Silver Snow Revised

by Cosmic Sky

When Byleth Eisner came to Garreg Mach, he brought an unexpected hope with him. It was a hope Rhea knew she had to nurture, never suspecting that things wouldn't quite work out as she expected. Byleth would show her that wasn't a bad thing. Likewise, she'd become something unexpected but precious to him. This is the story of the silver studded path they walked together.

7. Chapter 6-An Outstretched Hand

Hello, everyone. Welcome to the next chapter of this ongoing rewrite. As I said last chapter, this one's going to be light on the action and more on the character interaction sprinkled with some worldbuilding. This chapter is the first (and the first in general) of a two-parter where I'm going to be spotlighting a few different characters, including our leading duo. I hope you all enjoy!

I do not own anything.

---

Silver Snow Revised

Chapter 6-An Outstretched Hand

---

"Petra, your aim was near perfect, albeit it could still use a little bit of work. Continue to practice with Hubert for the rest of the afternoon."

"Yes, Professor Eisner!"

"Bernadetta,"

"Eep! Y-Y-Y-Y-Yes, s-s-s-sir?"

Byleth could hear how he lowered his own voice while speaking to her. Normally, he only spoke this way when talking to children or those who possessed some sort of impairment. He'd long since begun to think the purple-haired girl fell into the latter category, on top of still being a child. Ironically, she was older than Petra by a year, but the differences between the two archers couldn't have been any greater.

The Dagdan princess had all the focus and determination that Bernadetta lacked. Not to mention composure under pressure as the afternoon's training had shown. When Hubert dropped a cover of darkness over the archery field, Bernadetta's first response had been to panic like the night itself was descending upon them to crush them all. Even though she'd been told exactly what this training was going to be and what it meant to accomplish. Even as she nodded, he had a feeling that something was going to go wrong.

Either Bernadetta had overestimated her confidence or Hubert's shadowy fog was more potent than he'd originally thought.

"Ahh, such delicious screams. I look forward to hearing the same from our enemies." The black-haired mage had so casually proclaimed while his housemate screamed her head off within his darken territory.

"Bernadetta, calm down! It is merely fog, nothing more! It will not harm you!" Ferdinand had called, clearly having the opposite reaction.

He wasn't the only one concerned. "He's right, Bernie! You can do it! Just listen to the ringing and you'll hit your target just fine!" Dorothea shouted in an attempt to calm her down.

"Just quit screaming in terror and focus! There is nothing in the darkness besides Petra, who would have cut you down by now if you were an enemy!" Edelgard threw in.

Byleth had agreed with her on that. If this had been an actual battle or a sparring match between them, Bernadetta would have been dead, or knocked out. Neither outcome was particularly appealing, but at her current pace that's what it would be. And the next time they headed out into battle unless someone was with her, she was definitely going to die.

As her teacher, he couldn't let that happen. "Since a veil of darkness was a little too much for you, I'm going to try something a little…lighter. I'm going to blindfold you, from there you must listen to the target's ringing and hit it."

She seemed relieved that she wasn't going to be shrouded in physical darkness, only her eyes. At first. The realization that she was going to be spending more time training than the others dawned on the noble girl causing her to go shaky with worry. In the end though, she hung her head and nodded, accepting there was no way of getting out of this. To her credit, she didn't squirm when the piece of cloth was wrapped around her. It took several deep breaths afterward, but she was eventually ready.

Three targeting boards had been set up, and behind each of them a "buzzer" that gave away their location to everyone. For anyone lacking sight such as Petra and Bernadetta, it was the only indicator of location that they had, along with their mind's eye, which Byleth was hoping to develop along with their sense of hearing. The training had seemingly worked on Petra just as it had for Byleth himself; Bernadetta, of course, had been a different story. She'd acted as if the ringing was the tolling of reaper himself.

A somewhat morbid part of him wondered how she'd respond to actual such bells being wrong. From what he'd seen of her, she'd believe that they were tolling for her.

He along with the rest of the Black Eagles watched as Bernadetta notched her bow and waited for the ringing that identified the location of the targets. She actually waited until the third ring, something Byleth didn't hold against her, especially when she released her arrow and it hit close to the bullseye. He told her that she'd hit the target, but not the bullseye, it was good but she could do better. Byleth told her so as he ordered her to continue, but he gave her no indication of how near she was to the bullseye. The teenager naturally complained about this, but Byleth remained resolute.

His staying seemed to get the rest of the Black Eagles to stay and focus on Bernadetta's training. Byleth hadn't exactly planned for that, but he wasn't complaining about it either. His purple-haired student looked like she wanted to, but miraculously, she worked past it. He knew that was going to be part of Bernadetta's training as well-getting her able to work under pressure. At the very least here at the academy she was surrounded by her classmates who wouldn't be too harsh with her. Or at least most of them wouldn't be.

Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!

"Bernadetta, that's enough." Spoke the Black Eagles' teacher. "You can remove your blindfold." She did so with a great deal of nervousness. It dissipated when saw that a couple of her arrows had found their mark.

"I…did it. I-I actually did it." She whispered while looking like she was ready to collapse to her knees.

"Yes, you did, just as I knew you would." Byleth affirmed while walking over to her. He noticed how she tensed whenever he approached her. This time, she didn't tense up quite as much as she had before. "You saw the target in your mind, didn't you, Bernadetta." It was less of a question and more of a statement. She nodded in confirmation of it. "Whenever you take up a bow, try to stimulate that feeling. Block out everything else so that you can see using it."

"I-I-I'm going to need it in a fight, a-a-aren't I?" The Varley heiress squeaked.

"It would certainly come in handy in a fight." He tried to keep the snark out of his voice, but he knew some of it had snuck in.

You could have said it worse.

Yes, I could have sounded more like you. Byleth counted this glare as number eight today. How many more could he rank up before it was midnight and the day was officially over with? "That's enough for today, Bernadetta, and the rest of you. If you want to keep on training, you're free to do so. If not, well…as always, the rest of the afternoon is yours. Now, let's head back to class so you can all collect your things." There was widespread jubilation from the students, but arguably none more so than the girl beside him.

"Great! I'll get going!" Just as quickly as the arrows she'd been shooting, Bernadetta took off, practically sprinting back to the classroom so she could collect her things. Afterward, Byleth was certain she'd hightail it back to her room.

"Quite a sight, isn't she? Imagine her channeling that sort of vigor into combat."

He met Edelgard's aside glance. It seemed she would be his companion on the walk back to class. "That's what I'm aiming to do. On the topic of that, she doesn't have to be the speedy type. Petra seems to have that role covered."

"True, but it never hurts to be…diverse, don't you think?"

"On that, I agree with." Came his immediate response. Byleth sized up the white-haired girl before turning his attention back to the path ahead of them. "Edelgard, you don't like archery much, do you?"

From the corner of his eye, he saw the surprise on her face. Surely she thought that she hadn't given herself away, but to his sharp eyes, she had. She turned to him with a slightly sheepish look. As best he could, he smiled at her, indicating he didn't have anything against her opinion. "I am not a fan of it. Professor, I…prefer the direct approach in all things, including combat. I suppose you could also say that…I don't quite have the patience for it."

"Is it you don't have the patience for it, or that you prefer the stronger kick of magic?" Her eyebrows rose in quiet shock at how easily he was picking her apart. Though respectful, she was still plenty surprised at how intuitive he could be, just like ninety-percent of other occupants of the Monastery. "There's nothing wrong with preferring magic to a bow and arrow. I can admit that the average bow and arrow probably can't compare to a fire or thunder spell."

"Personally, I believe that it is quicker to cast a spell than it is to draw a bow." She somewhat arrogantly declared.

"I'd say circumstances matter, so there is no absolute victor between the two of them. A fast archer can outpace a mage and put an arrow in their heart."

"Would I be right to assume that you've seen such a thing happen?"

"Numerous times as a matter of fact. Some Almyran archers take pride in being able to cut off a sorcerer before they can finish their spellcasting. And in having an arrow able to cut through their spells, and them."

"So, the rumors are true. You have been to Almyra." She said in a conclusive voice. It was like a theory of hers had just been verified.

He doubted she was the only one with such thoughts. "If you want to hear the stories, I'll tell you about them if either of us can find the time to."

"I would very much like that, Professor."

Byleth turned to her, more than a little surprised at how quickly she'd taken him up on his offer. In that surprise though, he felt a newfound respect for his imperial pupil. But he also wanted to test her to see how far her curiosity extended. "Would you be so eager if I were to share stories of Dagda?"

"I have heard stories that you have been there as well. Did you ever-"

"Fight against the Empire? No, but I ran into some imperial troops who decided to stay in Dagda." He stopped and stared at her. Actually, he was standing in front of his desk back in the classroom. It was just him and Edelgard…well, them and one of the Monastery's many stray cats. Byleth caught it staring at him the classroom entrance. He refocused his attention on Edelgard, who seemed to have tensed up as Bernadetta had. She was bracing herself for what he was about to say. Byleth didn't hold back, "Some of them weren't exactly pleasant people."

"Then should they have met their end by you, you did the empire a service by ending their lives and stopping their disgrace of my nation." The imperial princess declared in surprisingly booming voice. It sounded almost like she was trying to condemn them from beyond the grave.

Her praise is hollow to you, isn't it? The actions her country undertook in Dagda, I can feel it. They were little different from how these warlords behaved, wasn't it? Sothis was kind to him. She could have easily dove through his memories, but she chose not to. What she did do was go off what she could sense from him. The anger, the disgust, the preconceived feelings he had for the Adrestian Empire.

…Adrestia was an invading army, and it certainly left its mark on Dagda as one would. Byleth simply stated to his spiritual partner. His physical voice rose to address the girl in front of him. "Thank you…I suppose. For the praise and for not holding a grudge against me for that."

