"It's Byleth we're talking about, so not long. I'd try to get something together in two weeks, if you think that's feasible."

"That's a tall order, boy." She stands up. "But you came to the right person to ask. I have a special squad of elite soldiers that are ready to march at any time. Perfect for defending a bridge."

"Holst is also going to send reinforcements, if you think you can handle his soldiers."

"So rowdy. I swear that his troops have learned how to party from the Almyrans."

The Fódlan version of me lived in Almyra for his childhood, and I bet he hated all the celebrations if he's anything like me. Though who knows, maybe it was normal for him.

Speaking of which, I occasionally wonder what happened to the real Fódlan Claude when I travelled over here, but I'm guessing I'll never find out.

"Well, this is a good time to put my plan into action," Judith says. "Your retainer Nardel seems quite competent, despite giving me the same aura as my drunkard uncle. You chose well."

"Thanks."

Easy does it. Nobody in the Alliance except for me and Holst know that Nardel and his wyvern squadron are actually Nader the Undefeated and his elite soldiers. The Alliance still isn't on great terms with Almyra and I'm not trying to blow open another diplomatic incident while we're dealing with Edelgard and Byleth.

"As such, I decided to ask him to watch over my lands," Judith says.

I raise an eyebrow. After a few seconds, I decide that she's not joking. Asking someone else's retainer to watch your lands is unusual but there aren't any rules against it, technically.

"Are you doing this to torment me?" I say.

"Like I told you, I think you chose your retainers well. If I'm going to be risking my life out there for you and your precious political plans, I think I deserve to pick which retainer I want. Don't you, boy?"

"Sure, go ahead. It's not hard to organize more support for watching over Riegan territory."

Judith looks disappointed that I'm not putting up more of a fight. She swings her sword through the air a couple of times, and I take the opportunity to watch her form. Clean and efficient, without needless flourishes. If anyone can match Byleth in a sword duel, it might be her.

But could she do it several times in a row with Byleth having the benefit of cover fire and magical support? Considering the question makes me wonder if I'm sending Judith to her death.

"You stay safe out there, okay?" I say. "Trust me when I say that Byleth is no ordinary opponent."

"Yeah, yeah. I promise I've faced worse, boy."

She doesn't get it. But I don't think there's a way to drill just how dangerous Byleth is into that thick head of hers, so I decide to let it drop.

"Come with me, boy," Judith says. "I have something I need to show you."

"Is it going to be quick? I hate to play this card, but I don't have a lot of time to spare."

She starts walking away without waiting for me to get up. "You'll want to see it."

I curse under her breath, but I have to admit that this is better than the flowery honorifics and hidden glares most nobles prefer. I hop to my feet and follow her into the streets of Derdriu. It's still strange to me how people me and get out of my way. I don't think most of them know who I am, but from my outfit there's no question I'm someone important. Even here in my natural environment, I can't blend in with the crowd or the towering buildings.

But it's probably good in this case, because Judith doesn't look back once as she leads me further into town. Before long we reach a tavern, and I can hear booming voices and laughter inside.

My introvert senses are tingling.

Judith steps in without hesitation, and I follow behind. If I can tag along with her then hopefully people won't ask me too many questions. As she scans the room, it occurs to me that this is my first time in a bar or tavern. Teenagers are allowed to drink in Fódlan so I could have visited one anytime, but I had no reason to.

"There we go," Judith says.

I follow her gaze and see Ignatz, Raphael, Leonie, and Lysithea sitting at a table. Lysithea is the only one who notices us when we approach, and it looks like she's the quietest of the bunch. Leonie glugs a full glass of beer and slams it on the table before she sees us right in front of her.

"Hey, Judith." She blinks. "And look who it is. Our glorious leader in flesh and blood."

A scowl comes to my face. "How long are you going to call me that?"

"So long as you're our glorious leader, of course. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company, Lady Daphnel and Lord Riegan?"

"Cut it out, Leonie," Judith says. "Is it okay if we take a seat?"

"Go ahead," Raphael says. "And hey, if Claude's here that means he can pay for all of us. I can eat all the food I want."

He pats his stomach and I resist the urge to let out a sigh. I can't exactly say no to that since I'm rich enough to be able to swim in gold, Scrooge McDuck style. Judith smiles and takes a seat next to him.

"We shouldn't make Claude pay…" Ignatz says, glancing at me.

