A disowned Son.
After the fight in the tomb, Byleth headed to the the Audience Chamber with Seteth to speak with Rhea. She hoped she would get the chance to speak with Akame a bit first, but knowing Seteth, he would not make Rhea wait a second longer than she needed to, so Byleth had no choice but to follow him to meet her.
"I cannot thank you enough for defeating those invaders in the Holy Mausoleum, and especially for protecting the Sword of the Creator. That sword is one of the Heroes' Relics, and the most precious artifact in the church's possession. It is also a weapon of terrifying power. For now...I will entrust the sword to you. Please, use it wisely" Rhea said.
Seteth looked utterly shocked "Lady Rhea, wait! Do you truly mean to give the Sword of the Creator to this stranger?! Surely it is not the sort of thing that one hands over so readily, even to someone who has the ability to wield it! If someone like Nemesis were to appear again, all of Fódlan would be consumed by war!".
Byleth looked confused "Nemesis?".
"Nemesis, the King of Liberation. He is an ancient king of mankind who was defeated by Seiros over a thousand years ago. When Fódlan was attacked by wicked gods, it is said that the goddess gifted Nemesis with the Sword of the Creator. Nemesis used that sword to defeat the wicked gods, saving all of Fódlan. Henceforth he was dubbed the King of Liberation. However, his power began to corrupt him until he, himself, turned to the darkness. Saint Seiros was forced to destroy him" Seteth answered before looking back at Rhea, his worry clear "Lady Rhea, I beg you to reconsider. Given a little more time, we could more accurately assess this stranger's abilities".
Rhea shook her head, being as calm as ever "No. I have faith, Seteth. Faith that our friend here will not be corrupted by wickedness. Since the death of Nemesis, none have been able to wield the Sword of the Creator. Now, after all those long years of being sealed away, it has returned and found a new master".
"I...understand. As you wish, Lady Rhea. There you have it, Professor. See that you do not betray the trust the archbishop has seen fit to bestow upon you" Seteth said, though it sounded more like a warning.
Byleth could only nod and left the chamber. Once in the hallway, Sothis spoke to her "The Sword of the Creator. The King of Liberation. Each tale is more confusing than the last! And I really can't read that Rhea at all... That sword is clearly precious... So why is she so keen to gift the thing to you?".
"It certainly is strange" Byleth said, she couldn't help but to find it strange that Rhea would give her such a powerful weapon without even hesitating.
Sothis thinks for a moment "I feel as though we have become entangled in a mystery... And there is one more thing that has been plaguing me. The Sword of the Creator... It somehow feels distinct from other Relics we have seen. Such as the one that... Oh goodness, what was her name? Ca... Cat...".
"Cathrine?" Byleth guessed.
"Yes! Her! The Sword of the Creator differs from her Thunderbrand in one key way. It bears a hole...where something should have been, but is no more. I despise not knowing what is going on! It...it frightens me. And yet... I place my trust in you. I must. Whatever comes to pass...please swear to cut a path that is your own" Sothis said.
Byleth nods and leaves. But after she did, Claude showed up and watched "The Sword of the Creator… Pulled right from the legends. I finally found it, and yet it ended up in Teach's hands. Could I even use it anyway? Damn it. There's no telling what's to come…".
Later that night, Byleth and Akame met up in their room. Finally having some time for themselves, they talk freely with each other. Akame sat on Byleth's lap, resting her head on her older sister's chest. Byleth had an arm around Akame's shoulders and used her free hand to gently rub Akame's head.
"You never fail to amaze me, sis. You've always been strong, but now you wield a legendary sword. Next thing I know, you will become a goddess" Akame said.
Byleth smiled a little "Wouldn't that be something. You ok Akame? You are more silent than normal".
Akame sighed, of course her sister would notice "That girl I faced in the tomb. She said some strange things. She claims Rhea is a false Bishop, and is lying to the people. At first I thought she was just saying that to distract me or make me question Rhea... But I didn't see any lies in her eyes, she believed every word she said".
Byleth thinks for a moment and sighs "Sorry Akame, I can't make sense of the situation right now. All I can tell you is to keep your eye out. It is clear Rhea is almost being to nice, and I do not believe she would do all this unless she had some motive in mind".
"Is it wrong to say I don't trust her?" Akame asked.
"No, we both were raised to not trust anyone right away. And we don't know nearly enough about Rhea to fully trust her. But so far we have no reason to go against her, so we better play along for now" Byleth said.
"Yes, sister" Akame agreed, she had indeed been trained to never trust anyone blindly, and Rhea's kindness is clearly for her own gain. No one is ever that nice unless they want something. And there is no way Rhea would let Byleth keep the Sword of The Creator unless she had a plan.
Still, Byleth getting a new powerful sword made Akame remember the blade she saw before. The Murasame... she wondered why she felt a strong pull from it.