"As I said, from the sounds of it, those men disgraced the name of Adrestia." Her smile was thin, miniscule. It was still more noticeable than the ones he believed he could work up. "And…thank you as well, Professor. Thank you for not letting those experiences color your views of we Adrestians."

Again, Byleth held back his full thoughts. "Like you said, those Adrestians didn't represent all of you. Not to mention some of them were quite vocal in being happy to have…broken away so to speak from the Empire. I never quite knew what they meant by that, but I'm hoping to learn a little more while I'm here at the Monastery."

"If you wish to learn, then I believe I can be the one to teach you. There us nine more knowledgeable in the Empire's history and secrets than I, its future leader." Proudly proclaimed the purple-eyed girl. "Should your curiosity press you even further, I am also a source of…shall we say more intriguing knowledge."

Byleth recognized a dangling of bait when he saw, or heard one. As his curiosity had been piqued, he decided to take it.

"Should you desire truth, truths that some would prefer to keep hidden, seek me out, Professor."

Quite an arrogant one, isn't she? The goddess of Fόdlan remarked as she and Byleth watched Edelgard leave the classroom. It was an abrupt end to the conversation, one that sent something of a message in itself.

Given her status, it's to be expected. At least she's not insufferable. "Noted." Byleth responded. Edelgard was about to cross the threshold of the door when he called out to her again. "Edelgard," he called. "Patience is a virtue, remember that."

Her cape waved in the wind as she turned around to face him. "Noted, Professor. Especially since I have an example to follow in you."

The flattery was appreciated, but Byleth didn't let it distract him. "Then I do hope you'll learn from me. People can be like arrows, Edelgard. Dealing with people can be like dealing with arrows. They take time to find their target, that includes being notched right."

"True. Again, I believe that I have an example to follow and learn from in you. So far, you have been 'notching' us all quite well. Including Bernadetta. I will admit, you've made far more progress with her than I ever thought possible. More than I believe myself to be capable of."

He kept quiet on how if he were under other circumstances, he might have given up early. As she was his student, Byleth felt an obligation to try; that obligation had grown stronger in the weeks since the school year had begun. "Edelgard, do you…know anything about Bernadetta? Namely how she ended up such a nervous…wreck?"

"I only know the basics, and for that, I would point you toward her father, Count Varley." He noticed the complete change in her voice, her whole demeanor. It was quite telling, especially when coupled with Bernadetta's daily state of being. "He is…well, he is amongst those I would count as a disgrace to Adrestia. I'm sorry, but there are other things I must do."

"That's fine. Go, see you in the tomorrow." Finally, she left the classroom. Once she did, another being entered, a small, white and orange-furred feline that raced down the aisles and jumped onto his desk. The cat looked up to him with wide brown eyes. "You could have came in at any time you wanted. What, did you want me all to yourself?" Based on how the cat meowed at him, Byleth wondered if he should have taken that as a yes. That theory was boasted as the cat trotted up to him and stuck out its head, clearly wanting a head pat. Byleth gave it with a somewhat fond frown.

If only dealing with that Bernadetta girl were this easy. Then again, maybe hope can exist for that girl. You seem to believe it.

I believe there's hope for her to break out of her shell. The herbs seemed to have helped.

Yes, they did. You truly do owe the Archbishop a thank you. I wonder how you will thank her. Sothis was likely the only person he'd let sit on his desk. Of course, he didn't exactly have a way to stop her. Perhaps I can give you some suggestions.

Precisely how long will you marvel at a statue of yourself before I give it to Lady Rhea?

Surely you have a better idea than flowers, don't you?

I'm still new to this…gift giving thing. At least gifts that aren't weapons. That'd just look weird and unclothe of me.

Indeed, it would, which is why you'd best listen to my advice. Surely I will be able to help you repay the Archbishop's kindness.

You know, I feel like if I could show her you, that'd be gift enough. Granted, that might not be a good idea. You certainly be what she'd want her goddess to be. As always, he was amused with watching the goddess puff out her cheeks then turn her head away in annoyance. He felt his mouth muscles twitching. Byleth wished there was a mirror nearby to see if he was smiling; he felt like he was. He was certainly amused at Sothis' reaction.

"Meow!"

"Sorry. Guess you want some fish, huh?" Irritating changed into excitement as the cat began eagerly meowing. "Heh, fishing it is then."

You know, I'm beginning to suspect you should just go ahead and name this little kitten. It, or shall I say he, seems to have taken quite a liking to you. Sothis offered. There was a certain affection in her eyes as she watched him leisurely play with the white and orange furred cat atop his desk. Thankfully, his paperwork had been pushed aside, out of the animal's reach. Over his last few encounters, he'd noticed the primarily white-furred creature had a habit of scratching up loose sheets of paper, or at least what it perceived as loose paper.

"In addition to a name, maybe I should also get you a scratching post to make sure you don't rip my paperwork to shreds. If you do then there'll be-"

"Byleth! Ah, it's a good thing I found you here! Just where I thought you'd be! Excellent!"

"…No fish for you." The cat glared at him, then turned around and screeched at Alois. The Adrestian man squealed in shock as if the animal were a venomous serpent. Byleth felt a rumble in his throat, laughter. "Sorry, little fella. Another time." Ceasing its screeching, it looked back at him with a glare that was more amusing than threatening. "I promise, next time I'll make sure to reel in something special for you." His attempted promise was met with a dry stare, and a hiss. In the end, the cat seemed to take him at his word. Maybe the hiss was a threat on what would happen if he didn't keep it. Still seated, he watched the cat jump off his desk and trot toward the doorway where Alois still was.

He jumped back in fright at the cat that was no bigger than his forearm.

If this is how he is with a stray cat, I shudder to imagine him facing down an enemy wyvern.

To his credit, I've heard far more embarrassing shrieks of terror.

True. The man didn't sully himself.

"I didn't know you'd taken in a stray cat. Bit of a surprise as I wouldn't have pegged you for an animal lover." Alois bounced back fast from the little incident, although it had clearly gotten him thinking. He walked up to Byleth's desk, his wide smile returning to his face.

"Well…it's not like I've made a habit out of it, but I…actually, you could say that I have developed a habit for it. Every now and then I'd feed a few strays. Some of them would take a liking to me for whatever reason." He admitted, slightly surprised at himself. As Byleth looked back on his history, he realized that he had indeed made something of a habit out of it. He was certain that habit was going to grow as he'd noticed the Monastery had quite a few stray animals roaming about. "Alois, what is it? Am I needed somewhere?"

"That's one way of putting it! I'm going to need your expertise on something! Something that could mean the difference between life and death!" His desk shook as the older man slammed his palms atop of it. Byleth wasn't even annoyed, he was simply interested. Even when Alois' face faltered a little. "Um, I heard a rumor that you can speak Brigidin."

"I can." He immediately responded. "Is this a Brigid matter?"

"You could say that. So, um…" Alois trailed off while nervously scratching the back of his head. He was clearly hesitant that Byleth was going to accept the request.

"Lead the way." He stated while rising to his feet.

"Great! Follow me then!"

You are getting a feeling, aren't you? Can you not simply turn this man down? The goddess chided as he gathered his things and began following Alois.

He is an old friend of father's, namely his squire. Besides, he said it was life-or-death. The Black Eagles' instructor. Beside him floated the Progenitor God of the land, a look of amused dismay on her face.

…I suppose even a little demon like you needs amusement. I may self could do with it. Perhaps this will be more interesting than catching dinner for a cat. Sothis remarked, her lips curling into a small smile before she vanished into light particles.

---

Know your environment. Know it as well as you know your enemy, which sometimes could be your terrain. Other times your terrain could be your friend if you knew how to use it. Those were philosophies Byleth adhered to, though he also believed in them for an additional reason to that-know your surroundings so you don't make a fool of yourself.

Having grown up in war, Byleth had learned fast that sometimes things didn't end when two sides stopped trying to kill each other. Or at least stopped openly trying to kill each other. Even when the fighting stopped, bad blood could linger. This bad blood could and at times should have made one rethink where they traveled to. The more serious the conflict, the more thought one should have used in their thinking.

Following that school of thought, one could argue that Alois hadn't been thinking at all. If he had, then he wouldn't be just barely holding it together while Byleth furiously attempted to track down the money and the coins that he'd lost.

Belfawst, also known as Little Brigid was one of the many dozens of towns that existed within the territory of Renpet. Its defining trait was in its sizable Brigid population. That was to be expected given it'd been founded centuries ago by Brigid refugees who'd found shelter in Fόdlan's centermost domain. What had begun as a small town of a few dozen had grown into the hundreds. Hundreds of Brigid natives who continued the ways of their ancestors…while also learning the ways of Fόdlan. Others would say they also spent that time sticking it to the Adrestian Empire, who had remained their lifelong enemy throughout the years.

Reading up on Belfawst, Byleth had learned that while Adrestians were tolerated in the town, they were always cautioned to watch their backs. Extreme violence was a rarity nine times out of ten, but that just meant everything below that was to be expected. Including pickpocketing and swindling.

"I'm telling ya' for the last damn time, six-hundred marks! That's what these coins are worth!" The shopkeeper declared. Byleth could tell that the man was starting to lose patience with him. The feeling was entirely mutual as Byleth knew that he was lying, but for the sake of civility he was biting his own tongue.

And using it to speak Brigidin near flawless, something that had taken the shopkeeper by surprise. "I don't quite believe that. These coins aren't true Bormō Coins. I've seen them, and these are not it. You swindled my friend out of his money, and those coins he traded for these falsities."

The shopkeeper's green eyes narrowed in a clear show of mounting irritation. He was likely two seconds away from telling him, and Alois, to get out. "And how exactly am I supposed to take your word. I know not who you are. You may speak our language, but any two-bit swindler can do that."

