Today's bonus chapter, letters! This is a small taste of the letters that Byleth sent out with Anna. There'll probably be a couple more chapters like this with the future.

While there are a couple puzzle pieces this chapter, it's entirely skippable.

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To The Leading Associates Of The Blade Breaker Mercenary Company,

This is a message to all documented leaders of the Blade Breaker company. We are officially issuing the emergency code Grey Gamma Phi. This emergency code is to be taken very seriously and mobilization to the region of Fodlan should begin immediately. To reiterate, that is a Grey Gamma Phi. Follow the proper procedural chain starting with the mobilization of stealth-based units leading up the eventual mobilization of the highest standing combative units.

This is not an Omega Red Delta code, meaning that no bases should be left entirely unmanned. Do not send your entire staff. First in Commands should remain with their designated bases and continue to do their designated tasks for the region. However, members of the Ashen Jury, the Broken Tablet, the Dragon Guard, and the personal command staff of Byleth Aria Eisner and Jeralt Reus Eisner should immediately report to Fodlan if available and await further instruction. Do not enter any of the main cities or make your presence know until further instructions are given. Stealth leaders will be in contact with you to better solidify the details of the situation and ensure that unnecessary risk to company staff and civilians is not being taken.

In addition, all noble clientele and associates should be notified of the situation without raising alarm. Be certain to assure them of continued quality service. Do not send more men than you are capable of as to avoid any delays in quality and consistency of services, this is an emergency but not that kind of emergency. For those with more personal ties to the company (the first in commands should be aware of who we're talking about), they may be notified of the emergency code and the location being Fodlan. Those who know what the code means should know exactly how to proceed.

Dragon's speed.

Commander of Operations and Tactics,

Byleth Aria Eisner

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Dearest "Marc"

Are you still going by Marc? I know you picked up the name with the sole intention of teasing me. Yes, okay, I panicked back on Elibe and outside of those who personally knew me there are still those think my name is Mark. But I had good reason to! Elibe can be a cold place, it made me think that I'd somehow ended up in Fodlan. And what was the one rule my father always told me? Never give out my real name or personal information if I ended up in Fodlan, especially without him. I was terrified and utterly alone, so yes, I played at fake amnesia and called myself Mark. I'll admit, not my brightest moment, but at least I came clean before I left. Besides, I'm not the one who actually bought it.

Aside from you being your typical terror like self (and probably catching Setsuna in your pit traps) how is everyone else? I'm assuming that Inigo, Owain, and Severa are still going by their fake names. I suppose it's for the best. It's less confusing to have a separate set of names to call you guys whenever you come back to Ylisse to visit. I'll never get used to having two Morgans, let alone three. Well, technically two Morgans and a Morrigan but the difference is slim enough in pronunciation it's still a pain. At least you aren't identical like Annas.

Have any of the others picked up new names as well? I would have thought Nah would jump at the chance to call herself something new. Then again, after getting closer to Tiki she didn't seem to mind it as much. I have to say, I do hope you've all picked something different. I know the area isn't as dangerous as it was during the war, but a good chunk of you are still royalty and powerful Ylissean figures, one timeline removed or not. For your own safety, I hope you've been wise... One last thing on the topic of names. If Lucina has taken a different name, please, for the love of Naga tell me it's not Marth. I'm going to personally kick her ass if she decided to start calling herself Marth. Again.

Are you all living in Nohr together or did some of you branch out to Hoshido and Valla? I expect some of you would probably fit better there than Nohr. Especially you. You seem like you'd get along dangerously well with Kana. Please don't cause too much trouble for Kamui, and if Corrin comes back from his trip you best well behave. The twins are good people, so be nice. Other than that my only other worry is whether Severa's hair went back to its proper natural color and if Owain's exalt mark finally came back. And if those two are able to actually keep Solie in check. She's the opposite of a useless lesbian, she's too productive to the point of being dangerous. I don't trust Inigo and Lucina to be able to contain her on their own, so the task falls to the rest of you.

While I'd love to actually visit and try to catch back up, I'm actually getting in touch with you because of a concern I had. Which brings me back to my mention of Fodlan and Elibe. Recently some pretty nasty stuff has been happening over here. Depending on when you get my letter you might have already heard about it from the company branch over where you are.

On the chance you haven't heard, there's a war on the horizon over here. Nothing bad. Nothing worse than what you or I have already been through. Still bad enough that it's worth calling in reinforcements. Part of me keeps thinking if I could go all the way back to when I first stepped foot on this continent I would have dyed my hair pink and started calling myself Duranicheva Vlada Mikhailovna of Novokuboksarsk-Duratov and I would have only spoken in a mixture of foreign tongues. It's a bit too late for that now.