Verdant Rain Moon: The ceaseless rains that satiate the verdant landscape of Fódlan are accompanied the fierce winds and mighty roars of thunder. This abundance of rain, sparkling as it falls against beams of emerging sunlight, is a constant reminder to the people of Fódlan that nature is ever wild and unpredictable. For when the rain finally does pause, the clouds part to give way to a glorious rainbow.
The next day, Byleth was summoned to the Audience Chamber again, and to her surprise, Esdeath was there too. And Esdeath was on time for a change, something that surprised Seteth a great deal but he decided not to question it as he was relived that Esdeath didn't delay for a change. That way they could get this over with quickly.
"I have a new mission for you and Esdeath, Byleth. I would like for you to take your students into Kingdom territory to eliminate some thieves alongside Esdeath and her students" Rhea said.
"They stole a Hero's Relic from House Gautier of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus–the Lance of Ruin. Their leader's name is Miklan. He is apparently a disowned son of House Gautier" Seteth added.
"Why was he disowned?" Byleth asked.
"I believe it had something to do with his lack of a Crest. Such happenings are fairly common within the Kingdom" Seteth said.
"The Crestless cannot harness the goddess's power, even if they possess a Relic. Nonetheless, they are still capable of simply wielding those weapons" Rhea added.
"In short, unless you have a Crest, you own family can kick you out like you are nothing but garbage. Such foolish waste of a potential warrior. This is why I have a hard time respecting noble houses" Esdeath said, Byleth couldn't help but to somewhat agree with Esdeath.
"The Heroes' Relics are immensely powerful weapons. We must meet this threat with adequate force. Unfortunately, most of the Knights of Seiros are away from the monastery purging the apostates of the Western Church. So we are entrusting you and Esdeath with this mission. After all, you wield the Sword of the Creator, which is more than capable of opposing any Relic, and of course Esdeath's combat skills will allow you to handle whatever might come" Seteth said.
"The Sword of the Creator is a powerful weapon, well beyond the other Relics. You have nothing to fear. However, to ensure that no harm comes to the students, we will also send the monastery's most skilled individuals to aid you" Rhea said.
"I must remind you that you are expected to conduct yourself in a manner befitting the wielder of that holy sword. Also, you should know that Professor Hanneman has been looking for you. That is all" Seteth finished.
Byleth and Esdeath left, with the legendary warrior sighing "Sent out to clear up some mess caused by others. All because stupid nobles can't deal with the fact not everyone has crests".
Byleth looked at Esdeath "Say Esdeath, there is something I've wanted to ask you. Do you have a Crest?".
Esdeath stopped and looked at her with a smirk "Taking an intrest in me are you? I'm flatered. Do I have a Crest? Well, maybe I do and maybe I don't. I'm not one to reveal personal secrets... but I could give you a hint if you give me something in return".
"What would you like?" Byleth asked.
Esdeath's smirk grew as she put her fingers under Byleth's chin and got really close while looking her dead in the eyes "How does a kiss sound?".
Byleth suddenly blushed and took a step back "A kiss!?".
Esdeath's smirk never left her face "Yes, a kiss. If you kiss me now, maybe I will tell you my secret. The choice is yours".
Byleth debated on what to do, Esdeath clearly did this for her own benefit, and it was clear from her eyes she did not expect Byleth to do it. But then Byleth walked up to her and gave her a kiss that only lasted for a single second before backing up.
Esdeath looked utterly shocked "You... you actually did it... I thought for sure you would be to embarrassed and back out... Well, Byleth, a deal is a deal. Here is a hint: My strength involves strong blood. That's all you will get for now. But keep on impressing me, and maybe I will tell you my whole story. And maybe we can grow even closer. Who knows what surprises life still holds for us. I look forward to fighting alongside you, Byleth".
With that Esdeath walked away and Byleth could've sworn she heard Sothis giggle inside her head, clearly amused by what happened. Byleth shook her head and walked left to speak to Claude.
Meanwhile, Akame was bathing her feet in the lake. She had been running some laps around the Monastery to work on her stamina and of course it made her feet hurt a bit so she decided to take a break and let them cool of in the water. She was thinking about everything. She sighed as she laid down and closed her eyes. She remember when things used to be a lot more simple.
Suddenly she felt a shadow over her, she opened her eyes and saw Dorothea smiling down at her "You look pretty cute like this".
"Hello Dorothea, did you need something?" Akame asked.
"I was told to tell you about our mission this month, we will deal with a disowned noble who stole a relic" Dorothea answered.
"A disowned noble? Why was he disowned?" Akame asked as she sat up.
"His family did not want him because he was born without a crest" Dorothea said before she removed her boots sat down next to Akame, putting her own feet in the water "Kind of sad to thrown out of your own family just because you don't have a crest".
Akame looked a little angry at that "Parents that throws out their kids for any reason don't deserve to be parents in the first place".
Dorothea could tell she accidentally hit a sensitive spot and decided to change the subject quickly, luckily she knew just the thing "So, how is your relationship with Felix coming along?".
