I know I've been focusing on a select few girls but I always end up with those ideas first and have the most fun writing them. I've been meaning to introduce more girls and focus on others I haven't done a lot of but I just have trouble coming up with ideas for them.
Despite all that, have an Ingrid chapter.
Enjoy.
The Professor.
A quiet, aloof mystery of a man.
And currently, the object of Ingrid's crush.
Although if you asked her she would deny it.
"What do you think, Dedue?" Dimitri said, turning to his Duscurian friend. The large man turned to Dimitri shaking his head. "I do not know what you are asking, Your Highness"
"Ingrid. hasn't she been acting differently?"
Dedue turned his head to look at the blonde, she was currently in a sparring match with Felix. They both seemed to be evenly matched, both of them blocking and deflecting each other's attacks.
"I fail to see any difference from her usual behavior."
"That's probably because you haven't known her for as long as I have...She's started trying out different perfumes, her hair and clothes seem a lot neater then before. Not mention she becomes a completely different person around the Professor." Dimitri explained. Dedue took another look at Ingrid. But still failed to see anything different.
Felix and Ingrid's duel continued on for quite a bit, the two backing off but their weapons still drawn as they stared each other down.
"You've gotten weaker, Ingrid." Felix commented. Ingrid scoffed.
"Yeah right, you just don't wanna admit your losing to me."
Felix smirked. "You should really clear your head of those thoughts about the Professor."
"W-What thoughts? I don't know what your talking about."
Felix glared at her for a few seconds before his gaze softened; and he looked behind her towards the entrance to the arena. "Ah, Professor."
"P-Professor!?" Ingrid quickly straightened up and whipped around towards the entrance, but no one was there.
"Hiya!"
Ingrid barely turned around in time to block Felix's attack, knocking the wooden pole from her hands and pointing his wooden sword at her.
"T-That's cheating!"
"There's no such thing as cheating in battle." Felix said, lowering his sword. The duel having been won by him.
"You act like a bandit would pull such a cowardly move." Ingrid picked up her wooden pole and put it back on its stand.
"They might."
Dimitri approached them. "Great work you too, I think we should get some lunch."
"Yeah, I'm starving." Ingrid nodded, agreeing with Dimitri.
"Careful not to say that when the Professor is around." Felix said, walking past the two blondes.
They all shuffled into the dining hall, stopping by the counter to get their food before taking a seat at one of the long tables. Many other students from different classes were all seated at the tables as well.
"Eating like a pig as always I see.' Felix remarked, staring at the pile of food on Ingrid's plate. She blushed.
"I-I just like food ya know?! Besidies, you barely eat anything!"
"I eat what I need to strengthen my body." Felix remarked, digging into his meal. Dimitri and Dedue doing the same. Ingrid began eating her large meal, gobbling it down at a frightening speed. A look of bliss on her face.
"Mmm! The Monastery food is so good!"
Felix stared at Ingrid before looking behind her. "Ah, Professor."
Ingrid glared at Felix. "As if I'm gonna fall for that again."
"You guys having lunch?" The Professor appeared next to their table, staring down at them.
Ingrid's eyes widened and she began choking on her food. Felix staring at her with a slight smile on his face. Once Ingrid had recovered she whipped around to face the Professor.
"P-Professor! What are you doing here?"
"I came to get something to eat before I return to my paperwork."
"Their making you work on our free day?" Dimitri asked. The Professor nodded. "Its mostly stuff to prepare for the Battle of the Eagle and Lion next week."
"Ah, should've figured. You teachers have it rough this time of year." Dimitri returned to his lunch.
"Explains why we haven't seen you all day, have you been in the class room?" Ingrid asked. The Professor nodding in response. "There's a lot of work to be done. So I don't think we'll be doing anything today."
"Well maybe Ingrid could help you." Felix offered, the blonde once again choking on her food. "W-What?!"
The Professor turned to look at Ingrid "Oh? I'd appreciate the help."
"I...Um..." Ingrid glanced at Felix, who had a slight grin on his face. Ingrid's cheeks began to burn. Helping the Professor would mean being alone in a room with him, she might have been a strong upcoming knight; but something like this was...