My request to you isn't to come join the fight. No. I actually have bigger worries based on intuition. Do you remember that potion I gave you all those years ago? The one that I made and had no clue what it was for despite having made it? I finally figured it out, and now I've got an important job for you. Go to Elibe, give it to Ninian. If you introduce yourself as Marc, they'll probably be a bit distrustful all things considered. But Eliwood and Ninian both know my real name so if you drop that they should be willing to trust you.

After that, I want you to stay in Elibe until you receive another letter. I can't describe why but I have a feeling that something bad is going to happen. Something really bad. And I'm going to need you there when it does happen. I won't be able to visit Elibe again. Not for a while. I want you to protect all of them in my stead. I know that you'll be sad being away from the other children from future past, but you said it yourself, you always felt like you didn't belong with them. I have a feeling that you really were from a different future than them, maybe a better one where Grima never existed. Or maybe it was worse. Either way, I need you to do me this favor. Please. I think you're probably the only one I can trust with this job.

Regardless of how much time might pass between the next time we're able to meet face to face, may you walk beneath Naga's wings and carry this mission with pride.

P.s. I'm still mad about the hair thing. Luckily it's almost long enough to the point where I can stop wearing these awful clothes and go back to my regular style.

Sincerely,

Byleth (The Real Mark)

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Dear Gaius,

I know you're still quite the talented thief if Chrom's constant exhausted sounding letters are anything to go off of, but how do you do when it comes to spying? If you're even halfway decent then I have something of a job for you. This information is a bit touchy so we're doing things old school. Like you taught me when I was little, the code is in your name.

Yljltzqe a gyvuw cnv ayl jaqqlk Znvsl Cnv Sqiznly It Znl Kayp nabl hllt rapitg svrlznitg mv a rlss it znl jvtzitltz vm Mvkqat. Els, I ptvc iz's a szuwik tarl. Tv, I kvt'z ptvc cnv jarl uw cizn iz. Els, I wyvrisl znle'yl at ajzuaq znylaz. Znliy gvaqs ayl kiyljzqe vwwvslk zv ritl, bivqltzqe vwwvslk snvuqk I sae. Sv nlyl's re wyvwvsizivt. I'qq wae evu 10 wvutks vm jatke atk nurvy ate 5 hapitg ylqazlk ylxulszs jvrwqlzlqe vm evuy jnvvsitg snvuqk evu ajjlwz znl ovh. Iz'qq hl a sirwql vtl mvy svrlvtl vm evuy spiqqslz.

I catz evu zv itmiqzyazl Znvsl Cnv Sqiznly atk glz as rujn itmvyrazivt vuz vm znlr as wvssihql. Wyivyizifl evuy vct samlze atk rvyaqs, huz jqirh as may uw znl qakkly as wvssihql. Utmvyzutazlqe, znl awwlayatjl vm znvsl ciznit znl gyvuw is yaznly utsignzqe, sv evu'qq hl tllkitg a kisguisl. 'Sirwqe' rapluw snvuqk kv znl zyijp huz im evu nabl ate kimmijuqzils znat a gvvk turhly vm znl gyvuw clay wqagul kvjzvy qipl rasps. Znlsl zltk zv hl ragls sv evu'qq hl kvitg a qvz vm mapitg huz znaz's tvznitg tlc zv evu. A jvuwql vm miyljyajplys atk evu snvuqk hl ahql zv jvtbitjl znlr evu'yl a qvc-qlblq miyl ragl. Mvkqat ist'z clqq ajxuaitzlk cizn znl sarl zljntvqvgijaq akbatjls as Eqissl, sv pllw znaz it ritk atk usl iz zv evuy akbatzagl.

Re higglsz cvyye yignz tvc is znl wvzltziaq mvy znlr zv azzajp utcizzitg atk ittvjltz zvcts ciznit znl qvjaq ayla. It wayzijuqay a zvct he znl tarl vm Ylriyl. I mlay znle wqat zv usl znl kltiflts as zlsz suholjzs mvy svrl acmuq wvisvt zv kyibl znlr itsatl.

Snvuqk evu ajjlwz znl rissivt kv tvz ylwqe. Znlyl jat hl tv muyznly jvyylswvtkltjl hlzcllt znl zcv vm us utziq evu glz it zvujn cizn a wayzijuqay vtl vm vuy sweraszlys, evu rignz lblt ptvc znl vtl I'r zaqpitg ahvuz. Snl's a cvrat vm ahvuz 5'6. Snl's myvr Zlqqius, a cnizl kyagvt Qaguf sv snl snvuqk hl maiyqe vhbivus. Rapl evuy cae zv znl jawizaq vm znl Akylsziat Lrwiyl atk catkly ayvutk cizn re rayp vt evuy snvuqkly. Im evu jat'z mitk nly snl'qq jvrl zv evu, nvclbly, im evu catz zv rapl a gvvk irwylssivt I'k yljvrrltk zyeitg zv mitk nly.