Hypocrisy. Sothis seethed from over Byleth's shoulder. She'd watched the dispute unfold with her own growing disdain. Like him, she'd deduced that Alois had been swindled out of his money, and like him she was angry about it. Albeit some of her ire was also focused on Alois for being falling for such a con. Regardless, she'd been quietly attempting to bore a hole in the graying-haired shopkeeper while Byleth attempted to use negotiation. Byleth,

Yes, Sothis. I know. I don't have any hard evidence to prove my word over his. Unfortunately…I'm thinking that's not what this is going to come down to. Replied the blue-haired man. He continued to speak to the shopkeeper, feinting whole-hearted interest in the debate. Feeling Sothis' eyes on him, he elaborated, I was really hoping I wouldn't have to play this card.

It took her seconds to figure out what he meant. Honestly, you should have led with that. It would have saved us so much more time!

Like I said, I was hoping that I wouldn't have to play it. I'm not sure Petra would appreciate me using my status as her teacher to stomp around Belfawst.

No, she might not, but I highly doubt that she would appreciate Alois being swindled like this. Even more concerning, if this is not stopped then it will set a precedent. Nay, it will allow one to continue!

I agree, Sothis. It's just…a personal thing. With a mental sigh, he straightened up and played his unwanted but necessary ace in the hole. "I know that these coins," he indicated to the wooden box that Alois had been foiled into buying. "Are not what you said they were. To verify that, I will be more than willing to verify that with Princess Petra." All at once, the shop keeper's eyes widened. In that second's long window, Byleth made his move. "Princess Petra Macneary, daughter of the late King Melvin Macneary. My student." Reaching into his pocket, he sat down atop the table a faded iron badge. Connecting the ringlet from top to bottom was a sword with three bars stretching across it. Years ago, each of the three bars had been colored red, black, and yellow, but time had caused the paint to fade. Regardless, the badge served its purpose.

"T-T-T-That badge! Y-You're-! W-Wait, you're…you are…you're Lady Petra's Teacher?!" As the dots connected, horror swelled up within the Brigid man; his jaw dropped and his eyes stared at Byleth in unblinking horror. "Y-Y-You're the-"

"Black Eagles head professor, yes, I am. I believe my associate has been swindled and I would like it if you returned his money and his coins. Now." He didn't go particularly hard on the last part; he didn't have to.

"Y-Y-Yes. R-R-Right. J-J-Just p-please, d-d-don't tell Lady Petra! A-And please, don't take this out on her!" Begged the shopkeeper, now having switched back to Fόdlanese.

Alois looked relieved, but he also looked more than a little surprised at how the situation had turned on its head.

"I won't tell her, and this will not in any way be paid for by her." Byleth calmly declared. "However, I am going to ask you now, please stop swindling Adrestians. Especially ones like him." With his thumb, he indicated toward Alois. "This man may be Adrestian, but he is not in any way deserving of your scorn. The coins he was hoping to buy were going to be delivered as good luck charms to even your countrymen at Garreg Mach."

As if his words were the signal, Alois stepped forward. "That's right! I can understand your reservations, but please, any protection or good luck I can bring to my fellow knights, I want to, no matter how much it may cost me!"

He is a kind-hearted imbecile. Sothis remarked.

Yes, he is…but the world would be an even worse place if not for him. The Ashen Demon calmly affirmed and retorted in the same mental breath. Byleth turned away from the shopkeeper, who was vigorously nodding, to Alois. His once stern face softened, and it remained so as Alois looked back at him and smiled.

Minutes later and the two men exited the pawn shop. In Alois' hands were the rare coins he'd almost lost, and in his pockets were the marks that he'd also came close to losing. Every coin had been returned. It was doubtful they'd ever be spent at that shop again. Byleth certainly would make sure to be weary of the store, not that there was much in there that had caught his eye. It'd be a different story if they were to stop by an armory…or a perhaps a bookstore.

"I really do owe you one, Byleth!" Shouted the Adrestian Knight. "Seems like this wasn't the first time you had to do something like that."

"It wasn't." he simply said. "Alois, this also wasn't the first time that you'd gotten swindled, was it?" His nervous laugh and apologetic smile were confirmation of that. Byleth let out a small sigh. At least I was here to help him out of this jam. "Does this happen often when you come here, Alois?"

"Um, well…"

"Alois, you do realize that you're an Adrestian in a predominantly Brigid town, right?" He looked down in quiet shame, and confirmation of what Byleth suspected. "You know you're only asking for trouble…but it never stops you, does it?"

"No, it does. I mean…it's not like I don't know what Adrestia's done to Brigid. I don't agree, I never did. Still, in the eyes of these people, that doesn't mean much. But that just means I had to try even harder to let them know that I don't hate them, and more importantly, that they can rely on me! As a Knight of Seiros, it's my duty to protect the people here just as much as those of Garreg Mach should danger befall them!"

He stared straight ahead, silently watching every person they passed. Miraculously, few stared that them, or rather, few glared at Alois. Some of them even looked to him with a modicum of fondness in their eyes. A handful even greeted them as they passed them by. What he saw factored into Byleth's next words. "That's a good attitude, and it seems you've got the backbone to stick to it."

Byleth didn't need to look directly at Alois, happiness rolled off of him like warmth from a bonfire, one he'd help ignite. Then came its cackling. "T-Thank you, Byleth! Hahaha! I gotta say, that's not something I'd ever expect to hear you say. Not to be rude, but you…don't seem like the type. Not that I'm saying you seem like an unkind person! I knew that the moment I met you! Especially once I learned you were Captain Jeralt's son!"

It was clear he was rabbling, but Byleth didn't mind. He actually…appreciated it. "Alois," he softly spoke. "It's fine. It's…actually, hearing that is…it's nice." Byleth finally settled on saying.

"I…take it you don't get too many flattering compliments, do you?" He asked, surprisingly without much nervousness.

"Unless they're directed toward my fighting ability, no. I don't worry too much about it though. I'm a fighter, a demon, so I tend not to get too many compliments about…what a nice person I am. Most people don't exactly think that of a man able to slay dozens, and certainly not able to do so in the blink of an eye and not show an ounce of remorse about it."

"Ah, that description sounds just like the captain! You're every bit as skilled as him, but it sounds like it's proving to be just as stifling to you as it was for him sometimes." The Adrestian man stated. His words caught Byleth's attention leading him to look at him. Alois' met his eyes; the older man gave him a soft-hearted smile. "Sometimes Captain Jeralt's reputation made it hard for people to approach him. In those times, he went to them, and he showed just why he was the Captain General of the Knights of Seiros!" He explained with evident pride.

Looking back, a passive yet almost sorrowful look overtook the former mercenary. "That sounds like him. It's why he's always been such a good leader." The next thing he knew, he felt a sudden and forceful pat on the back.

"Don't look so down! You're his son! You're already on the path to succeeding him! I'd even say you have the potential to surpass him! You are training Fόdlan's best and brightest, including those from the Empire, and amongst them Brigid's future queen."

Byleth gave a humorless chuckle, something a reserved person like him was capable of doing on command. "Training Fόdlan's youth, including its future rulers compared to training the Knights of Seiros." He looked up at the orange-tinted sky. It was growing darker and darker by the minute. Before long all the bright colors would be gone and the sky would be black; the stars would also be out. He couldn't help but wonder what the stars would look like from here in Belfawst. Maybe he'd find out one day. "Personally…I'm happy with the hand I ended up with. The Black Eagles are… a decent bunch."

"Even though I'm a Knight of Seiros, as an Adrestian, I can't help but be a little proud hearing that. Guess that's the bit of patriotic spirit in me."

"What have the Black Eagles been like in previous years? I'm aware that this year is the first time that a member of the imperial family's attended the academy."

"Not too bad, absolutely not! In the absence of members of House Hresvelg, members of House Aegir have always stepped up to be House Leader. When not them, the children of other noble houses have assumed leadership. More often than not those leadership rules have came with a strong aptitude for magic. As I'm sure you've noticed, Adrestia is quite proud of its magical prowess."

Just like with Ferdinand, Byleth saw the slight shift his attitude. "I've heard whispers that I'm unfit to teach them considering I don't know much about magic."

"There have been more than a couple of House leaders who didn't know much about magic either. Didn't let it stop them from becoming some of the greatest house leaders in the Black Eagles history." Alois offered. Even without diving deep into his studies, Byleth knew his words had a grain of truth to them. Some of the records he'd read through referenced some of them. "Eh, quick question though, have you ever tried your hand at magic before?" When Byleth shook his head, Alois seemed almost a tad relieved.

"Did my father have any talent for it?"

"Well…he was a Holy Knight back in the day." Alois confessed. "Doesn't seem like he's in a hurry to throw himself back into the magical arts though."

"How good was he at it?"

Alois struck his arm out just as he was about to answer him. A cheery feminine voice greeted them before he could speak so much as a single word.

"Hello! We'll be right with you in a minute!" Byleth recognized the voice, especially with its Brigidin accent. He'd grown up hearing it; in fact, from it he'd learned how to speak Brigidin in the first place. It was also the voice who'd helped teach him Dadgan. "B-B-Byleth? W-W-What are you doing here?" it was switched over Brigidin to Fόdlanese.

He'd never known his mother, but Byleth would suppose he had surrogate mothers growing up. Chief among them had been the woman before him and Alois. "I was…brought along on a shopping trip by this guy here." Was his casual response while indicating toward Alois. "Afternoon, Gilah. I wasn't expecting to see you here" He actually wasn't surprised that she had found a job here. Not only had she been one of the best cooks in the group, she was also an incredibly good seamstress, both of which were skills she'd help pass onto him. Most importantly, Belfawst was overwhelmingly Brigidin, but it also had a small percentage of Dagdans like her living there.

In other words, the two groups that had every reason to hold a grudge against Adrestia.

Gilah looked at him with a bashful smile. "Well, I…um, let's just say that I didn't want to stick around the Monastery."