"Nevermind, Don't worry about it Ingrid." The Professor dismissed himself from their table. Walking over to the front counter and getting some food, before leaving the Dining Hall and walking towards the classrooms.
Ingrid turned towards Felix. "Why would you say that?" She hissed, Felix shrugging. "I've grown tired of watching you turn into a blushing mess whenever The Professor is mentioned."
"I-I do not turn into a blushing mess!"
Felix didn't say anything. Standing up from the lunch table with his empty plate. "Just try not to let it distract you. The last thing I need to worry about is having to pick up your slack." He walked over to the counter, returning the plate before exiting the Dining Hall.
Ingrid took a deep breath. She could do this. She was a knight for crying out loud! She'd done far riskier things than this! Besidies, it was just her Professor. What was she getting so worked up about?
She tried to knock, but again she could not bring herself to do it. The very thought of being in the same room alone with The Professor was enough to fill her stomach with butterflies. But why?! Why was she so torn about this!
This time; she would do it for sure this time. She raised her fist to the wooden doors and forced herself to knock. Accidently punching it instead, she held her fist as she kissed her knuckles.
"Come in."
Ingrid froze. Now she'd done it. Now she HAD to go in. She cracked open the door to the classroom and slipped inside, shutting it behind her; being met with The Professor staring at her from his desk.
"Ingrid, did you need something?"
Ingrid blushed, his eyes were so...
"I...Uh...Ya know..." She scratched the back of her neck, hoping The Professor was able to read minds. He couldn't. Instead he just stared at her, waiting for her to finish.
"Iwantedtohelpyouout!" She cried out all at once. The Professor continued to stare at her, albeit a little taken aback.
"Sorry...Could you repeat that?"
Ingrid nodded, taking a deep breath and composing herself. "You said you needed help with some paperwork. So I...Wanted to help..."
The Professor stared at her before giving her that signature smile of his and nodding slightly. "I'd appreciate the help Ingrid." He gestured towards his desk and scooted out of the way to make room for her next to him.
Ingrid approached him and grabbed a chair, setting it next to him and taking a seat in it; hiding her blushing face. "S-So what is it I need to do?"
"Its mainly signing and filling out forms. Permission slips, agreements, all of that." He took a small stack of papers from the large stack in between them and set it next to her. Sliding an ink bottle and quill to her. Ingrid unscrewed the ink bottle and dipped her quill in it, taking a slip of paper and reading it briefly before signing her name and setting it aside.
This continued on for the next 10 minutes; with the only noises being the shuffling of paper and the light scratching of the quills as they wrote. Byleth was composed, going about his business as usual, at this point this kind of stuff was normal to him.
Ingrid, however; was not fairing as well. She was thankful she was sitting next to him so he couldn't see her red face.
This couldn't be it could it? She had to say something! Otherwise she was going to get nowhere!
Her thoughts were cut short when she got stuck on one of the many forms. She turned to her Professor.
"Professor, what do I put here?" She slid the piece of paper in between them so he could get a better look. He leaned towards her to take a look at it, their shoulders pressing against each other; Ingrid prayed to the Goddess that the Professor wouldn't turn to look at her.
"Ah, this is a requisition form. Just to fill out the weapons we'll be using." He leaned back into his chair resuming his paperwork, Ingrid recovering from the unexpected skinship the two shared.
Eventually they got down with all the paperwork, Ingrid letting out an exasperated sigh as she put the last form away; resting her head on the Professor's desk.
"Good job, Ingrid. Thanks for the help." The Professor smiled at her, and Ingrid peeked a glance at him.
"T-Thanks..." She sat up as the Professor rose from his seat, retrieving a tea set she had not see earlier and setting it down on the desk. He silently poured her a cup and handed it to her, Ingrid taking it and taking a sip from it before setting it down.
"Thanks...Again..."
The Professor nodded before smiling slightly again. This was the most Ingrid had seen him smile... "You seemed nervous, so I thought some tea would help."