"I'm fine with it," I say, "But I'm also not going to waste my time insisting if you act like you don't want me to. So let's be honest with each other, okay?"

"I hope you can excuse his hissy fit," Judith says. "We learned some rather bad news today."

Hissy fit? I take a deep breath and sit down next to Lysithea. Out of everyone, I notice that she's the only one without an empty glass of alcohol.

"It's the Empire, isn't it?" Lysithea says.

"Yes and no…" I say, "But mostly yes. Byleth is alive. I saw them with my own two eyes, and they've reunited with the rest of the Black Eagles."

"So where were they all this time?" Ignatz says.

"I bet they were eating and training," Raphael says. "That's what I'd be doing."

"And that's probably why they're a better tactician than you are," Leonie says. "Claude, tell us. What has our dear professor been up to in these past five years?"

Leonie speaks the last sentence without a hint of warmth. It takes me a moment to remember that she vowed to hunt Byleth down after learning that they allied with Jeralt's killers.

"They said they'd been sleeping for five years," I say. "I don't know how much we should buy their act, but they didn't seem to know that Dimitri was dead."

"So they were in some sort of coma?" Ignatz says. "And they lived?"

"They've survived weirder. And now that they're on the warpath, the Alliance won't be safe."

"The boy's all worked up about it," Judith says, "To the point that he asked me to defend the Great Bridge of Myrddin."

"We should go with you," Ignatz says. "The Alliance belongs to all of us, and we're able to help defend it. I feel useless being here while Claude is working day and night to protect us."

"That's right." Raphael flexes his bicep. "I've gotta put my training to use."

"If Byleth is there," Leonie says, "I'll be. Simple as that."

"Excellent," Judith says. "Welcome aboard, every-"

"Wait a moment," I say. "You can't put yourselves back in danger again. I know you have to care for your sister, Raphael. I know your parents are counting on you, Ignatz. And I know that your village still needs you, Leonie."

"This is how we can protect all of them," Igntaz says. "You're doing your work, and we're doing ours."

But my work involves eating scallops while networking with nobles while theirs involves a bloody battlefield while the Ashen Demon charges them down with the same sword Nemesis used to slaughter thousands.

"Come on, Lysithea," I say. "You agree with me, right?"

"Nah, you should join us," Raphael says. "You're so smart, Lysithea. I don't know anyone who can use magic as well as you."

Lyisthea stiffens. "I… can't join you."

Raphael scratches his head. "Aw, why not?"

Ignatz elbows him. "Can't you see that this is a sensitive topic?"

"It's fine." Lysithea takes a deep breath. "I need to survive for my parents' sake. They've lost so many children already. I can't force them to go through another funeral like that."

Silence. I wonder if that's the reason why Lady Ordelia opposes me whenever I try to make moves against the Empire. If Lysithea gets caught up in the war and doesn't make it out, the Ordelia family loses everything. Their last heir, their last child.

But I'm not the bad guy for defending our lands, right?

"Right," I say. "And your family is safe here in Derdriu. We can do the same with the rest of your-"

"Please do," Ignatz says, "But we still want to fight. If it's not us, another person will take our places on the battlefield. Don't their lives and families matter as much as ours?"

"Plus," Raphael says, "We're not gonna lose."

Leonie leans back in her seat. "You couldn't stop me from hunting my prey with a direct order, Claude. Give it up."

I turn my glare to Judith. "You knew this was going to happen."

"But of course. And I hate it as much as you do, boy. We shouldn't be sending kids to war like this. Still, Ignatz is right. It's either them or some other poor fool who might not know which end of the spear to stab someone with."

"I don't care," I say. "I refuse to allow-"

"You can't stop them," Lysithea says. "Neither of us can."

She's looking at the ground. Since the conversation has started, she hasn't even taken a sip of her drink.

"You're going against Byleth," I say. "Do you remember what happened last time?"

"And that's why I'm going to avenge Marianne and Captain Jeralt both," Leonie says.

"If you're comfortable sending Judith and her soldiers into battle, you should be comfortable sending us," Ignatz says. "It's okay, Claude. We'll make sure to retreat if things look bad."

"You had fucking better."

"But just in case, boy," Judith says, "I'll put you into contact with Raphael's sister, Ignatz's parents, and Leonie's village. How many favors is it that you owe me now? 40? 50?"

"I get it, I get it. Thanks, Judith."

But it won't come to that… right?

"Well, there's no point in feeling down about it," Raphael says. "We've gotta drink extra long and hard, since we might not have this chance again for a while."