"But you're a former nun, specifically of the Seiros faith, aren't you?" Byleth countered. She tensed up like he'd just put a knife at her throat.

"You're a former nun of the Monastery? Huh? Sorry that I never recognized you before." Alois added. Either he didn't recognize Alois' distress or he was trying to comfort the woman. "Ah, allow me to introduce myself, Alois Rangeld, a pleasure to meet you!"

Before answering him, Gilah looked back to Byleth for confirmation. Her green eyes silently asked him if this man could be trusted. He confirmed he could be with a quiet nod. His doing so put her as considerable ease. She faced Alois with an uplifted smile and no tension holding her down.

"Gilah Regeve, of the Jeralt Mercenaries." A short giggle escaped her lips as she briefly swerved her eyes toward Byleth. "Well, formerly anyway. Let me try this again, welcome. Please have a seat, we'll be right with you in a moment."

"I'll take four slices of your apple tart pie, if you'd please." Byleth immediately spoke for the second time.

His words caused the former nun to burst into hearty laughter. It was quickly joined by Alois, who quietly asked for two orders of the same thing. Her previous anxiety forgotten about, the black-haired woman escorted the two men to a nearby table, then disappeared behind the kitchen backdoors. Some quick words were exchanged between her and the rest of the bakery's workers. Their voices were filled with optimism and cheer; to Byleth, it was refreshing to hear. Personally, it was gratifying to him to see Gilah looking so happy. In all the time he'd known her, he'd never seen her amongst her native countrymen, or even amongst Brigidins. She'd told him that the two countries considered one another kin; he supposed that he was seeing that statement verified.

"Gilah Regeve, seems like a nice woman." Alois remarked as they waited.

"She is." Byleth immediately affirmed. "She's one of the kindest people in the entire group. The truth is, it's thanks to her that I knew a little about the Knights of Seiros before we came here to Garreg Mach. Granted, I never knew that my father was the head of them."

"Hmm, it sounds like the captain went through a lot to keep his past a secret."

"That bothers you, doesn't it?"

Alois' shoulders slumped and his smile turned into a frown. "Yeah…it…kind of does. I mean, Captain Jeralt wasn't hated by anyone back in the day, or if he was, I certainly didn't know about it." His light green eyes met Byleth's. The questions he wanted to ask were transmitted through his eyes. To his relief, Alois decided to be honest with him. "About…twenty years ago there was a fire at the Monastery. Not a particularly bad one, but it did cause a scare. About a day later, Captain Jeralt was gone."

The dots didn't need to be connected; they were practically side by side with each other. "He started the fire and used it to flee Garreg Mach and the Knights of Seiros."

"Y-Y-You realized it that fast?" Alois blinked.

Byleth shrugged. A Surprising reaction despite the gravity of the topic at hand. "I've seen similar things done before. People wanting to leave, specifically leave their past behind. For whatever reason, that's what my father did." He paused, lacing his gloved hands together. Suddenly, he wanted to run out and find his father. Byleth figured he probably could, but the question was would he be able to get his father to talk. "I'm sure it had something to do with me. Twenty-years ago…that's just about when I was born."

"So…you might have been born at the Monastery." Alois deduced.

Leaning back into his chair, Byleth stared out the nearby window to his right. Flame-colored sunlight streamed in through it, the shadows all around the bakery elongated. "Yeah, I might have been. Suppose this means everything is coming full circle. Can't quite say I'm displeased with it though. It does give me the chance to get some answers to questions I've always had." He looked away from the window back to the kitchen doors where he knew Gilah was hard at work fixing up dessert for the two of them. "Maybe it's also the chance for some people to face their pasts."

Following his gaze, Alois' normally smiling face became downtrodden. "If she was a former nun then…"

"Garreg Mach is a contradiction. Followers of the Church of Seiros aren't supposed to interact with foreigners, but I've seen so many of them at Garreg Mach. I've even seen a couple serving in the knights." They were words he wanted to speak to the Archbishop, but he kept them within his mouth. Maybe next time he'd be able to tell her, and see what response she gave. She didn't strike him as being racist, or at least not as racist as some of her followers. "Has it always been like that?"

"Actually, yeah it has. Lady Rhea's never had anything against it, in fact, because she's always been so lenient there's been a lot of bad blood with the-"

"Western Church." Byleth shot off. "I've heard the chatter, and…well, Alois, I've seen this sort of thing happen before." The veteran knight's face grew grimmer as he laid out what he knew, and what he believed was coming. Byleth didn't exactly blame him; it wasn't like he liked discussing this either. "If that time comes…I'm siding with the Central Church and Lady Rhea. The diversity she's allowed to flourish here in Renpet, I consider it a good thing."

Both of Alois' eyes rose in shock like he couldn't believe what he'd just said. Once it became clear he'd heard right, the male brunette jumped up in joy. "That's great! Oh, that's such a relief to hear! Especially that you agree with Lady Rhea! Without people like her, places like Belfawst probably wouldn't be here. Wouldn't that be a shame!"

Those who understood the language raised their mugs and even forks in happy agreement. It was an unexpected but surprisingly welcome scene. Byleth didn't at all mind that their conversation hadn't been as private as it should have been. The response was actually quite informative to him.

Sothis…how do you feel about the people here? Does it bother you that not all of them worship you, that they might worship different gods than you? First, he heard her amused laughter. Contrary to his words, some of the bakery patrons actually were praising her alongside Brigid's native spirits.

Sothis herself was now a spirit, yet none could see her except for him. If everyone could, Byleth emerged the uproar would propel this comfy little place into the clouds. I do not see the problem. These people have their faith in their spirits, just as my followers have faith in me. Some of them have faith in us both. Her spectral self looked back to him. Tell me, Byleth, do you believe in Brigid's native spirits?

I do. You're the first goddess I've met, but spirits and daemons, those I've had some experience with before.

Yes, I dove through some of your memories. Fantastically…but surely nothing compared to I.

Oh, no disagreements on that. None of them had anywhere close to the sort of power that you've demonstrated. There was an opportunity there for him to make a jab, but Byleth chose not to. He hadn't lied either. Sothis was unlike any spiritual entity that he'd ever met before, especially in terms of power. None of them had anywhere near the amount of power needed to manipulate the flow of time. That ability was all she could do in this humanoid spirit form. His mind flashed to the giant, dragon-like entity that he'd seen in his dream vision. Sothis, do you have in memory of interacting with other gods or spirits? Brigid's practically right next door…as is Duscur and Almyra.

…No, and I find it frustrating that being here and having my name praised has roused no memories. I'm beginning to wonder what will.

Patience.

Her expression was that of an unapologetic pout. She clearly knew that he was on the verge of comparing her to his students, most recently Edelgard. For the sake of her pride, Byleth stopped short of saying anything. Perhaps that was why Sothis merely looked away, her expression becoming thoughtful; the matter was dropped.

"Byleth, how did you and the captain meet Gilah? For that matter, how did she end up in a band of mercenaries?"

"By chance more than anything." He responded to Alois, seemingly going from his mental conversation to the verbal one. As he revisited the memory, his face lightened up with fondness with the memories he dug through. He didn't have to dig very deep as they were amongst those he cherished the most. "On the other side of the world, west of Dagda. The Jeralt Mercenaries had been through a particularly grueling fight against a warlord and his legions of marauders. It was nothing new for us, but we were up against tough odds. Even though we pulled through, we'd suffered losses. We had dead and plenty of injured. Gilah decided to repay what she felt was a debt that she owed us by healing as many of us as she could. I…helped out as much as I could. She'd always been kind to us during our stay in the city, so maybe it wasn't too much of a stretch to say that she'd grown fond of us. We'd certainly grown fond of her…including me. When the next siege came, she stood with us. Afterwards, my father asked her if she wanted to come with us." Byleth paused, feeling a slight upward tug on his lips. "I'm…glad she did. It was nice having her around."

In contrast to his small smile, Alois had a big one on his face. His story had been basic, but it seemed to have enthralled the older man. "Ah, sounds like it was a good thing as she helped keep everyone in the Jeralt Mercenaries alive. Alongside you. I must say, it's quite a thing to picture you tending to the injury. Still, it's relieving to hear. I can't imagine the captain letting you onto the battlefield before you became of age."

Byleth kept it to himself how he'd already seen war before he physically set foot on the battlefield. It was impossible to keep him from it given the life of a mercenary constantly on the road. That said, he'd argue against anyone who said that life was all bad. There were things the harsh and sporadic lifestyle had given him, like a diverse group of people whom he considered family. That included the woman busy fixing four slices of Brigid pie that would undoubtedly be wolfed down once they arrived.

That's exactly what happened when Gilah returned balancing two trays in both her hands. Without hesitation, Byleth rose and gently took one to relieve her. A thank you was received, not in the tongue of Fόdlan but in Dagdan, the language that Gilah had taught him how to speak, read, and write in. Just one of the many languages he'd learned over the course of his twenty years of living. What made Dagdan special was that it was that his teacher had been one of the few people he could say was like a mother to him.

And like a mother, she had some gossiping to do about him.

Even as he enjoyed the sweet, creamy taste of the pie, he left an ear open to the conversation unfolding between Gilah and the lead baker. The former likely knew that he could understand Brigidin, she had after all taught him that language too.

"That's the son of the new Head Captain? The Ashen Demon himself? He's not at all what I was expecting!" The older female cried in shock.

Gilah giggled. "Yes, Byleth tends to get that reaction quite often. Not for nothing does everyone expect him to look like his father. People are always speechless when they meet him in person, some even wondering if he's really who he says he is."

"Ahh, then his looks must come from his mother. The spirits blessed her with such a fine son!"