"O-Oh...You could tell, huh?" Ingrid tucked some hair behind her ear, The Professor nodding.
"Is there something troubling you?" The Professor took a sip from his cup as he stared at her.
"N-No...Its just..." She stopped short as the Professor's stare intensified, he knew she was lying.
"I-It's you..."
"Me?" Byleth tilted his head, Ingrid nodding.
"I...Don't know how to act around you...I never know what you're thinking, or what you're going to do next." Ingrid kept glancing away from the Professor as she talked. His gaze unnerved her.
"I see...Sorry..."
Ingrid panicked and waved her hands. "N-No! It's nothing to apologize about! If anything it's my fault! Getting so nervous around you even though you're my teacher..."
The Professor scratched his cheek. "Well, we aren't exactly far apart in age. So I can see why you would get so nervous around me." The Professor set his hand back down on his desk. "Besides, I admit I don't really have any regards to personal space so..."
Ingrid thought back to when the Professor got close her earlier, her cheeks beginning to burn; which was becoming something of a habit lately.
"You're blushing again."
Ingrid jumped. "S-Sorry..." She fidgeted with her hands. The Professor taking another sip from his cup before setting it back on the tray. He stood up from his chair and collected the papers they had finished filling out, stacking them on the corner of his desk. He then cleaned up the tea set and put it back where ever he got it from.
"P-Professor!"
The main in question turned around to face Ingrid, who had stood up from her chair and was facing him; her hand on her chest.
"I-I...Um..." She was blushing heavily, what was she doing? Was she really going to confess? Right here and now? Was she insane? She had to have been! Ingrid took a deep breath and tried again.
"I really...L-Look up to you..."
Byleth continued staring at her, waiting for her to continue.
"You're always so understanding, and bold...You remind me of Glenn..." Ingrid said, looking down now and fidgeting with her fingers. Byleth frowned, he knew the history behind Glenn, and he didn't wish to remind Ingrid of her dead fiance.
"B-But that's not a bad thing...Felix was always saying I needed to get over Glenn's death...I mean if he was able to move on, then I should be too...Right?" Ingrid tilted her head as she asked him, it was a rhetorical question of course; but she had to say it for affirmation.
"S-So that's why..." Ingrid shushed when Byleth approached her, standing a foot away from her.
"You don't need to force yourself."
"W-What do you mean?"
"I know you have feelings for me Ingrid..."
Ingrid's eyes widened and her blush deepened a darker shade of red. "Y-You..." Byleth continued.
"...But I also know that Glenn still weighs on your heart." Byleth smiled. "Take your time, Ingrid. I'll be waiting."
Ingrid wasn't sure which was more shocking, the fact that The Professor knew of her crush on him; or that he had just confessed in his own way.
"I...Um...I have to go!" She bolted out the class room door, shutting it closed behind her. Her face red, her thoughts running wild as her heart beat loudly against her chest. That damn man was going to be the death of her one of these days.
But he was right, she still loved Glenn; and she was afraid that this crush of hers was merely a way to cope. But if the Professor was willing to wait for her...Then she'd take the time she needed to straighten her feelings out.
She was brought back to her senses when she noticed someone staring at her from the corner of her eye, she turned her head to be met with Dedue. Ingrid stood up and composed herself.
"Good evening, Dedue."
"Good evening, Ingrid."
The two didn't say much, before Ingrid bid him goodnight and walked towards the dorms, Dedue watching her leave before thinking to himself.
"Hmm...I suppose she has been acting differently..."
I am not happy with this at all. It has been wall after wall with this chapter and I have no idea what to do to fix it. Even when I asked my good friend T.S. Atlas for help his advice failed to inspire. Not that it was bad advice, it was excellent advice. I'm just too stupid to properly apply it.
I really apologize for this lack luster Ingrid chapter. I promise the next chapter will be good, and I also double promise the next Ingrid chapter will be fantastic.
Also to the the Dude who made the VC4 review I'd like it if we could talk to one another through PMs, I'd like to discuss some ideas with you if possible. If not, don't worry about it.
Until next time.