"Feel free to," I say. "Is there anything else you needed from me, Judith?"

"Are you thinking about leaving already, boy?"

"Going out drinking with friends isn't part of my job description."

"Stay with us," Judith says. "Listen to what your friends have to say and join them in the laughter. Because if you don't…" A smirk. "You might regret it for the rest of your life."

Given how many battles Judith's been in, she must be speaking from experience. I'll be busy tonight preparing for Edelgard's invasion, but I suppose I can take a couple hours to chat with my friends before they head off.

I've never liked the taste of alcohol, so I order non-alcoholic fruity drinks, which Leonie laughs at.

"Don't tell me the leader of the Alliance orders the same thing that the gossiping middle-aged women in my village love to drink during holidays."

"Shut up. I'll order whatever I want, and unlike you I'm not going to get a hangover."

"Then you don't know me. I have a liver of steel, Claude. Trust me, I'll be fine."

And sure enough, I'm pretty sure Leonie does drink more than the rest of the students combined. And while she's clearly drunk, she's not intoxicated to the point of being unrecognizable. Judith is the only other heavy drinker. Ignatz focuses on conversation, Raphael focuses on food, and Lysithea orders the same fruit punch that I do after I take the initiative. I notice that Leonie doesn't make fun of her for it.

During the conversation, I do my best to draw out details about what Ignatz, Raphael, and Leonie have been up to. Apparently Ignatz has been helping Raphael's younger sister Maya out with painting and the two of them are close friends at this point, which is sweet. I always forget that Ignatz is an artist type because of how… normal he is. Like most of the artists I know back on earth are weird and proud of it.

Oh, and most artists I know on Earth are also super queer and Ignatz really gives off "shy straight guy" energy. But it's a hard time to be an artist right now when everyone's focused on trying to survive. Ignatz's parents are managing to stay afloat as merchants, but supply is often unreliable and demand fluctuates by the day. Sounds like a stressful job, but at least they're not in much danger of being killed.

Leonie says that her village is close to the border between the Alliance and Empire, so if Edelgard breaks through the Great Bridge of Myrddin than the flames of war might spread to her home. The people there are keeping up hope, and Leonie's determined to make sure they stay safe by keeping the border secure.

Hearing their stories makes me realize that they're not marching to war on a whim like I thought they were. If the Empire breaks through the Great Bridge of Myrddin, everything in this world that they care about becomes vulnerable. And through their jokes, laughter, and lighthearted jabs at each other, one fact becomes clear to me.

They're prepared to die for the people they love.

It's easy to get caught in the awe that I have for people like them who are willing to risk it all to protect what they hold dear. But the truth is that Byleth and Edelgard are forcing them into this situation. If it weren't for them, we could have put passive political pressure on the church until they helped Fódlan transition out of an age of birthright based on crests. Nobody needed to get hurt.

I won't forgive either of them. For what they did to this world, for what they did to Marianne, and for what they did to Dimitri.

Judith stays quiet for the whole conversation. After night falls and I pay for the table, everyone leaves and she waits for me at the door and we walk outside together.

"You did well, boy," she says. "You might be the leader we need after all."

"Everyone has those stories, don't they?" I say. "I'll never be able to hear them all. And when I make decisions, people will lose children, parents, lovers, friends. It will be my fault when that happens."

"Right. You could even go through all of Derdriu and talk to each person for a night and still not understand them. And yet you're supposed to make choices that affect whether they live or die."

"So how am I supposed to make those decisions?"

"That's up to you to figure out, boy."

Judith pats my shoulder and then leaves. I watch her walk off into the streets of Derdriu until she merges with the hazy darkness of night. I let out a sigh and turn to walk back to my quarters. When I do, Lysithea pops out from behind a corner.

"Oh, I was worried you left," she says.

"Not much of a party talker?"

"I do feel like the odd one out. We never got a chance to visit these places as young noble children, and I'm glad they don't judge us for that."

"Was there something you wanted to tell me?"

"There was something I wanted to ask. Do you think I'm a coward, Claude?"

"I've fought alongside you and I know you're not one. Where is this coming from?"

"They're willing to lay down their lives to protect the Alliance. And here I am, barely going to live a few more years anyway, worrying only about myself. I thought it was pathetic of me."

"I don't care how much longer you're going to live," I say. "Your life is precious. Remember that, Lysithea. Besides, we'll need people who can use healing magic like you for the hospitals we set up."