"That they did." Gilah affirmed with open affection in her voice. Hearing it made Byleth feel happy, yet it also revived the buried sense of longing he felt whenever his mother was brought up. "He may be a demon on the battlefield, but make no mistake, he's quite the gentleman off it. Actually, even on it. He's not bloodthirsty murder, despite what stories may speak of him. More than a dozen men have had their lives spared because Byleth chose not to take theirs. Heh, that's how we even got ourselves some new allies!"

"Ah, Gilah, the more you tell me, the more open I am to him becoming a regular! Say, he wouldn't happen to be…seeing anyone at the moment, would he? My granddaughter just turned sixteen and has told me she'd dreamed of a dashing knight for a lover."

Byleth paused in his eating, his ears opening wide to hear Gilah's response.

"Hehehe, well…I'd say that Byleth would be her ideal man, but the lad doesn't have a taste for romance. At least no woman so far has incited it in him. Maybe that'll change here at Garreg Mach."

…Maybe. He thought as he continued eating.

---

The Next Day…

He'd spent almost ten minutes staring at the sky before making a decision, a decision that was now being meant with protests.

"Professor, with all due respect, I believe this coming storm is all the more reason why we should train. You said that you would push us, attempt to raise us to your level. You yourself have fought through such weather, have you not? Would you deprive us of the chance to do the same?"

Byleth stared at Edelgard. It was unsurprising that she would be the one to make such an argument. The girl had a drive in her that was admirable, though he wondered if it could potentially cross over into something dangerous. At least she wasn't alone in possessing such a thing. Looking over the rest of the class, he saw a similar fire burning in their eyes. Naturally, the gleam was brightest in Ferdinand's eyes.

"I am in agreement with Edelgard, Professor." When rivals agreed on something, it was something to take notice of.

"I would also like to stand in agreement with Lady Edelgard, and Ferdinand, Professor." Hubert made three.

After them came more calls of agreement, several from recognizable faces. They overwhelmed a majority of people who looked less than thrilled to stay the course. Unfortunately, Byleth had a feeling that trying to appease the latter group would come at the expense of the former, who also happened to be the majority. Loath as he was to admit it, Byleth could understand their side of the argument. After all, he'd trained in harsh conditions before; just as Edelgard had reminded him, he'd do his best to raise the Black Eagles to his level. Jogging through a potential rainstorm would probably get them closer to doing that since he'd done that himself, and far more in the name of training.

"Alright," he concluded with a cross of his arms. "We're still going to run the track course. All of you are to be wearing raincoats though. If you feel like you can't go on or that something's wrong, say so. No points will be deducted or grades lowered. Only push yourself as far as you can." A cheer went up from the classroom, drowning out the groans of those who were against this. Some of the latter group didn't even groan at all; Bernadetta was one such example, she simply let her head fall. Through the noise of the classroom he heard the thunk! of her forehead hitting the wood. He already knew she'd be amongst the first to bow out of the exercise run. Well, I'm trying to teach her how to walk. Can't expect her to be running there with everyone else, especially the spirited ones like Edelgard and Ferdinand.

The first hour was class was more like a countdown. Had his students not advocated so strongly, that's how all of class would have gone. Instead, it was only the first hour. Once it was past he began handing out raincoats. Naturally, the academy had quite a few of them on hand, and they came in all shapes and sizes.

Including the oversized, which is what Bernadetta requested. "P-P-P-Professor, i-is it really gonna storm? I-I mean how can you tell? Isn't it so sunny out?"

"First off, there's the wind. I saw some smoke stacks blowing downward instead of upward, that means we're in a low-pressure system. That means bad weather is close by, it's just taking its time to get here. Second, I looked at the clouds. While many of them may have seemed white and puffy, I noticed an increasing number of black clouds mixed amongst them. Those were cumulonimbus clouds. I imagine right about now there's probably more of them." Bernadetta looked like he might as well have said death would be riding on said clouds.

Only if this one were to be struck by lightning. Sothis drily remarked.

He watched Bernadetta sulk away, clenching her slightly oversized coat rather tightly. She was definitely going to need it, as would the rest of them.

Byleth saw more signs of a storm as they stepped outside and made their way to the nearby mountains. There were certain mountains that had been charted as being good for running laps around, and others that were deemed too dangerous for that. Apparently, it hadn't stopped more than a dozen knights and students from trying. He figured he'd fall into that grouping when he got the chance to. Where most people saw danger, people like him often saw opportunity. There was a chance that some of his students might feel the same. Maybe he could actually turn that into a physical lesson at some point in the school year.

"Listen up, the goal is ten laps around this mountain! Preferable in under twenty minutes! I'm going to be here keeping track of each you. Likewise, I asked a handful of knights to stand guard around the track to make sure you don't get lost. If someone does and one of you witnesses, speak up! You see something out of the ordinary, speak up! Failure to do so will come with consequences, is that clear?"

"Yes, Professor!" Shouted the Black Eagles in unison.

"Oh, and one more thing…dropping your weights will result in your immediate failing of this lesson. You want some extra weight, come to me so I can give it to you." Chuckles and groans rolled through the assembled students. Running laps was actually quite a simple thing. Running while carrying weights of any sort? Like a bag filled with rocks? Now that really helped build up stamina. A quick glance skyward and he saw the darken clouds rolling in, overtaking the once blue sky. Suppose doing all that in a storm will help even more. His gaze fell back to the earth. By pure chance, he found himself locking eyes with Edelgard. It was like looking into a fire. "Everyone, come get your bags then proceed to the starting line. Wait for my signal."

His instructions were followed to the letter. The bulk of the Black Eagles crowded around the starting point He saw some were chopping at the bit for the signal to go. Byleth didn't make them wait long. Shouting as loud as the coming thunder, he sent the Adrestian youths off. Some of them actually kicked up dust clouds in their wake. Others…

"P-P-Professor E-Eisner,"

Byleth remained firm as he looked at the purple-haired archer that was the heiress to the Varley household. "One lap, Bernadetta. At the very least try to accomplish that."

"B-B-But I don't know if I can! T-T-This bag weighs a ton!" She pleaded.

"Bernadetta, Linhardt spends eighty-percent of class sleeping and has the physical might of a caterpillar, but he's already making tracks." Her expression further crumbled at the statement. At the very least Byleth was hoping he could motivate her by comparing her to someone else who shared her…low-energy work ethic. If Linhardt could put some effort in then the archer certainly could. It didn't seem to be working. "Alright, look, like I said, Bernadetta, one lap. At least do that and for this assignment I'll give you a D."

You're making exceptions for her. How long do you think you can keep doing that? Sothis chided.

Hopefully, not for much longer.

Byleth, I believe that's being ludicrously optimistic.

Maybe so, but let me hold onto it for a little while longer. Look, she's already going. Indeed, she was. The girl had mustered the strength to rise up and start running. He could already hear her huffing.

Are you sure that girl is entirely human? I believe she may have some essence of a turtle within her.

That's a little premature. We haven't seen her in water yet. Overhead he heard the first clap of thunder. He'd long since smelled the approaching rain, which began falling seconds later. So, how's it feel missing out on all the rain? He casually asked as the sky began to unleash its payload in full.

Byleth watched as the rain seemingly fell through Sothis. She was there, yet she also wasn't there, at least not physically speaking. Just as she passed through solid objects, droplets of rain passed through her. She held out her hand, a sorrowful look covering her face as she watched the droplets pass through her. Her expression caused a ping of sorrow within Byleth himself. Sensory depravation could only be endured for so long, as could the loss of one's identity.

It feels…unsatisfying. The goddess answered.

He wasn't able to give a response to her downtrodden statement. One of his students came running up to the starting, or in this case, the finishing line. It was Edelgard.

"That's one lap down." Byleth remarked.

She smirked at him as she passed him by. The rocks sack, weighing an approximate eighty pounds, might as well have weighed nothing at all to her. "And nine more to go. They will be completed presently."

Byleth believed her.

Coming in second place was Ferdinand, a look of determination on his face. "She just finished her first, Ferdinand. Go!" he called to him in encouragement. All he did was nod, then press forward through the now pelting rain. Lightning flashed overhead and thunder boomed, to Ferdinand they were distractions he paid no mind to.

It was several minutes later when the next batch of students came jogging by. Amongst them was Caspar, his face brimming with energy as he pushed on through the rain. Trailing behind him were Petra and Hubert. Surprisingly, the next recognizable face to come in was Dorothea. Huffing and red-faced with effort, but he could see a gleam of determination in her eyes. Like the rest, she pressed forward. As did Linhardt when he came through. More students passed through; there was one that Byleth was waiting for though. Regrettably, it was the only student that he knew would complete one lap and call it a day.

He maintained his sentential-like position as Bernadetta stumbled her way toward the finish line. Her legs were wobbly like she was on the verge of collapsing. There was a part of him of that actually wanted to go help her, but the stern instructor within him told him to stay put. Bernadetta was going to have to at least cross this line on her own. That was put to the test as she collapsed onto her knees, huffing and puffing.

"I-I can't do it!" She managed to shout.

"Yes, you can, Bernadetta!" Byleth called back. His focus was entirely on her, not on the students that rushed past him. She needed his guidance more than them. She looked at him and their eyes met through the torrent of rainfall. "Get up and take those last few steps! You can do it! That strength is in you, you just have to dig them and find it!"

"I…I…I don't think I can!"

"Wrong. You most certainly can." He calmly retorted.

"H-How can you know that?" She wailed.

"Because, I have confidence in you. You made it through your first battle with bloodthirsty bandits. You can make it through this. Find that same strength and carry yourself over this finish line, Bernadetta." Never once did his voice rise, nor did it fall flat. Instead, Byleth suppose he'd used his eyes. Even if it was miniscule compared to her classmate, there was a spark in Bernadetta, he just needed to fan it.

Seconds passed into a minute, a minute filled with pounding rain, howling wind, and roaring thunder. Such conditions would have been rife to snuff out the flicking embers within Bernadetta. But they weren't snuffed out.

