It was hard to tell if Dimitri's pause was for suspense, or so he could choose his words. "On a purely the-enemy-of-my-enemy basis," Dimitri began, "I have decided to ally myself with the Church. Little of the world knows I survived my execution; thus, little of the world would mind if we fought under the same banner."
"Why the change of heart?" Byleth asked. "You said you wouldn't agree unless there was a compromise."
"I do have a few requests," Dimitri said. "First, I'd like to be able to lead all Kingdom soldiers. Second, I'd like to hear no mourning for enemy soldiers lost. Third…I want to be the only person who fights Edelgard; she's mine."
Byleth looked over at Seteth, and he nodded. Turning back to Dimitri, she said, "I agree to those terms. In a few days, though, I want to speak with you about something."
Dimitri's reply was a simple grunt. Seteth was the one to politely wave them off after adding, "You're welcome to go back to your old rooms. If you'd like to meet with your old classmates, they're all here except for some of them from the Alliance."
The quartet dispersed, with Ingrid and Sylvain reluctantly departing after a hushed command from Dimitri. Byleth went to her own room, mainly to figure out which soldiers lost their lives in the fruitless battle at Gronder Field.
…
It was exactly a week after Dimitri's group came to the monastery. Claude wasn't back yet, so Byleth couldn't bring up her disappointment until Claude and Seteth were both there. One problem at a time, she told herself. For now, her 'problem' was trying to learn what she never knew about Dimitri; she knew of Edelgard's past (at least half of it), and she knew about some of Claude's ideals, but little about Dimitri.
Byleth found Dimitri in the training area, accompanied by only Dedue. "Is now a good time to chat?" Byleth asked.
"I've nothing better to do," Dimitri replied coldly. "There's something wrong with priorities if a king has so much free time on his hands."
"We can't make any more progress in the war without Claude present," Byleth said simply. "I can give you tasks to do, if you want to help."
Dimitri shook his head. "Not to seem ungrateful, but I want to be on a battlefield, not cleaning up the monastery. But I doubt you came here just to give me something to do. Should I consider this an interrogation?"
"It isn't that serious," Byleth said. "I just wanted to get to know you better. When we met at the Great Bridge of Myrddin, it was my first time meeting you after the battle of Garreg Mach."
"You were asleep," Dimitri replied. "Of course you wouldn't have seen me before then."
Byleth pretended like she agreed with the statement; but, in reality, she meant what she said. Before, she only heard stories about Dimitri. Nothing more, nothing less. She wanted to change that. "I apologize if I'm being a bit forward, but I'd like to ask: why did you suddenly start hating Edelgard?"
Dedue flinched at the question. Dimitri, meanwhile, just narrowed his eyes. "I wish I could've been there every time you saw her, every time you fought her. She was the Flame Emperor—she was involved in the Tragedy of Duscur!"
"How?" Byleth asked, trying her best not to show bias towards either side. "She would have been the same age you were—just about, at least."
"The Flame Emperor is associated with people like Solon and Kronya," Dimitri maintained. "People like Solon and Kronya are the ones that killed all those people. Age has nothing to do with it; she works with murderers! And by working with murderers, she's turned us all into one, too. Have you forgotten your own father's death, caused by such people?"
Those who slither in the dark… Byleth wasn't as educated with the Tragedy of Duscur as she should be, but she knew enough to make one statement: "You're right in the sense that people like Solon and Kronya are the people who caused that tragedy; I believe that, too. My true aim for this war is to rid the world of them—but in order to do that, I need the world's cooperation. I don't believe Edelgard was involved in the Tragedy of Duscur, because I know how she views such people; she wouldn't kill without a reason."
"So says her old teacher," Dimitri said bitterly. "Face reality, Professor; Edelgard fooled all of us. We all thought, at some point, that she meant no harm. That her dreams wouldn't kill. That trust we put in her had brought us to this war; this five-year-long war that still hasn't begun. She'll cut us down no matter what."
"Are you scared of the possibility?" Byleth asked.
"No," Dimitri replied. "Because I'll take whatever excuse I can get to kill her. Hers will be the last life I take, I swear it; the sooner, the better."
He began to leave, but as he passed her, Byleth put her hand on his shoulder. "I urge you to reconsider. At some point, I want the friendly atmosphere the monastery had five years ago, and I want all the people involved in it. I'll help you research the Tragedy of Duscur, who caused it, and who needs to face judgement. Edelgard will be at the monastery at some point; when that happens, I don't want you to act as if she's the sole person responsible. By the end of this war, I plan for the Empire, Kingdom, and Alliance to be peaceful and unthreatened by those who slither in the dark."
Dimitri stood there for a few seconds after she put her hand back to her side. "…Best get the war done quickly, then," he said. He gestured for Dedue to follow him, and the duo left. Byleth watched them, but before she could leave, Caspar and Raphael came into the training area. Shortly after, she was pulled into training with them—although she didn't really mind.