"Like how Marianne was supposed to be."

I don't know how to respond to that. I was the leader of her class. If I had been a bit faster, then…

"I see it still haunts you, Claude. I… don't know why I brought it up. I didn't mean to accuse of you anything."

"It's okay. I don't want to get over it."

"We all have ghosts, don't we?" Lysithea looks up at the moon. "Speaking of which, my mother and I differ on our views towards the Empire."

Huh? How was that related to ghosts?

"My mother is resigned to living under Imperial rule. She thinks that if Edelgard is in charge, she'll at least prevent from going through what I did. And… from what I think she also went through."

That's true. If what Thales did to Lysithea and Edelgard on Earth transfers somehow to Fódlan, they both underwent horrific experiments in which their siblings died. Though I wonder if the telekinesis bit is identical. Still, it's sensitive enough that I don't feel the need to ask Lysithea now.

"And your view?" I say.

"The group that experimented on me could only exist due to the Empire's vast reach and power when the emperor wasn't able to control all of it. I don't think Edelgard would let them harm more children, but she might not have a choice. The bigger the empire, the more secrets in the dark that slip beneath her notice. Not to mention that Edelgard's heir might not be the person she is."

"So you think it's essential that we resist the Empire."

"If they break through the Great Bridge of Myrddin and invade us, I'll defend this land until my dying breath. I swear it. But I can't risk my parents suffering the grief of losing another child unless it's absolutely necessary."

"Which also means that if you do get into a fight and you start to lose, put your own life first. Surrender clearly. Even though you're dangerous after being disarmed, they shouldn't kill you outright."

"I'll keep that in mind. Thanks, Claude."

She starts to walk off.

"And one other thing, Lysithea."

"Hmm?" She turns back to face me.

"Your mother's right about the Kingdom harboring the people who hurt you. Cornelia is affiliated with them. If we do lose, promise me you'll help Edelgard and won't stop until you wipe them all out, okay?"

A pause. For a moment, I think she's going to deny me.

"I promise," she says. "And you stay safe too, Claude. Without you, the Alliance will fall into chaos."

I want to deny her words, but I know she's right. Getting those lords to agree to anything is like herding sheep.

"Sure," I say. "Not planning on dying until I can put an arrow through Byleth's throat."

"Good luck with that," Lysithea says. "You're going to need it."

She walks off, leaving me to think about her words. She's right that it will take a miracle for me to bring down Byleth. Perhaps I should have made my move sooner… but that would have dragged the Alliance into a bloody war and torn apart thousands of families. Besides, I had no reason to suspect that Byleth was returning. But now that they are, victory seems hopeless and three of my friends might be marching into the jaws of death.

What a fucking mess.

#

The next day I arrange a meeting with Lorenz and Hilda to discuss the news with them. We talk inside a meeting room inside the capitol, and it becomes clear that their families told them about Byleth's return.

"You're not going to ask me to fight again, are you?" Hilda says. "You know I've never been good at that sort of thing. I prefer to cheer the brave soldiers along."

"Then you should have become a healer," I say. "Regardless, I can't ask you two to risk your lives. You're too important."

"Oh, thank goodness." Hilda breathes a sigh of relief. "I can't imagine dying out on some pointless stupid bridge."

She might have to start imagining it soon, based on what happens to the people we know when Byleth decides to invade.

"I do wish I could provide assistance to the defense of these lands," Lorenz says. "But…"

"But?"

A sigh. "May I be blunt with you, Claude?"

"Please do."

"My father believes that the Empire is on the winning side of this conflict. He has been in contact with Edelgard for the past five years. While the two of them have not finalized any sort of deal, he is ready to switch at a moment's notice."

I suspected as much about Count Gloucester, but it's nice to get this confirmed from Lorenz himself.

"So he can't risk fighting with the Empire, is that it?" I say.

"He sees no benefit in it. And now that Judith is leading the charge, he is content to sit back and let the events play out."

I exhale through my nose. I should have pushed him harder. If I could have positioned it so that his forces took the most losses, he couldn't contribute as much to the Empire when if he does decide to flip.

But that's in the past. And rather cold thinking on top of it. Gloucester's soldiers aren't pawns in my game. I must remember that.

"If Edelgard breaks through, my father will most likely join with them immediately," Lorenz says. "And honestly, I do not blame him. Seeking the survival of the Alliance means protecting its people over its sovereignty, painful as it is to bend the knee."