Grunting and groaning, she rose to her feet and trudged forward. One foot in front of the other, her eyes ablaze with tears and determination. It was quite a sight amidst the storm hammering away at her.

Well, I am impressed. You managed to motivate the girl. Remarked the goddess of Fόdlan as the purple-haired girl crossed the finish line. Her doing so was meant with mocking and genuine applause from those on the sideline, those few who'd already finished their ten laps. Edelgard wasn't amongst them.

"That's a…job well done, for now, Bernadetta." He'd been a hair's breath away from telling her that was a D on this exercise, but as he looked her over, he realized that would have been too much. This was a girl who lived her life in a shell. Inch by inch, that seemed to be the mediate he'd have to take with her. That included congratulating her on every inch she made. In time they'd build up into a foot, then a meter, and so on from there. "Alright, you can rest now."

"T-T-Thank you, Professor." Bernadetta whispered. The determined fire in her had sputtered out, but there seemed to be something taking its place. She seemed to be staring at Byleth with a tinge of awe in her eyes.

After logging a couple more students, Byleth turned his attention back to Bernadetta. She was by herself, away from the rest of the students who'd completed their ten laps. The reason for that was obvious-she wasn't with them because she hadn't done the same. She'd only completed one, and some of them were quite vocal in talking about it. Even over the storm, Byleth could hear their words. They swing from the "soft" end of mocking to the harsher end. He doubted Bernadetta wanted to be near those students. Then again, aside from Dorothea and at times Linhardt, she tried not to be near anyone.

His attention was turned back to the track. Several more students had just came about it, for many it was their fifth or sixth or even seventh lap. They were almost finished.

The storm continued to wear on overhead, at times slackening which made it easier for the students running around the mountain. For a handful of students, that seemed to be when they decided to push themselves. Byleth could see the logic behind it-the same as waiting for an enemy to give you an opening so you can take shot. Perhaps an unintended reinforcing of that line of thinking.

Minutes later and the very last of the students crossed the finish line. That was it, they were done with outdoor exercise for the day. Byleth figured it'd be best if the class took a small break once they got back to the Monastery. He could already see several students shivering through their raincoats, others were downright sneezing. Looking over the collection of students, he wasn't at all surprised to find that several had conjured up fires to warm themselves up. It reinforced his decision to give them a break once they got back.

"Bernadetta? Bernadetta?" His shouting caused a sudden realization to roll over the Black Eagles. Several blinked in surprise and began looking around. "Bernadetta!" Byleth called out again. All he got were confused murmuring. Immediately, he moved through the crowd, turning in all directions. "Did anyone see her?" To his chagrin, he got more confused murmuring and shrugs, some quite nonchalant at that.

"She might have ran away."

"In weather like this? No one, not her style. She'd grab a horse and try to sneak away."

"A horse? Really? She's just as terrified of them as she is of people."

Quite the troublesome girl, isn't she? Perhaps she did wonder off, but where to? How will you find her in the middle of this?

Sothis was clearly curious to what his response to this latest debacle was going to be. Byleth quickly wracked his brain around a possible solution. He wasn't going to wait until the storm eased off, it could potentially be too late by then. Calling in the knights to search from the air might not have done much good since they'd be hampered by the storm as well. That included wyverns being unable to track her scent.

Scent…wait a minute, that's it! His eyes widened, then returned to their normal size as a plan was rapidly formulated in his head. Beside him, Sothis' lips ticked upward. She wanted to see how well this plan of his would work…and perhaps how far her powers could be pushed through him. "Edelgard," he called.

"Professor, I-"

"Lead the students back to the classroom. Once you're there, you're all on break until I get back. Make sure everyone's accounted for, and make sure no one tries to sneak off to get out of the rest of class."

A rather dry smile crossed the imperial heiress' lips. "Understood. But what about you? Do you mean to search for Bernadetta by herself?"

"Yes."

"But how? How can you-"

"I'll find a way." It was a white lie he hoped he'd be able to reveal to her one day and not feel too bad. "For now, just take care of the rest of the students. They're your classmates and future subjects, aren't they?"

Her eyes glistened with a tad bit of pride in hearing that. "Yes, they are. As is Bernadetta, who I am going to entrust to you. However, if you are not back after a certain amount of time, I am going to go searching for you and her." Byleth actually felt a little happy hearing that, though he hoped it wouldn't need to be done. "Please, be careful, Professor. While this area is relatively safe, quite a few predators can still be lurking around in these woods."

"Noted." He answered.

It was done in short order, organizing the Black Eagles under Edelgard and sending them back to the Monastery. Meanwhile, what few knights remained granted him permission to search on his own, though they made the same promise as Edelgard had-after a certain amount of time, they were coming to find the two of them.

Byleth stood in the depths of the forest, beset by rain and wind. The last time he'd been in weather such as this, he'd had a sword in hand and had a squadron of knights chasing him. By the time the storm had ended, he was sitting up in a tree, none the worse for wear while his pursuers' blood soaked the forest floor. It hadn't taken long for local predators and scavengers to make their way to the scene and help themselves. He couldn't help but muse on the contrast of this situation compared to that one.

Dig deep…just…sense it out. Whatever a Crest truly is, it's a piece of Sothis. The goddess' spirit came with a certain presence in his mind. Byleth still didn't understand it, but he could feel the presence when she spoke to him, and when she was watching him. At times, he'd felt that same feeling in Crests. Crests, which Sothis had supposedly given humanity. His hands balled into fists as his body tensed up. All his focus went to his eyes. Those eyes took on a slightly green glow as they peered forward, seeing more than what human eyes could.

What Byleth saw was darkness with thin traces of colored wisps floating about. He guessed those weeps to be traces of magic, no doubt coming from some of the animals nearby or remnants left by Demonic Beasts passing along. They weren't what he was looking for though, so he kept on searching. He turned around in all directions, frustrating nipping at him when he failed to find his target.

"Further." He whispered. "I need to see further." His hands tightened and the glow around his eyes shined even more. Droplets of rain that passed in front of his face reflected the luminous glow. With it came an enhanced in his mystical sightseeing. Byleth finally found what he was searching for as he turned to his right. He saw it, small but undoubtedly a flickering flame of bright, emerald green light. It was just like when he unknowingly used this ability to detect Remy, and later used it during his father's exhibition fights. Feeling a mixture of pride and relief, he took off running in the direction of the small flame, knowing for certain it belonged to Bernadetta.

Byleth didn't know how Bernadetta felt about her Crest, but in this case, he'd say the girl had reason to be thankfully for it. Without it, he wouldn't have been able to find her.

Ahem, I do believe that you only have that ability as a result of a certain someone. Chimed in a feminine voice.

Thank you, Sothis.

Hmm. You are welcome. Now go, take care of that foolish student of yours. Knowing her, I predict she will fall to the ground and plead for her life when you find her.

He shouted her name just once, and Bernadetta shouted back. She spun around and looked at him…then did exactly what Sothis said.

"P-P-P-Professor! I-I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to wonder off! I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! I-I'll take any punishment you give me! J-J-Just please make it quick, please!"

"Bernadetta-"

"I-I know I'm useless failure of a student! Useless! Worthless! I-I wasn't trying to run away, e-e-even though I've really wanted to sometimes!"

"Bernadetta-"

"I-I j-just lost my focus! I-I got distracted! I didn't mean to! I swear, it won't happen again I-"

He refrained from shouting, feeling that it'd rattle her even more. Byleth said nothing as he stepped forward and pulled her into his embrace. Immediately, Bernadetta went still. He sensed the immediate soothing of her soul. Byleth continued it by whispering two words to her. "It's okay."

"…W-What?" Came her voice. She was on the verge of tears. "W-W-What? Y-Y-You're not angry with me?"

"I am, but I'm more relieved that you're alright." He gently explained. This sort of physical contact wasn't the sort of thing he did, it was a gamble that he'd taken; he was quite happy that it'd seemingly paid off. Seeing that she'd calmed down a little, he stepped back. That seemed to cause her to flinch. He looked her over, "Are you alright? You're not hurt anywhere?"

Bernadetta shook her head. "I-I…wait, y-you're seriously not mad at me?"

"Not as much as you think. I was worried when I called your name for roll and you weren't there. Now, I'm happy, more so than I am in being angry." Her face reminded him of how the sky would undoubtedly brighten up once this storm passed. In turn, she stared at him as if he were the sun shining through. "Bernadetta, what caused you to wonder off though?"

"Um…w-well…You see, I…I…I saw a deer. A briller deer." She confessed.

"A what?"

He saw a struggle ensuing within her. Ultimately, one side won out. Bernadetta looked down at his hand and slowly drew toward it with her own. Byleth readily gave it to her, following after her as she guided him through the bushes. When she stopped so did he, when she pointed at something, he followed her direction.

Amidst the rain, the deer's antlers did indeed standout. In fact, when the lightning flashed, he saw the sparkle of its crystalline antlers. Byleth's mouth didn't drop, but he was amazed by the sparkling of the deer's horns.

"T-That's a briller deer, probably a juvenile. Can't imagine what happened to its parents though." Bernadetta whispered. Her lips curved upward into a smile when he looked to her for more information. "T-They're a rare species of deer native to Fόdlan, or more specifically, the area around Garreg Mach and eastern Adrestia. Their antlers have trace amounts of magicite that give them that crystalline glow. I've never seen one before until now; I've always wanted-"

Rrrraaah!

"Eeep!"

On impulse, Byleth wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him. "A bear."

"B-B-B-B-B-B-Bear? Y-Y-You can tell?"

"Yes, I can. I've hunted several of them…and played a few bear cubs and even full grown ones."

"What?! You're a bear tamer?"

"Well, I really didn't do the taming for most of them. There were a few circuses that let me play with them."