Akame blushed "I told you it's not what you think. He is a good training partner and he sees me as a good rival. Our rivalry helps each other grow stronger".
Dorothea giggled before putting her hand on Akame's shoulder "Akame, you don't need to be embarrassed about how you feel. Having a crush is perfectly normal for a young woman such as yourself. One of the reasons I even came to the Monastery is to find love myself".
"It's not a crush!" Akame argued.
"Then are you in love with him then?" Dorothea asked.
Akame buried her face in her hands "Stoooop...!".
"Sorry, but I meant what I said Akame. Don't feel ashamed over your feelings. Love can lead to a life of eternal happiness" Dorothea said.
"I don't know... and let's say for the sake of argument I did like him. It wouldn't matter since he only cares about getting stronger, I bet love never crossed his mind" Akame said.
"Just take some time to speak with him instead of just training. Maybe then you will know for sure if he is the one or not. Never hurts to try" Dorothea said. Akame did not answer and Dorothea gave her a side hug "And if something bad happens, I will be here for you".
Akame smiled "Thank you Dorothea... you are a true friend".
Dorothea smiled back "Anytime Akame. Anytime".
While that was happening, Byleth was talking with Claude at the Entrance Hall.
"Hey, Teach. I gotta say, I never would've guessed you were a descendant of the King of Liberation. You didn't forget, did you? That story I told you about a Relic that could cut a mountain in half? That Relic was the Sword of the Creator! The very same used by Nemesis, the King of Liberation" Claude said.
"What are you talking about?" Byleth asked.
"Don't be coy, Teach. The Sword of the Creator could only be wielded by Nemesis. If you can use it too, that can only mean you have that bloodline's Crest" Claude said.
"I don't understand" Byleth said.
Claude didn't seem to happy with that answer but didn't show it "Fine, keep your secrets. But just so you know, "I don't understand" isn't gonna cut it here at the monastery. Speaking of, Professor Hanneman has been looking for you. He probably wants to examine your Crest with those crazy instruments of his. Actually...sounds amusing. Maybe I'll tag along".
Suddenly a woman walked up to them "If it isn't my little Claude! What has you so worked up?".
"Judith?! What are you doing here?" Claude asked.
The woman named Judith gave him a stern look "That's Lady Judith to you, boy. I told you, until you're in charge, I expect you to address me with all due respect. Anyway, I'm here to retrieve you. Duke Riegan's condition has taken a turn for the worse".
"Are you saying the old man's on his death bed?" Claude asked.
Judith shook her head "No, it's not that bad. But in the state he's in, he won't be able to participate in the next roundtable conference. He wants you to go in his stead. I volunteered to play the messenger".
"Well, thanks for that. Oh, and Teach, this is Judith. Also known as the Hero of House Daphnel" Claude introduced Judith to Byleth.
"So you're little Claude's teacher, are you? How much trouble has he been giving you?" Judith asked.
"Plenty" Byleth answered.
Claude did not feel like getting lectured so he changed the subject "If her nickname didn't give it away, you should know that Judith...er, Lady Judith is the leader of the famous House Daphnel of the Leicester Alliance. She used to be a big deal at the roundtable conferences, but it seems of late she's been reduced to a mere–".
"You had better shut that mouth before I put my boot in it, you tactless nuisance!" Judith warned "Now come on. Let's get going. Sorry, Professor, but I need to borrow the boy for a bit".
"I suppose we'll have to finish our chat later. Sorry, Teach. But don't you worry. I'll be back in time for our next mission. All right, Judith. Let's get going" Claude said before he leaves.
"It's Lady... Ah, I suppose you are the active leader for the time being. Fair enough, boy. Fair enough" Judith said before she followed Claude.
Byleth watched them leave, not sure about what just happened. But she decided it wasn't her concern. She wanted to know what Akame was doing, but she needed to get her business with Hanneman over with first. And with that, she went to see the man who was nearly obsessed with Crests.
Back with Akame she was walking to train, until she spotted Felix "Hello Felix".
"Akame, good timing, I need you to come with me" Felix said urgently.
Akame blinked "What's happening?".
"My... My father is here, and I need an excuse to go out and train so I can get away from him. Having a training partner should help" Felix answered.
"Oh..." Akame said, remembering Felix's relationship with his father was far from a friendly one "Alright. And after we've trained... maybe you'd like to have some tea with me?".
Felix looked confused "Why would you want that?".
Akame blushed "I mean, I would be a nice break if we could talk a little in between our matches".
"Alright, fine. If anything it will help me avoid my father. Let's go already" Felix said before grabbing Akame's arm and dragged her along.
Akame blushed. Talking with Felix was far more challenging than sparring with him. Still, if it helped her get to know him better, then maybe it will be worth it in the end. But Akame could already tell that Dorothea was going to interrogate the hell out of her for all the details, and the teasing would get even worse.
Life sure has gotten more complicated.
.
Tell me what you think.