Aqq muyznly jvrrutijazivts hlzcllt znl zcv vm us ciqq hl kvtl znyvugn nly atk znl ylsz vm re tlzcvyp. Znis is a zvw zily lrlygltje it re hvvp, vtl znaz jvuqk wvzltziaqqe zuyt qlznaq mvy rvyl znat ousz znl wlvwql vm Mvkqat im cl kvt'z ldwylss znl uzrvsz jauzivt. Svrlznitg kayply znat cnaz rllzs znl lel is hylcitg. I'r zaqpitg Gyira qlblq irwajz, znl pitk znaz hyatjnls vuz zv rvyl znat ousz vtl ylgivt. I tllk nlqw. Cl tllk nlqw.

Snvuqk evu tvz cisn zv utklyzapl znis rissivt znlt znl ylsz is sirwql. Kisylgayk znis qlzzly atk wylzltk as znvugn I sirwqe sltz evu a szazus uwkazl ylgaykitg nvc I'bl hljvrl a zlajnly sitjl evu ayl sziqq at vqk myiltk. Im evu ajjlwz znis rissivt znat znatp evu it akbatjl. Snvuqk evu tvz jnvvsl zv zapl iz, znlt I cisn evu znl hlsz vt evuy tldz hig ovh.

Your Favorite Protegee,

Byleth

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Hey Brat (Morrigan),

Only you would believe the kind of week I've been having.

I have a lot of reasons to be contacting you right now, but I'm admittedly also curious as to how you've been doing. Are your parents well? And the other Morgan? I hope you've actually been applying yourself to your studies as I'm not going to marry you just so you can throw the leadership of Plegia on my shoulders. I had enough troubles trying to avoid being tricked into a permanent position of leadership in other places only for the people of Fodlan to finally con me into the role. Multiple times. Furthermore, considering you are my godsister of all things, I'd like to request you never offer up the idea again. I love you as a sister, but I'd rather marry a Risen.

I wish I could say that things have been easy and well in Fodlan. I wish I could say that father and I are on our grandiose return home after deftly avoiding any jobs and doing whatever father came here to do. Such is never the case for me apparently. You really had to go ahead and call it didn't you? "I bet you're going to be dragged into some big political game. And you know what! Your entire mercenary company is going to start laughing when their royalty adverse Princess gets seduced by a king or a queen. No, bigger, I bet you'll be seduced by an emperor!"

When was the last time I mentioned that I hate you and your uncanny fortune-telling abilities? Go ahead, tell your parents and laugh. I've been seduced by a pretty little heiress to an emperor. A woman no less (though I suppose you already saw that coming, didn't you?). Please don't mention that bit to Tharja. I know she's been working on a potion that allows for biological conception between two women ever since Noire declared herself bi and I'd rather not become the first test subject before I've even confessed. I'm remarkably terrified regarding the 'how' since she hasn't even given me details on how the potion works... This isn't the point of the letter though. There's been a couple of problems as of recent regarding gods, wars, and the ability to time travel. You know, the usual. Except instead of going back to stop an evil dragon god I've been going back in time to stop a war. Repeatedly.

I've already sent out an announcement to the leaders of each mercenary base. Mobilization should start immediately as long as nothing happens to the letters. I would appreciate if you and anyone else with the free time could come over to offer aid. Especially considering you're the leader of the Dragon Gaurd. I don't want to fight this war, I want to stop it, but a good way to make people second guess their actions is fear. If you show up with Nowi and Nah then I'm pretty sure it's going to cause even the most religious of zealots to do a double-take, dragon form or not. That being said, any help is a good thing even if it's not a lot and if things are too bogged down on your end then I won't blame you for being unable to send aid or come to Fodlan. I've been out of the loop long enough that I have no idea as to the current state of things in Plegia.

If you can do absolutely nothing else, I would appreciate if you could send along Avalon. I feel like the fact she's at least half a size larger than the average Fodlan wyvern could be a benefit and I also miss her. I am lonely. I'm even willing to pay the High Council of Annas to ensure that transportation goes smoothly and no issues arise. If this is what's necessary to do please carry along my message to Cherche and have Avalon delivered to the nearest Anna. Preferably muzzled and drugged for the safety of all other Annas involved along the journey. I know ours is used to her, but not many other Annas are.

Your Dipshit Godsister,

Byleth

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For those who are curious about the letter to Gaius I used a caesar cipher because I have an unhealthy addiction to ciphers. The code being in his name is a hint that it's a 5 letter shift, however, the letters that make up Gaius were left as they are. The letters bcdefhjklmnopqrtvwxyz all got moved down 5 while agisu were left alone.

For example, group became gyvuw. The g and u remained a g and u while the other letters were all move 5 down the alphabet.

I recommend using a website called Cryptii instead of trying to decode the whole thing yourself. Seems like it would make for a painful process...