"S-S-Still, y-you've been around bears?! And you've-" Another roar ripped through the surrounding area. It made Bernadetta clench him even tighter. "I-I'm so sorry. I-I didn't mean to wonder off! I-I'll never do it again!"

"Bernadetta, Bernadetta, it's okay." The deer had fled, understandably realizing that if it stayed it was probably going to end up as the bear's lunch. The same could be said for them if he didn't do something. Byleth heard the roar coming from his one o'clock, so that's likely where it was. They had to get away from here. "Come on, we're going home."

"H-Home. Y-Y-Yeah, t-t-that sounds real nice."

With one arm wrapped around her, they began moving. Byleth remembered the direction he'd came from, which would keep them from getting lost. It was something that Bernadetta took note of.

"How can you know where we're going? How can you have memorized that path through this?"

"I've memorized bigger and more complex things, and at times under more duress. Sometimes it was a requirement to stay alive."

"That sounds…extreme." The archer meekly remarked.

"That's mercenary life for you."

"…Did you ever…get…tired of it?"

Byleth looked back at her. He was glad that she didn't flinch beneath his gaze, he wasn't trying to come off as unapproachable regarding his past to her. "Maybe every now and then…on a small scale. I grew up fighting, and after a while…it became something I enjoyed doing; something I practically live for." Bernadetta huddled against him as a rather fierce wind blew through the forest.

"A-Achoo!"

"Bless you."

"T-T-Thank you. Great, now I may end up catching a cold!"

"Hopefully a warm stay by a fire will stave that off."

"It'd help if we could start a fire here and now." Bernadetta bemoaned. "Sometimes I wish I had some talent at magic. Professor, have you ever had any luck with magic?"

"I've fought against it and beaten it several times. As for casting it, well…I've never had much luck. But I've given it some thought. Maybe here at the Officers Academy I can find someone to teach me. Teach me how to do more than a few parlor tricks." On a whimsey, he held out his right hand and concentrated, hoping to at least conjure a few sparks as he often could.

Fwoosh!

What he got was a bright, orange-yellow flame that caused the raindrops to sizzle into steam.

Byleth stopped dead in his tracks and stared at the fire emitting from his hand.

"P-P-Professor Eisner," Bernadetta said, obviously just as surprised as him. "Um…could you…never do that before? You look surprised."

"Because I am, Bernadetta." He answered. "I've never been able to do this before. I've never created a fire this…consistent." As his shock faded, intrigue replaced it. Turning his focus to the fire in his head, he fed it more of his mana; the results were its immediate growth. Byleth was careful not to let it grow too large least he lose control of it. It grew to the size of a kickball, large enough for its warmth to engulf him and Bernadetta. Turning to the archer, he indicated toward it. "You said something about starting a fire?"

For the first time all day, Bernadetta smiled at him. It was a warm smile that he had to admit looked better on her face. "T-T-Thank you, Professor Eisner. This is exactly what I was hoping for! Almost feels like a gift from the goddess!"

It was a good thing that she turned all her focus to warming up by the fire. Byleth had the opportunity to turn to the side where Sothis' spectral self hovered. She had a rather self-satisfied smile on her face.

"A gift from the goddess indeed." He murmured. Well, Sothis, thank you, again.

"So waaarm. Just like a tiny little sun." Bernadetta cooed. She seemed practically mesmerized by the fireball he'd created. The heat seemed to be so enticing that it'd made her forget that they were in the middle of the wilderness during a thunderstorm.

Byleth was pulled out of his own fascinated as he heard heavy, bestial breathing. With it was the breaking of twigs and bushes as something moved through them. "Bernadetta," he warned. Closing his hands, he extinguished the fire, much to his student's chagrin. Her disappointment turned to fright as she laid eyes on the thing that had caught his attention-a bear. It was likely the same bear that they'd heard earlier.

Though the fire was gone, the black-furred creature was now curious about the two of them. As it sniffed the air around them, Bernadetta clung to Byleth's side. She'd gone from being warm to being gripped in the teeth-chattering hold of fear.

"B-B-B-B-B-Bear! T-T-There's a-"

"Bear, yes, Bernadetta, I can see that. I can also see he's trying to decide rather or not we're of interest to him or not." Byleth casually declared.

"How can you tell it's a he?!"

He really couldn't, it was just a guess. What wasn't guesswork was if he could take it or not. It wasn't the largest bear he'd ever seen; he'd taken down bigger ones, and barehanded at that. As always, he had his dagger with him; one quick slash to the neck and it would be over with. That's what he would do if the bear attacked them.

Byleth hoped it wouldn't.

The creature roared at the two of them. Bernadetta jumped and clutched even tighter onto him, but Byleth kept his composure. He glared at the forest denizen, silently asking it as best it could to move on. If it didn't…it was going to be prove to be a fatal mistake on its part.

Rrraah…

One paw at a time, the creature turned on them and began to walk away. Its attention on them had come and gone, just as its presence did.

"Well, that was quite an experience, wasn't it?" He asked to his still clinging student.

"Y-Yeah, it was." Bernadetta nodded. "Now, can we please go back! And can you start another fire, please? I like it warm!"

Holding out his hand, he concentrated. Though smaller than his previous fireball one manifested. Bernadetta's hands hovered around it and back came her dreamy expression.

…At least I don't have to worry about her wondering off again. He thought as he and his student began their track back.

---

Nowhere were the rainbows more evident than out over the water. Byleth took the time to admire that before planting himself down on the walkway and tossing his lure into the water. From the pond came a pleasant breeze that helped further put his mind at ease.

He knew of the calm before the storm and how nerve wrecking it could be. On the flipside, there was the calm after the storm; it had the opposite effect, calming one's nerves. Not that Byleth was in dire need of that.

It hadn't been the most stressful day of his career as a teacher so far. Byleth would admit it had been eventful. Today had arguably been his first test to the unexpected as a teacher. According to others, he'd passed; if Byleth had to give himself a grade regarding Bernadetta, he'd have simply said passing.

After he'd returned along with Bernadetta, classes had resumed as they normally would. That was after a five-minute extension of the break the Black Eagles had been enjoying. They'd all gotten themselves back into order once he returned, so he didn't come back to disorder or chaos. There was a rolling groan as more than a few students wanted the break time to go on for a while longer. They got five more minutes, which was something. Ultimately, more than a few students were actually happy to be back indoors.

Byleth ahd decided to stay mum on the fact that this likely wasn't going to be the last time that the Black Eagles trained in poor weather. He now knew that there were likely some who were better off sitting out such training.

That was the future though, about two or three months away if he were being honest. He turned his mind away from that to the present, namely the tranquil pond before him. It was teeming with fish waiting to be yanked out of their watery habitat then made into delicious dishes of all sorts. Some of which Byleth was going to prepare himself. He'd always seen it as something of a hobby, one that he felt like he had the opportunity to strengthen. The chance was certainly here at Garreg Mach; Byleth knew better than to let it pass him by.

Suddenly, he felt a presence, not a hostile one but a familiar one. Ignoring his lure dipping, he turned his head back and saw the student who'd made his day so eventfully.

"Bernadetta. How have you been?" On the surface, she looked none the worse for wear since class ended. For a hot minute she'd been a center of attention upon her return to class. Once Byleth got class back on track, it stopped. Byleth wasn't so idealistic as to believe that was the end of it. He was all but certain that they were going to be talking about it for a while. All he could do was hope Bernadetta wouldn't let it get to her.

From the looks of her, it seemed she wasn't. "F-F-Fine. I…heard that you liked to hang out here at the fishing pond. T-Then I heard about you coming down here today and I…um…I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

He might have let a fish get away, but he didn't mind. "Not at all. I was actually just getting started." Byleth briefly served his eyes back to the pond, then moved his gaze back to Bernadetta. "Want to give it a try?" He asked holding up his fishing pole.

"M-M-Me? B-B-But I've never fished before." She answered.

"What to start now?" The former mercenary offered.

She looked hesitate, yet he could see the gleam of curiosity in her eyes. The latter won out.

He moved to the side and placed the rod in her hands. True to her word, she was new to fishing, needing him to help her hold the rod right, then cast the lure. Surprisingly, she got a bite on her first try.

"A-Ahh! W-W-What do I do!? What do I do!" His arm grabbed at the rod and held it firmly, keeping his student from being pulled into the water, and letting her catch get away.

"You reel it in." He simply said.

"H-How do I do that?" She whimpered.

Byleth honestly found something…cute in her response. He explained how to reel her catch in without a hint of annoyance on his part. Just like in class, it felt good to be instructing her. There was something that made the feeling better since it was fishing instead of fighting, something that he knew Bernadetta didn't have a fondness for. Fishing would probably be more up her alley. She was already off to a good start.

"I-I did it…I did it! My first fish! My first catch! I did it! I did it thanks to you! Oh, thank you so much Professor Eisner!" She was practically crying tears of joy, another showing of how good positive emotion looked on her face.

For his part, he smiled back at her as best he could. "That's good. Your first catch…now think you can go for a second one?"

"A-A second one? Um…I-I'd like to, but…could I see you do it again?"

He heard himself actual chuckle as he was given back his fishing rod. Knowing his student was watching him, he got to work in using it. Unknown to Bernadetta, he made up for the catch he might have let slip away when she approached him. And then some given the two white trouts he caught reeled in. After them came the greatest catch so far, a queen larch.

"Wow…" Bernadetta gasped.

"Amazing! And you didn't even use a piece of insect bait to lure it in!" yelled a new voice.

Huh, and I guess that makes three. Byleth thought as he turned around and looked into the bright green eyes of Flayn. She wasn't looking at him though, the queen larch held her attention…and seemed to be stirring her hunger. "Bernadetta, how do you feel about helping me prepare dinner tonight? Flayn, would you be-"

"Yes! Gladly, I would love to have dinner with you all! That is if my brother were to allow it."