I don't think Count Gloucester gives a single shit about his people. I still have blackmail I can hold over him if necessary. Many years back, he tried to get my grandfather assassinated, and bringing that issue to light will reflect poorly on him. If Edelgard knows how much he schemes to gain more power, she won't put him in a position of power where he could conspire against her. Most likely, Hubert will dispose of him.

A part of me wants that to happen. The plot to have my grandfather assassinated ended up killing Raphael's parents, who were covering for Ignatz's parents. Ignatz still feels guilty about what happened, and Raphael's been forced to suffer ever since.

"That's good to know," I say. "Thanks, Lorenz."

"Do not misinterpret my words for kindness," Lorenz says. "If the Great Bridge of Myrddin falls, you would do well to side with the Empire."

"After one defeat?" I say. "No can do. But I do have plans for ensuring that casualties stay low. If we lose the bridge, I plan on drawing all of our forces back to Derdriu for a single, decisive battle."

"Hopefully it doesn't come to that," Hilda says. "If Derdriu gets scary, I'll go back north to Goneril territory. Better to risk the Almyrans than Edelgard's wrath."

"Not so fast," I say. "You might be needed here. You're one of the few people I know with combat and leadership experience."

Hilda's face pales. "There have to be better people."

"Remember, we usually relied on the church for our military support," I say. "We're in desperate need for good military leaders

"Our practices kept us reliant on the church," Lorenz says, "Which was a mistake. Claude, do you think we should have…?"

"Given the church a second chance? I don't think so. They don't care about us, and they don't care about Fódlan. All the Knights of Seiros want is to find Rhea. If we had them on our side, they'd use our forces to invade the Empire and escalate the bloodshed to a whole new level. Marianne's death wasn't a fluke. It was a sign that we're all disposable to them."

"I agree," Hilda says. "And you've been doing such a good job of juggling all this political and military stuff, Claude."

I raise an eyebrow. "So much so that I don't need your help, is what you're saying."

She coughs into a fist. "I, uh… think you're fine handling it on your own."

"You're not weaseling out of this one that easily, Hilda. In fact, your cowardice makes you the person I trust the most for the job I have in mind."

"Cowardice? That's rather rude." She puts her hands on her hips.

"What is this scheme of yours, Claude?" Lorenz says. "I have a bad feeling about it."

Right when he asks, I hear a knock on the door.

"Duke Riegan, a message for you."

How did they know I'm in here? Guess my voice is recognized by the messengers from how often they have to track me down. I do sometimes feel bad for them when they have to find me after I do some scouting with Omar, but most of the time they can leave it on my desk and I'll get to it.

I open the door to see a young woman with a letter in her hand. I take it and nod thanks. I gnaw on the inside of my mouth when I see the Imperial seal on it. I break the seal and start reading the letter while I walk back.

Dear Claude,

The professor and Her Majesty will be arriving at Derdriu next week on the 19th at noon. I trust that you will be on your best behavior as hosts and allow them to negotiate without attacking them, or else we will be forced to take your hostility as a declaration of war. You will set up a round table in the wyvern landing pad of Derdriu's capitol building so that they may arrive and leave at their leisure. As a show of good faith, I have been requested not to accompany them. So no need to worry about poison in your drinks.

I hope to hear good news about the negotiations. If not… well, you know what happens.

-Hubert.

Short and to the point. Hubert must be a busy man.

"Well, you can't leave us in suspense," Hilda says. "Come on, Claude. Tell us."

I read the letter again over again. I don't think I'm missing anything. Then I toss it across the table to Hilda. She reads the letter and gasps, at which point Lorenz requests to see it.

Time to see how much Edelgard has changed in these past five years.

Hey, everyone. :) Hope everyone in the Pacific Northwest is doing okay with the fires.

And turns out in a game with a lot of characters including them all takes up a lot of space. Who would have thunk it? Speaking of which, we don't get a ton of info about the Alliance round table, since none of the lords other than Claude actually appear on screen. The one leader I don't think we hear anything at all about is the head of house Ordelia, so I decided to make Lysithea's mother the head noble representing house Ordelia and built her character from scratch. The others I tried to extrapolate a bit from.

Also it was nice to give Judith a bit of a mentor role for Claude because we never really get to see that even in VW where Claude mostly looks up to Byleth instead.

Hope you all have a wonderful day!

Review Response: Guest: I'm so glad! :D