Byleth thought of the stern-faced man who served as the archbishop's right hand. "I'll…give it a try. Shouldn't be too hard, I hope."

"You know…I actually heard some stories that Seteth isn't as bad as he comes off as." Bernadetta pipped up.

"Oh, he's not! Just a tad overprotective and stern. Too much, but I suppose that comes with men of his station." Flayn attempted to avail. "Once he warms up to you, he's quite the amicable person. Oh, he's also an incredibly good artist!"

"Artist…" Bernadetta murmured.

Byleth fulfilled the fascination in her voice to the back of his mind. He sensed a connection waiting to be made. "Say, Flayn. I gave Flayn a shot, would you like one yourself? Especially since you'll be joining us for dinner tonight?" She didn't need to say anything, the way her eyes lit up was answer enough. As with Bernadetta, Byleth found something amusing about how giddy she was at the prospect of fishing. Unlike her though, he could tell she had some experience.

"Bernadetta, I heard something about how you running away from class. Is it true?" Flayn questioned while she waited for her first bite.

"Um…well, I-"

"No, she just…got momentarily distracted, distracted by something quite unique." Byleth interjected before she could fumble out a response. "Thanks to her, I got to see a briller deer for the first time in my life."

"You did? You saw one! That's great to hear! Hot big were its antlers?"

"Not too big. Like I told the Professor, it was most likely a juvenile. Still, they sparkled in the rain in a way that was just breathtaking. I'm hoping I can see it, or another one, again." The archer said while nursing a tiny smile. "I…I'm hoping I can see an adult one so I can draw it."

"My brother has a few drawings that might be able to help you. Granted, seeing the real thing would probably be better." Flayn spoke.

"It's always better to see something with your eyes." Both girls, seated on either side of him, immediately looked at him. "Just…something I've come to decide for myself in life."

"I agree, to see something with your own eyes is-aah! I have something!"

"Pull, Flayn. See what you else you can snag us for dinner…or how many marks you'll be able fetch at the exchange." Byleth remarked with amusement evident in his voice. He could tell that he was having fun.

As Flayn reeled in her catch, an ordinary salmon, Byleth chuckled again. The pigtailed girl looked at him with a small pout that quickly morphed into an amused smile. Likewise, Bernadetta smiled and giggled in amusement herself. He looked up at the sky, now free of the dark clouds that had consumed it hours ago. It'd turned into a good day for fishing…and an even better one to do so in the company of others.

"So, are you going to let-"

"Argh, yes. Yes, I will."

The two knights exchanged a high five between one another, snickering like school boys instead of the grown men that they were. It wasn't quite surprising since for all the maturity they usually showed…well, one more so than the other, they could still be a little childish. Especially Caden.

For the record, Seteth spurred sneaking around like some shadowy watcher, but for the sake of his daughter, he made exceptions. Now, as for why he sometimes had company with him, well…that was better left unsaid.

It wasn't like he needed Alphonse's abilities. As a Nabatean, he had hearing five times greater than an ordinary human's. The same went for his scent of smell, though that could also work against him. As his daughter and a fellow Nabatean, Flayn possessed those same senses. She could smell him out from several feet away, so he had to be a tad more cautious in keeping watch over his daughter. In the end, he supposed he maybe really did need Alphonse's help.

The Wizard of the Wind had been all too eager to help…provided he could get some laughs out of it, and that he did. To Seteth's chagrin, sometimes the laughter came from his best friend, a man Seteth trusted and respected, but whose personality could be a little more than he could handle some days.

Caden had his eyes on the fishing pond trio with a lazy grin. "Woah, you'd almost think that our little princess was just another student. Maybe she will become one beneath that guy. He's looking like the kind of teacher that the academy's been in need of."

"I believe it may be too early to make that assumption, Caden." Seteth countered. He peered back to look out the window. Nothing had changed since the mage and the brawler's little laughing fit. His daughter was still down by the fishing pond, enjoying herself. Seteth wanted to deny it, but he couldn't. Seeing his daughter looking so happy in the company of two others, strangers…his worry for her always ran high, but it battled with the fatherly joy he felt in such a sight.

"Seteth," called the Knights' strongest wind mage. Alphonse's smile was sympathetic, no doubt because he'd read his feelings as easily as he read books. He had once told Seteth that he was like a picture book, at least when it came to his daughter. "She's having fun, and frankly, I think this is just the start."

"It's the start of something alright. Maybe even a crush."

The earth dragon groaned, shooting the War Master an annoyed glare. As always, he snickered. His best friend, meanwhile, merely rolled his eyes. "Caden, please."

"Hey, just listing the possibilities. One of which is that guy may just end up being the kind of teacher you can trust to look after your little girl."

"Again, Caden, I think it's a little early to make such a statement. That remains to be seen."

"…Heheh, agreed. We still have to see if his fighting abilities live up to the hype. Any two-bit fighter can take on some bandits." The smile on the Alliance native's face had changed. No longer was it one of leisure, it was one of bloodthirsty excitement. Fangs were unveiled as he looked to Seteth. "This month I'm going to put him to the test. Alphonse?"

"I'll find the moment to challenge Byleth myself, on my own time." Answered the archmage. Alphonse's darker green eyes met Seteth's lighter orbs. "While I can't say I've known him too long or too intimately, I think he's a good addition to the Monastery. So far, he's proving to be an asset like Lady Rhea hoped he would be." The redhead stepped back, his eyes going to the stairwell. "Now then, gentlemen, I'll be seeing you around this evening. I have a mystery whose conclusion I'm eager to see the ending of."

"It's the duke's son! He's the masked sorcerer and his motive is-"

"Caden!" Shouted the book-loving mage as he disappeared down the stairs.

Finally, Seteth laughed, his own amusement being magnified by Caden's snickering. It gradually died down as Alphonse' presence completely left the tower. They looked back out the window which overlooked the pond. Minute by minute, it was still being deprived of its fishy occupants curtsy of the Black Eagles' professor, one of his students, and his daughter. The three of them looked undeniably happy to his perspective eyes.

"I…want to trust him, Caden, a part of me does, but there is still much about him I don't know. Too much for me to give him that trust so readily."

"Seteth, that's fine. You're a man trying to protect his family, hell, like Lady Rhea, you're trying to protect your whole race. People in your position don't trust easily, that's understandable." Offered the boisterous fighter. He wasn't sounding or looking so boisterous at the moment. The hunger for battle had faded from his eyes, replaced by a calm seriousness he was using to put the Nabatean at ease.

"Fighting him wont' reveal all that he is, Caden."

"Probably not, but it'll reveal a significant portion. Plus…if he turns out to be the force of good Lady Rhea believes him to be, we'll have one hell of an ally. If not…well…I'll know what I need to in order to take him down."

Seteth didn't take joy in hearing that last part, but he took it as a possibility. His position required him to take it into consideration; considering how full on his sister was in giving this stranger mercenary a chance; the urgency needed more so than ever.

Looking back at the fishing pond, Seteth felt a resurgence of the tug of war in his heart. He was cautious, but for the sake of his sister and his daughter…he wanted to have hope.

---

Quite a lot of talking this chapter, huh? There were a few conversations between various characters I had planned out for this chapter. I wasn't able to include all of them; during the Belfawst segment, I actually wanted to include Byleth running into Petra and Ashe. Since I felt like including them would be a bit much, I scrapped the idea and stuck to just writing him and Alois, which I feel turned out better. Personally, I think I made the right choice, but I'm eager to get your opinion, readers.

Belfawst is an alternate spell of Belfast, the capital of North Ireland who's had quite tumultuous history during certain parts of Ireland's history, especially the Troubles. Given Brigid's inspiration seems to be Celtic Ireland, especially when compared to the vaguely Roman-like Adrestia, I decided to go with an iconic city for the ethic community that's been built up under the Church's watch. In multicultural areas, and even predominately monothetic areas you'll often have ethic communities carving out sections for themselves. That's what Belfawst is in this story. The area that Garreg Mach occupies is neutral and welcoming to all peoples, so I figured why not make one town align to Brigid. As I said before, I wanted to have Byleth run into Petra, who well-beloved by the townspeople, but I couldn't find a way to make it work as well as I wanted it to.

It only came up once, but I definitely need to get it out of the way. In this story, the neutral territory that Garreg Mach sits in will be referred to as Renpet. It comes from Wepet Renpet, which was an Egyptian new year festival. It conceded with the flooding of the Nile River, which was also associated with the star Sirius. As I said in Chapter 2, the neutral territory Rhea holds dominion of is roughly the size of Belgium, and while most of that space is wilderness, there's a couple of sizable towns dotted in there.

Briller is French for "glitter" or "sparkle". Again, it's stated in-game the lands around Garreg Mach are home to unique animals and plant life, so I'm going to roll with that. I'm not going to get too wild, but I am going to have a little bit of fun with the wildlife and fauna. It's more or less canon there's already demonic beasts roaming about, and some of them can be created from ordinary animals absorbing too much magic.

This chapter's events were written as something of a partial buildup to Bernadetta's first support conversation…and a little something that's coming soon. Her first support gives the impression that she's already started to warm up to Byleth, so I decided to give some context to that. While Byleth's willing to push her, he draws lines and gives Bernadetta praise where it's due, things that her father never did. Suppose she makes three Eagles that I've had Byleth have a heart to heart with, so that just leaves five left, huh?

One thing I'm glad I was able to get to was Byleth starting down the path of magic this chapter. Him using it to warm up Bernadetta was actually one of the first scenes that came to me for this chapter. Oh, and I finally got to write the first interaction between Byleth and Flayn! With Seteth being his usual self in witnessing it! Toward the end, I felt that for a chapter about reaching out, it'd be fitting to have it end on a person who's having trouble doing that. Makes for a great lead up into the next chapter, which I should hopefully be posting in a week or two.

Until then, take care, readers!